Hidalgo: The Movie

Frank T. Hopkins is the son of a cavalry scout and an Indian princess. Set in 1890, he and Hidalgo compete in many endurance rides as well as work as a dispatch rider for the US Cavalry. Frank does not look of his native ancestry and so blends in with the white mans world. When delivers the message that brought about the massacre at Wounded Knee he begins to struggle with his identity.

Frank and Hidalgo eventually winds up working with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Being a man of two worlds he struggles with the guilt and shame over Wounded Knee and also as to how the Indians are treated at the Wild West Show. He falls to drinking to cope. When Hopkins is billed in the show as "the world's greatest endurance rider." a great sheik challenges him with an invitation to participate in the race of 3,000 miles across the desert known as the "Ocean Of Fire." If he refuses he needs to withdraw his claim.

So of course he goes and the movie is essentially about the trials of the grueling race which I won't cover because I want to leave some mystery yet to be discovered in the watching of the movie. In the end he finds himself and proves his worth as well as Hidalgo's. There is also a nice coming full circle when he uses his prize monies to secure the purchase of native ponies which were destined to be destroyed as part of the governments plan to control the native people's population.

The movie has quite a bit of political overtones. And the scene at Wounded Knee is particularly disturbing. As it should be. Compared the actuality of what the graphic slaughter actually was, this sequence is quite mild. Once again this movie is rated PG-13

What makes this a great family movie is it covers the complex issue of figuring out who we are and our place in the world. It teaches a morality and pride in one's people and culture. Also it has some great action scenes without falling into the bloody violence so common in today's movies. And lastly it has gorgeous horses and the stunning scenes which completely enchanted the artist in me.

The Movie is rated PG-13 for some adventure violence and mild sexual innuendo and runs 1 hour 36 minutes..

The movie claims to be based on a true story. I tend to look at those claims with a critical eye, as most are extremely loosely based. For instance Dreamer (another horse movie) is "inspired" by a true story. But the only part that is true, is that a racing mare had the same kind of fracture and went on to race again. That's it. Everything else was fabricated.

According to Frank T. Hopkins he really did take his mustang named Hidalgo to race in Arabia in 1890 and won. However, all of the adventures during the race in the movie were fabricated to make it a more interesting story. Prior to the movie's release, there were plenty who said that no such race ever existed or that there ever was a horse owned by Hopkins called Hidalgo. Basically Frank made the whole thing up.

Frankly this means little to mean in term of whether it be a good movie to watch. It would certainly add to the story if it really happened but in the end, I enjoyed the movie for what it was. 1 hour and 36 minutes worth of quality equestrian distraction.

I had to include this Breyer model. I have collected model horses since I was a small child. And though now I only add a new model every few years or so I still keep tabs on whats out.

This is a lovely model and is a unique mold which makes it especially lovely.