| Average Rating: |
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| Sales Rank: | 45796 (lower is better) |
| Price Used: | $2.88 |
| Shipping: | Free Shipping on most orders over $25* |
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| Director: | Stephen Ives |
| Release Date: | 2003-06-03 |
| Label: | PBS Home Video |
| UPC: | 794054885125 |
| Binding: | DVD |
| Published By: | PBS Home Video |
| ASIN: | B00008WI9P |
| Category: | DVD |
The match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral goes exactly like it was done in the film, but there is something to be said for watching footage of the actual race. Seabiscuit lets War Admiral catch up with him but holds off the challenger and blows past him on the straightaway, pulling away at the end. The footage and shots of Red Pollard sitting on top of the 7-year-old Seabiscuit after finally winning the Santa Anita $100,000 race are quite poignant and there is also the fact that you actually get to see Seabiscuit it all his awkward glory.
This documentary shows that the theatrical film is essentially faithful to the dramatic highpoints of Seabiscuit's racing career. In terms of the human beings in the horse's life that boils down to his trainer Tom Smith in the first half of the documentary and his jockies, primarily Red Pollard, in the second. This has to be because the idea that both horse and rider could come back from problems that left the pair with four good legs between them is a story that writes itself.
When ESPN put Secretariat on its list of the 50 Greatest Athletes of all time I had no problem with that. I have a pet theory that says you really fall in love with only one horse in your life; for some that would be Black Beauty or the Pie or Trigger or Citation or the one in their own stable. For me it was Secretariat. But I can see where lots of people could end up falling in love with this funny looking horse that died long before they were born could become the horse of their heart.
So, whether you come to the documentary from the theatrical film or go to the movies after catching this documentary on PBS during the current pledge drive, I think that you will be satisfied either way. My suggestion would be go to the movies for the Hollywood version and then check out the real thing on this nice little documentary.