By Jason Apuzzo. The Hollywood Reporter has a big article out today about how Disney and director Randall Wallace (We Were Soldiers, screenwriter on Braveheart) are doing a big marketing push to Christians on behalf of the forthcoming family-friendly feature Secretariat, somewhat similar to what was done for Sandra Bullock’s The Blind Side.
The article reveals some interesting details about the film that I’ve excerpted below:
“Secretariat” doesn’t shy away from politics — portraying conservatives and liberals honorably — and embraces Christian themes also are reminiscent of “Blind Side.” …
“Secretariat” even opens with a lengthy quote from the Bible, a portion of God’s speech to Job. A trailer that includes those lines is on Christian websites all over the Internet, and some of those sites contain the earliest reviews of the film and offer users a chance to see advanced screenings. The Bible quote is “transcendent,” Wallace told The Hollywood Reporter. “I wanted to capture that timelessness and majesty. The idea that courage prevails.”
At a screening for a group called Catholic Media Review that included remarks from Wallace, the invitation boasted, “Not only is Randall one of the most successful directors of all time, he is also a devout Christian.” A film reviewer there “highly recommended” the film to readers and noted “a definite subtext of faith which is as rare these days as it is welcome.” That subtext includes a dramatic singing of “Oh Happy Day! When Jesus Walked” at the movie’s climax, and horse groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis) speaks reverently of God’s plan and being “lifted up.” …
“Blind Side” was the true story of an essentially homeless teenager adopted by a conservative Christian couple. Although the politics in “Secretariat” are less central to the story, they’re not ignored. Except for the eldest daughter, the [Penny] Chenery family members [owners of Secretariat] were political conservatives during the early 1970s, when the movie takes place. Chenery’s husband (Dylan Walsh) is portrayed as the obvious right-winger who isn’t thrilled with his wife’s decision to pull double duty after she inherits her father’s horse ranch, nor is he happy about his hippie daughter’s embrace of all that “commie crap” she’s getting from anti-Vietnam War protesters. His values are portrayed as old-fashioned, but they’re not belittled.
Politicos on the right side of the aisle no doubt also will appreciate the appearance of former Republican Sen. Fred Thompson in a good-guy role as well as the film’s statement against large inheritance taxes, portrayed as a looming threat that could derail the protagonist’s heroic efforts. One particularly political though short scene has the dad explaining to his children the concept of there being a cost to freedom. Wallace said Chenery, who makes a cameo appearance in the film, was “deeply satisfied” with the way he dealt with politics in the film.
You get the drift. Secretariat will be released October 8th.
Posted on September 29th, 2010 at 9:31am.
Okay, if they say so.
The trailer I saw in the theater was chock full of 100 octane “YOU GO GURRRL!” and model M-1 empowerment messaging.
Another movie that starts with a biblical quotation is the English film “If . . . “, as anti-religious as movies come. So it’s hard to really put that part of “Secretariat” on the credit side of the ledger.
I can’t wait to see this movie. Secretariat was a freak of nature and a super horse. After his death “a necropsy revealed that his heart weighed 22 lbs. which was about two and a half times larger than that of the average horse.” A living breathing Supercharged Ferrari.
Random thought: this might’ve been a good flick for 3D.
Compared to a lot of junk that’s been released in 3D…sure why not!