| The Sad Horse | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | James B. Clark |
| Screenplay by | Charles Hoffman |
| Story by | Zoë Akins |
| Produced by | Richard E. Lyons |
| Starring | David Ladd Chill Wills Rex Reason Patrice Wymore Gregg Palmer Eve Brent |
| Cinematography | Karl Struss |
| Edited by | Richard C. Meyer |
| Music by | Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $250,000[1] |
The Sad Horse is a 1959 American drama film directed by James B. Clark, written by Charles Hoffman and starring David Ladd, Chill Wills, Rex Reason, Patrice Wymore, Gregg Palmer and Eve Brent.[2][3] One of API's first films, it was released in March 1959 by 20th Century Fox.[4][5][6][7]
Plot
Polio-stricken 10-year-old boy Jackie Connors stays at his grandfather Captain Connors' horse farm while his father Bart goes away on a honeymoon with Sheila, his new wife. Jackie and his dog Hansel become acquainted with a woman named Leslie MacDonald and her thoroughbred North Wind, who hasn't seemed the same since the death of a dog that had been the horse's steady companion.
The unhappy Leslie is seeking a divorce from husband Bill and sees the child's Hansel as a replacement for the horse's dog. Jackie resists and she bribes Captain Connors with a $5,000 trust fund for the boy. Jackie and the dog head off to the hills, looking for a rumored buried treasure that could keep his grandfather from needing the woman's money. A mountain lion menaces the boy, who is saved in the nick of time.
Leslie and Bill reconcile. Bart returns and persuades Jackie that giving up the dog would be a grand gesture, and he agrees.
Cast
- David Ladd as Jackie Connors
- Chill Wills as Capt Connors
- Rex Reason as Bill MacDonald
- Patrice Wymore as Leslie MacDonald
- Gregg Palmer as Bart Connors
- Eve Brent as Sheila
- Leslie Bradley as Jonas
- William Yip as Ben
- Dave DePaul as Sam
Reception
The film was made by Robert L. Lippert, whose Regal outfits produced films for Fox for an average of $100,000. However, with competition from television, Lippert persuaded Fox to start financing as much as $300,000 per film, starting with The Sad Horse. He later claimed that the return on the film "was comparable to a $1 million picture."[1]
References
- 1 2 Scheuer, P. K. (Oct 26, 1959). "Lippert hails era of $300,000 hits". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167507684.
- ↑ Hopper, H. (Dec 1, 1958). "Henry levin back from european trip". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167400155.
- ↑ "SAD HORSE, the". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 26. 1959. p. 125. ProQuest 1305822709.
- ↑ "The Sad Horse (1959) – Overview". TCM.com. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
- ↑ Sandra Brennan (2016). "The-Sad-Horse – Trailer – Cast – Showtimes". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
- ↑ "The Sad Horse". Afi.com. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
- ↑ "FILMLAND EVENTS". Los Angeles Times. Dec 31, 1958. ProQuest 167377258.
External links
- The Sad Horse at IMDb
- The Sad Horse at AllMovie
- The Sad Horse at the TCM Movie Database
- The Sad Horse at the American Film Institute Catalog