Themes: Horses, Fathers and Sons, Obsessive Quests
Main Cast: Roddy McDowall, Preston S. Foster, Rita Johnson, Jeff Corey, James Bell
Release Year: 1943
Country: US
Run Time: 89 minutes
Plot
An utterly enchanting Technicolor filmization of Mary O'Hara's novel, My Friend Flicka is the story of a beautiful colt and the boy (Roddy McDowell) who loves her. The boy's rancher father (Preston S. Foster) isn't keen on the horse that his son chooses to train: Flicka, the offspring of a tempestuous mare that has shown traces of madness. The training of Flicka is an arduous process for both boy and horse, and there are times that it appears that father was right. But by applying both love and perseverance, the boy raises the colt into a magnificent specimen. My Friend Flicka was filmed in the Rocky Mountains on a near-epic scale by director Harold Schuster and cinematographer Dewey Wrigley. The film was popular enough to spawn two theatrical sequels and a 1956 weekly TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Altrhough there are certainly examples that are exceptions, it seems that horse films such as My Friend Flicka generally tend to turn out better than many other animal genre films. Flicka is one of the best, a sentimental but not schmaltzy tale that will please animal enthusiasts as well as those just looking for a good family drama. It's Flicka's ability to effectively combine its animal side with its family drama side that makes it work so well; the two are naturally intertwined and play off of each other, instead of feeling grafted on or forced. And the trio of credited screenwriters have done an admirable job of creating solid characters rather than just types; even when those characters are having to fulfill the obligations of certain types, they do so in a manner that is convincing. And, of course, the basic story is simply enchanting. Credit must also go to Harold D. Schuster, whose direction is sure and capable, and especially to cinematographer Dewey Wrigley, whose lensing is magnificent throughout. The cast is also first rate, with young Roddy McDowall utterly captivating and Preston S. Foster and Rita Johnson just right as the two parents who take such a different view of their son. And, of course, there's the horse playing Flicka, a beauty with spirit and flare. Altogether, Flicka is a charming and enthralling film for the whole family. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Richard Day - Art Director, Chester Gore - Art Director, Herschel - Costume Designer, Harold D. Schuster - Director, Robert Fritch - Editor, Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score), Dewey Wrigley - Cinematographer, Ralph Dietrich - Producer, Francis Edwards Faragoh - Screenwriter, Lillie Hayward - Screenwriter, Mary O'Hara - Screenwriter, Mary O'Hara - Book Author
