The Great Dan Patch
by Joseph Newman
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DVD details
Actor: Arthur Hunnicutt, Charlotte Greenwood, Harry Lauter, Henry Hull, John HoytDirector: Joseph Newman
Cinematographer: Gilbert Warrenton
Editor: Fred W. Berger
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 94 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-23
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Alpha Video
DVD Reviews of The Great Dan Patch
DVD Review: A Path Filled With Uneven Patches
Summary: 3 Stars
By keeping in mind the type of "biographies" with sporting themes that Hollywood would generate in this era, the syrup that covers the real story is an enjoyable dessert.
Based on the iconic natural pacer from the early years of the century, Dan Patch, the script makes sure that a good story does not get in the way of the facts. A consultant to the movie was Merton E. Harrison, who was the 1912 "ghost writer" of the Autobiography of Dan Patch, which was the first-person (Standardbred) recollections of the then-retired racer.
But the movie is ultimately an enjoyable breeze around the oval, which will aim the curious into a trek to find the rest of the story through recent books and media accounts from newspapers when the legend was shattering records on the track and earning more than $1 million a year through a number of major endorsements.
DVD Review: "Slopping hogs & pitching manure is more your style..."
Summary: 4 Stars
This 1949 movie is based on the true story of the legendary race horse Dan Patch, who in eleven years of racing remained undefeated. "Great Dan Patch" is certainly no masterpiece, but it's nevertheless an enjoyable movie with a great cast. Arthur Hunnicutt, whom you'll recognize from "The Red Badge of Courage", adds a lot here in a suporting role. Chemist David Palmer (Dennis O'Keefe) has just married a snobby socialite, Ruth Treadwell (Ruth Warrick), and is also the owner of race horses. When he purchases Dan Patch he knows he's gotten a very special horse, and the trainer Ben Lathrop (John Hoyt), along with his daughter Cissy (Gail Russell), takes good care of Dan Patch. Cissy has had a crush on David for a long time, but his marriage to Ruth has crushed her hopes.
Finally, David realizes that he can no longer tolerate his obnoxious wife, and he leaves her and heads for the lovely Cissy. Meanwhile, David sales Dan Patch for $60,000 and the horse becomes a major success touring the country. Of course the story of Dan Patch is in the background throughout the film as the main focus is on Cissy's love for David, but that was okay with me. I never was a fan of horse racing anyway! The reason I purchased this dvd was because I'm a big fan of beautiful Gail Russell, who unfortunately died on August 26, 1961, from an alcohol induced heart attack. She was only 36 years old and had appeared in only 23 films, yet she left behind a legacy of exceptional performances.
This dvd from Alpha has an acceptable picture and sound quality, considering that the print used is the public domain unrestored version. All things considered, this movie is well-worth watching and is recommended for any fan of Gail Russell or Dennis O'Keefe.
DVD Review: Getting sentimental in my young old age
Summary: 5 Stars
This may not be a great movie, and it may not be played by great actors, but it's an affecting bit of work and I sat there through every second of it in thoroughly sappy enjoyment. I love feel good stories. I love watching a man or a woman or a horse doing something so well we're all bigger just have to seen it. Dan Patch is not a forgotten "sulkie horse" - he was and is the greatest pacer who ever set hoof on a track. Like Man 'O War, when Dan Patch entered a race, the rest of the field scratched. Before long he could only race against the clock and in order to do that they sent out runners with him so he'd feel he had competition. Pacing, he easily kept up with a flat out runner. Dan has a website visited by thousands, a day to honor him every year in what became his home town, and still holds the record for the fastest mile ever paced. When he died, his owner was so affected he himself died the next week. True story. As for the rest of the movie, the love story, the old folks on the farm, the trainer, the breeder, the fellow who got rich but still came back to the farm...I have no idea if any of it was "true," but it too was affecting. Oh heck. I loved this old movie. DVD Review: Right up there with National Velvet
Summary: 3 Stars
Even though this movie is about a now rather unknown sulkie horse, with "movie stars" only slightly better known, it ranks up there with "National Velvet" as one of the soppiest horse stories to make the big screen. PS Mary didn't write this one, Steve did.DVD Review: Great horse, pretty good movie
Summary: 4 Stars
Great Dan Patch, The (1949, true story and drama)
Loosely based on the life of Dan Patch, a trotting horse so fast that towards the end of his career all the competition he had were the speed records he himself set - in 11 years of racing, he was undefeated. Family drama and romance takes center stage in this film, but there are some good action scenes on the track.
Staci Layne Wilson
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