This is a colorful horse-racing drama which pairs Walter Brennan and Fay Bainter as old timers who have fallen out, with Richard Greene and Brenda Joyce as the younger generation who bring them back together. Years before, Bainter's husband (Sidney Blackmer) was killed as the result of an accident on his horse during a fox-hunt, for which Bainter blamed trainer Brennan for. Now, her son has fallen in love with his daughter, and she is afraid the past will repeat itself. Bainter does all she can to prevent this, but the course of true love and an ambition to fulfill the destiny his father never could may keep her well-meant goals from being realized.
The story of a young boy who grows into a man and pony who grows into a champion race horse is good family drama. Bainter and Brennan play enemies whose motives are both understandable, so neither comes off as "the bad guy". Bainter's performance is sometimes hard, but you really can see into her motivation, so she does get sympathy. Brennan is both feisty and touching, and it is easy to see why Greene would remain loyal to him beyond the demands of his mother. Such great character performers as Hattie McDaniel, Charlie Ruggles and Ben Carter offer solid support, and the color photography by George Barnes is excellent. Henry King adds another success to his many films with a classic worthy of re-discovery.
The story of a young boy who grows into a man and pony who grows into a champion race horse is good family drama. Bainter and Brennan play enemies whose motives are both understandable, so neither comes off as "the bad guy". Bainter's performance is sometimes hard, but you really can see into her motivation, so she does get sympathy. Brennan is both feisty and touching, and it is easy to see why Greene would remain loyal to him beyond the demands of his mother. Such great character performers as Hattie McDaniel, Charlie Ruggles and Ben Carter offer solid support, and the color photography by George Barnes is excellent. Henry King adds another success to his many films with a classic worthy of re-discovery.