Secretariat

[Dennis Hardin]

You know it's probably a good movie when critics call it ‘conservative propaganda'...

Disney's 'Secretariat': Is it conservative propaganda?

“The idea of Secretariat as a ‘fantasy fable for Tea Partiers’ who yearn for a mythical, ‘prelapsarian America’ is both marvelous, says Dana Stevens in Slate, and dubious. As far as I'm concerned, this is a ‘by-the-numbers sports-hero picture’ for horse lovers…”

Perhaps it is ‘by the numbers.’ Whatever the hell prelapsarian means, it really is a pretty terrific film.

[Selene]

You know it's probably a good movie when critics call it 'conservative propaganda'...

Disney's 'Secretariat': Is it conservative propaganda?

"The idea of Secretariat as a 'fantasy fable for Tea Partiers' who yearn for a mythical, 'prelapsarian America' is both marvelous, says Dana Stevens in Slate, and dubious. As far as I'm concerned, this is a 'by-the-numbers sports-hero picture' for horse lovers…"

Perhaps it is 'by the numbers.' Whatever the hell prelapsarian means, it really is a pretty terrific film.

Dennis:

New one to me, but this is what it means:

prelapsarian - characteristic of or belonging to the time or state before the fall of humankind.

Now what does the use of that word indicate about the reviewer!

Adam

[DavidMcK]

I also read a critic who said that at the peak moment (probably Secretariat's record breaking run at Belmont) that a Christian hymn was played. The director comes from a religious background and tries to tag success with a Biblical perspective.

[Selene]

I also read a critic who said that at the peak moment (probably Secretariat's record breaking run at Belmont) that a Christian hymn was played. The director comes from a religious background and tries to tag success with a Biblical perspective.

Thirty two lengths would make me hear a heavenly hymn also!

[Dennis Hardin]

Perhaps it is 'by the numbers.' Whatever the hell prelapsarian means, it really is a pretty terrific film.

Dennis:

New one to me, but this is what it means:

prelapsarian - characteristic of or belonging to the time or state before the fall of humankind.

Now what does the use of that word indicate about the reviewer!

Adam

Adam,

Thanks for the clarification. While we’re on the topic of mankind “before the fall,” I am reminded of Objectivism, before the cataclysm.

As romantic art, Secretariat reminds me of another film about horse racing from 2003: Seabiscuit. And both of those films, in varying degrees, bring to mind Barbara Branden’s review of the movie Born Free in The Objectivist of September, 1966:

Where can one go to see courage and benevolence and loyalty and integrity and intelligence? Where can one go for emotional fuel, for the sight of a living being proudly fighting for its life and its values, and winning against terrible odds? Why, one can go to a lion’s den in Africa—to a movie about the remarkable lioness, Elsa—to Born Free.

Born Free is an entrancing story of dedication and perseverance, of devoted struggle, of loyalty and love. One need not be an animal lover to enjoy the sight of Elsa’s intelligence and heroism—and to wish that movie makers would grant to man at least some of that same potentiality.

Barbara Branden, "Cultural Barometer," The Objectivist, September, 1966

A horse stable is apparently considered by contemporary Hollywood to be as just as safe for unadulterated value-worship as a lion’s den.