In 1980 I played the supporting lead of an English sergeant in the World War II drama THE GIRL ON THE VIA FLAMINIA by Alfred Hayes at a 99-seat theatre in Hollywood. The 18 year old actor playing the supporting role of the rebellious young G.I. got his part mainly because his father Leo (in 1954) had played the lead in the same play in New York prior to being black-listed during the McCarthy "un-American" activities era. Leo later became a well-known director. The name of the young man in VIA FLAMINIA was Sean Penn.

In 1996 I played the lead in three one act plays written by my friend Bruce Feld, who besides being an excellent playwright, at that time also wrote a weekly stage column for the now defunct show biz publication DRAMALOGUE. The third piece was an extremely dark comedy about a seedy homeless couple living in a tent on the beach who pimp out their teenage son for sexual favors. The young actor playing my "son" was named Tobey Maguire.

Both actors appeared to be talented young men, and in Sean's case already very much a Method actor, but WHO KNEW?!

I have been following my "stage son's" career with interest since then. Tobey's first big film as Kevin Kline's son in THE ICE STORM, CIDER HOUSE RULES opposite Michael Caine, SPIDERMAN (click to see Vance Aandahl's review of this film), and now by far his best role as the jockey in SEABISCUIT written specially for him by Gary Ross, who also directed him in PLEASANTVILLE.

Gary Ross, in SEABISCUIT, has a huge amount of material to fit into two hours, and by and large he succeeds. The main problem is that he insists on hitting you over the head about eight times with the film's message, that everyone gets a second chance, even losers. There is the horse's owner (he bought Seabiscuit for $5,000), well played by Jeff Bridges, who lost his car dealing fortune in the Depression and whose son was ironically killed while driving one of his father's cars.                                                                    

Then there is the old time down and out trainer, a horse whisperer, who sees the potential in Seabiscuit, and that what he really needs is encouragement, having been used as a pacing horse by his previous owner. Chris Cooper excels in this type of role, and is extremely moving and believable.

Finally Maguire (Red Pollard), as the too tall, tough talented young jockey with a drinking problem that was sent away by his parents to apprentice for a trainer during the height of the Depression, really gets to flex his acting muscles. I had always felt that the directors in his previous films had portrayed him as the sincere, passive rather one-note young leading man, but here he wonderfully shows the many complicated facets of his jockey's personality, warts and all.

They make a great trio of hard luck stories, but as I mentioned earlier, Ross keeps hitting the audience over the head with his "Everyone deserves a second chance" message. One feels like saying "Oy vey - we got it already!" The repetitions weaken what is otherwise a well-written and beautifully produced movie.

The famous jockey Gary Stevens makes an excellent acting debut as the more experienced rider (George Woolf) who is hired to ride Seabiscuit in his match race with War Admiral after Maguire's character breaks his leg. William H. Macy does a hysterical turn in the fictitious role of a racing radio tipster who uses special sound effects and a hot blonde to augment his show, and Elizabeth Banks is good as Bridge's second wife who helps him buy Seabiscuit.

All the horse-racing sequences, choreographed by jockey Chris McCarron are top notch, and this is the first film to effectively show how jockeys talk to each other in the saddle, which was achieved by building a special motorized vehicle that placed the camera parallel to two horses as they race, and brilliantly captures their rider's conversation.

I am also a sucker for old black and white historical news footage, of which there is a plethora in this film, along with a 30's style news voiceover that add an authentic Depression era look to the production.                                  

This is a well-made old-fashioned Hollywood movie that should appeal to all ages. It fully deserves its success.

Seabiscuit
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