Ruffian (2007) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Yves Simoneau

Writers (WGA):

Jim Burnstein (written by) &
Garrett K. Schiff (written by)

Release Date:

9 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Plot:

A look at the life of the thoroughbred filly that dominated horse racing in the early 1970s. |

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Horse Racing | Jockey | Animal In Title | One Word Title

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Mark Adam	...	Mike Bell
Lisa Arnold	...	Female Sports Reporter #2
Laura Bailey	...	Cassie
Barry Barton	...	News Reporter
Christine Belford	...	Barbara Janney
Tony Bentley	...	The Lout
John T. Billingsley	...	News Camera Man
Dodie Brown	...	Match Race Fan
Craig Clary	...	Race Fan
Dave Cohen	...	NYC TV Reporter
Mellinda Craig	...	High Class Racetrack Patron
Kip Cummings	...	Reporter / Race Fan
John F. Daniel	...	Saratoga Race Fan
John S. Davies	...	CBS Exec.
Phillip DeVona	...	NYRA President
Vladimir Diaz	...	Jacinto Vasquez
Jean-Claude Dolese	...	News Reporter, Spectator
Jason Douglas	...	Security Guard
David Dwyer	...	Dick Sandler
Ryan Martin Dwyer	...	Horse Stable Worker
J.D. Evermore	...	Saratoga Bettor
Keith Flippen	...	Dinny Phipps
Bill Flynn	...	Elder Reporter
Chris Freihofer	...	Saratoga Guy
Adam Ian Gelfand	...	Spectator / gambler
Mathew Greer	...	Dan Williams
Stuart Greer	...	Dan Lasater
Mary Griffitts	...	Female Sports Rept. #1
Marion Guyot	...	Barbara's Lady Friend
Chuck Halley	...	CBS-TV Crew Photographer
Michael Harding	...	Leroy Jolley
Richard Harold	...	CBS Reporter
Michael J. Hebert	...	CBS Executive
Louis Herthum	...	Dr. Harthill
Rodney Hill Jr.	...	Race Fan
Derek Wayne Johnson	...	Bartender (as Derek Johnson)
Lori Knighton	...	Racetrack patron
Brian Lafontaine	...	TV Reporter
Jerry Leggio	...	Lucien Laurin
Michelle Lott	...	Spectator
Terri Marshall	...	Hot Dog eating Match Race Fan
Mike Martindale	...	Reporter
Diego J. Martinez	...	Reporter #2
John McConnell	...	Tony Pappas
Stan McDonald	...	Reporter
Eric Kelly McFarland	...	Derrick Williams
Gary McKillips	...	Jack Whitaker
Frank Mirahmadi	...	Monmouth Track Announcer
Steven Miramontz	...	Jockey
John Newberg	...	Reporter
John Newbury	...	Reporter #1
Finch Nissen	...	Race Fan
Dennis O'Neill	...	Bar Owner
Nicholas Pryor	...	Stuart Janney
Breon Pugh	...	Racing Fan
Michael Pupillo	...	Stable Manager
Joel Santiago	...	Vincent Bracciale
Luke Sexton	...	Horse Medic
Tyrone Shaw	...	Squeaky
Sam Shepard	...	Frank Whiteley
Jon Stafford	...	Dr. Pendergrast
Bill Stinchcomb	...	Bartender
Rusty Tennant	...	Reporter
Francisco Torres	...	Braulio Baeza
Sonny Vellozzi	...	Horseracing Fan
Frank Whaley	...	Bill Nack
Kimberly Whitfield	...	Match Race Fan
Cindi Woods	...	Saratoga Woman

Runtime:

Greece:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Louisiana Downs - 8000 East Texas Street, Bossier City, Louisiana, USA

Company:

ESPN Original Entertainment

Movie Connections:

Featured in 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008) (TV)

Magnificent job, somewhat short on early career

I had just gotten interested in the Triple Crown races for colts when the famous "Battle of the Sexes" aired, and I do remember what happened to Ruffian. If you are not familiar with the story, I won't give away the ending, but the events in the last few minutes of this movie may be upsetting to some people.

Sam Shepard did an outstanding job as the horse's trainer. Some of his reactions were not what I expected, but since the characters in this movie were supposedly real, perhaps he really did what was depicted. In that case, Frank Whiteley was an amazing man. He cared about his horses and about doing the right thing, but at some point he had to say yes, it's terrible, but life goes on.

Frank Whaley did a very good job as a leading sports reporter. His personality didn't appeal to me personally, but he was quite a character. Vladimir Diaz did well as Jacinto Vasquez, the jockey who rode Ruffian on several occasions, a man depicted as having high moral standards despite all that was happening.

The track announcers were excellent. And most of the leading actors gave good performances.

The horse action was well done. We saw numerous unusual camera angles of the races. Every win by Ruffian was shown in slow motion.

I liked the joke played on the reporters at Ruffian's stall. All this hype was seen as ridiculous by certain characters, as well it should have been. And this was 30 years before Paris Hilton!

Effective use was made of what appeared to be real footage of fans of both Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure as horse racing's answer to Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs approached. And of course extras wore the t-shirts and cheered for their horse. This all drove home the point that this event was kind of silly. Several times it was suggested Ruffian could have just competed against the guys--Rags to Riches did just that the day I saw this--but if that never happened, then it couldn't have been in the movie.

Displayed on the screen was a reminder that some events in the movie were fictional. Included among these was the specific event--shown in slow motion--that may have caused what I'm not giving away. Also shown on screen at the movie's end was the fact that no one really knows WHAT happened.

The only weakness I saw was the fact that Ruffian's early career was rushed. The big event in her life was given so much time that the only way to adequately show her progress would have been to make this a three-hour movie (commercials included) rather than two. Perhaps two and a half would have been enough.

But for the time allotted, this was a fine effort.