Story of the legendary trotting horse Dan Patch.
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Title: The Great Dan Patch (1949)
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Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Dennis O'Keefe | ... | David Palmer | |
| Gail Russell | ... | Cissy Lathrop | |
| Ruth Warrick | ... | Ruth Treadwell | |
| Charlotte Greenwood | ... | Aunt Netty | |
| Henry Hull | ... | Dan Palmer | |
| John Hoyt | ... | Ben Lathrop | |
| Arthur Hunnicutt | ... | Chet Williams | |
| Clarence Muse | ... | Voodoo | |
| Harry Lauter | ... | Bud Ransome | |
 |
Highland Dale | ... | Dan Patch, a Horse |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
David Palmer, a young chemist, returns to his father's Indiana farm, to marry a local school teacher, Ruth Treadwell. David meets again his father's horse-trainer, Ben Lathrop, whose daughter, Cissy, has left high school to help her father. Palmer marries and becomes wealthy through an invention, and is able to indulge his socially-ambitious wife. His father dies and Palmer returns to Indiana, where his interest in harness-racing is rekindled, as is his interest in Cissy Lathrop. Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
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Harness Racing's Great Drama! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
22 July 1949 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Ride a Reckless Mile See more »Filming Locations:
General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USACompany Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Black and White (Sepiatone)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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"The Great Dan Patch" is not the sort of film I would normally watch. While some people absolutely adore horses and movies about them, I really don't care much for them one way or the other. I mostly watched it because I like Dennis O'Keefe and he stars in this one.
I had never heard of Dan Patch and didn't realize what an amazing horse he was. Apparently, he had the distinction of being an unbeaten horse in trotting races....something that seems impossible. He was so dominant that after a while they couldn't get horses to race against him! This movie is a biography which plays a bit fast and loose with the facts....with about as much truth as Hollywood in the story. So, if you only want the full and true story, read up on Dan Patch...don't watch the movie!
The story is essentially about the horse but told much more about the horse's owner and the owner's son, David (O'Keefe). Most of the story centers not on Patch's life and career but on David's marriage to an ornery woman (Ruth Warrick)...and another woman (Gail Russell) who secretly loved him. In support are some excellent actors--Henry Hull, John Hoyt and Clarence Muse.
So is it any good? Well, it is entertaining and the acting is nice....but it IS about horses. So, if you love 'em, see the film. If you're more ambivalent (like me), it's pretty skippable.