The true story of an Australian racehorse that became a champion, with the help of a local stableboy.
Director:
Simon WincerWriter:
David Williamson
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Title: Phar Lap (1983)
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4 wins & 5 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Tom Burlinson | ... | Tommy Woodcock | |
 |
Richard Morgan | ... | 'Cashy' Martin |
| Robert Grubb | ... | William Nielsen | |
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Simon Wells | ... | Newsboy |
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Kelvyn Worth | ... | Newsboy |
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Justin Ridley | ... | Newsboy |
| Martin Vaughan | ... | Harry Telford | |
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Brian Granrott | ... | Reporter |
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Celia De Burgh | ... | Vi Telford |
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Steven Bannister | ... | Cappy Telford (Younger) |
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Richard Terrill | ... | Cappy Telford (Older) |
| Ron Leibman | ... | Dave Davis | |
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Ross O'Donovan | ... | Strapper |
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Ashley Grenville | ... | Strapper |
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Les Foxcroft | ... | Brazier Man |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Phar Lap, the legendary Australian racing horse, is as well-known today for his mysterious death as for his fabulous accomplishments in life. Beginning at the end, the film flashes back to the day that Phar Lap, despite his lack of pedigree, is purchased on impulse by trainer Harry Telford. Phar Lap loses his first races, but Telford's faith in the animal is unshakable. Suddenly the horse becomes a winner, thanks to the love and diligence of stableboy Tommy Woodcock. American-promoter Dave Davis arranges for Phar Lap to be entered in several top races, where his "long shot" status results in heavy losses for the professional gamblers. Just after winning an important race in Mexico, Phar Lap collapses and dies; though the film never comes out and says as much, it is assumed that the horse was "murdered" by the gambling interests. Written by Hal Erickson
Plot Keywords:
horse riding | looking out of a window | man wearing glasses | attempted murder | train station |Taglines:
The Legend Remains See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
AustraliaLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
13 April 1984 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
A Horse Called Phar Lap See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$2,878,404Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$2,878,404Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Tommy Woodcock: [talking to the horse, while feeding him] Yeah, you know what's coming up, don't ya? Hang on a minute. Hang on, I've gotta mix it up. That's it. Yeah. You're a good fellow today. You love all that stuff now, don't ya? Crowds and cheering. The bigger the better, eh?
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Did You Know?
Trivia
After Phar Lap's death, his stuffed hide was donated to the Melbourne Museum (where it is one of the main attractions), his skeleton to Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and his heart to the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. His heart was remarkable for its size, weighing 6.2 kg, compared with an average horse's heart weight of 3.2 kg. See more »Goofs
Early in the film, in early 1928, Phar Lap's trainer Harry Telford (Martin Vaughan) insists that the horse's name must contain seven letters, because the names of the last four Melbourne Cup winners had contained seven letters. In fact, only one of the previous four Melbourne Cup winners in the period in question, 1924-27, had seven letters in its name - Windbag, in 1925. The other winners in that period were Backwood (1924), Spearfelt (1926) and Trivalve (1927). Nor did the subsequent 1928 winner, Statesman, nor the 1929 winner, Nightmarch (to whom Phar Lap ran third), have seven letters in their names. See more »Quotes
[First Lines]Tommy Woodcock: [talking to the horse, while feeding him] Yeah, you know what's coming up, don't ya? Hang on a minute. Hang on, I've gotta mix it up. That's it. Yeah. You're a good fellow today. You love all that stuff now, don't ya? Crowds and cheering. The bigger the better, eh?
See more »
Alternate Versions
The original release opens with Phar Lap's death, with the rest of the film told in flashback. For it's American release where the story of Phar Lap is less known, the opening was removed, making Phar Lap's unexpected death more dramatic. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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This movie is the "Rocky" of animal pictures. Based on a true story, it made me want to go and do a little research on the real Phar Lap. Your emotions will span the scale while you watch this movie. It doesn't have an all star cast...or even a recognizable one, but this movie is worth a rental fee or purchase.