Hidalgo

2004 | USA | PG-13 | cinesia : 14

official site :

DIRECTOR : Joe Johnston

CAST : Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif, Louise Lombard, Adam Alexi-Malle, Saïd Taghmaoui, Silas Carson ...

WRITER : John Fusco

PRODUCER : Casey Silver

COMPOSER : James Newton Howard

STUDIO : Touchstone Pictures

DISTRIBUTOR : Buena Vista International

RUNTIME : 2 hours 16 minutes

LANGUAGE : English, Arabic

GENRE : Action / Drama / Adventure

USA

March 5, 2004

Switzerland

March 31, 2004

Unbridled. Unbroken. Unbeaten.

Based on the true story of the greatest long-distance horse race ever run, “Hidalgo” is an epic action-adventure and one man’s journey of personal redemption. Held yearly for centuries, the Ocean of Fire—a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian Desert—was a challenge restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred, the purest and noblest lines, owned by the greatest royal families. In 1890, a wealthy Sheik invited an American and his horse to enter the race for the first time. Frank T. Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) was a cowboy and dispatch rider for the US cavalry who had once been billed as the greatest rider the West had ever known. The Sheik (Omar Sharif) would put this claim to the test, pitting the American cowboy and his mustang, Hidalgo, against the world’s greatest Arabian horses and Bedouin riders—some of whom were determined to prevent the foreigner from finishing the race. For Frank, the Ocean of Fire becomes not only a matter of pride and honor, but a race for his very survival as he and his horse, Hidalgo, attempt the impossible.

Hidalgo is inspired by the life of Frank T. Hopkins, one of the most famous riders of the West in the 19th century. He participated at more than 400 races with his Spanish mustang, one of the most famous is the one shown in the film: 3000 miles across the Arabic deserts.

It’s been more than twelve years that the writer John Fusco is working on the script of Hidalgo. At that time he was doing some research on West America and heard of that Hopkins; he discovered then this fantastic race across the Arabic desert.

For the actor Omar Sharif, Hidalgo was a good opportunity to return on locations on which he already worked on in Lawrence of Arabia 40 years ago. He explains: When we shot Lawrence of Arabia at Ouarzazate, in Morocco, the very place where Hidalgo was shot, there were no hotels – we planted several tents. Now there’s an entire industry growing around movie making. One would think we’re in Hollywood !"

Pascal's review

posted on
September 22, 2005

A very beautiful landscape for good actors

The desert, the Bedouins and the charming Arabian princesses often generate a high-quality movie. Hidalgo is one of them. After his success in The Lord of the Rings, Viggo Mortensen incarnates here a first-class horse-rider, disabused with regard to the American political situation of his time - the genocide of the Indians of whom he is a half-son - and who goes to risk his life in the Sahara with the thin hope of being well congratulated in case of victory. As his horse, a mustang of impure blood like his line is, the hero is also an impure, half red-skin and half white. This particular circumstance lets him always in an inferiority position facing people and especially the other participants of the desert race, who tolerate neither him nor his horse. At last, they accept them, hoping that they will die in the sands.
Next to Mortensen, Omar Sharif plays the role of a firm but fair character with a remarkable ease. The actors speak the language that they are supposed to speak, that’s appreciable: the Arabs speak Arabic and the English-speakers English. Among them, the speech is fully Shakespearian.
Nevertheless, several black stains darken the picture. The mad cross of the desert, which leaves the protagonists in rude positions, comprises some mistakes. Indeed, the sandstorm which blasts over the thirsty riders seems to last only a few seconds. As well, how can the proud American rider bear the powerful sun in the dazzling ocean of the clearest regions without being blind, without any solar protection? At the end, when there is no more hope, when the horse is agonizing and the rider sees the mirages which announces the end of lucidity, the prayers for the Indian gods suddenly gives them strength back which allows them to "fly" to the victory. Although the consequences of the divine intervention are recognized, the transition is too fast, between these two states, to look natural.
Briefly, a touching movie which deserves to be watched in spite of several mistakes and the fact that it is maybe a bit too long.

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