Customer Reviews

Casey's Shadow

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Matthau is perfect for the part of the grizzled, Louisiana horse trainer. The story has a deeper insight that a lot of people don't realize. I use this in my classroom and at the end ask the students what would you have done? We all, whether we admit it or not dream of our one moment of glory. The question is how far would we go to have it. This movie gives an excellent example of this as well as being a great film for lovers of horses, racing, or Walter Matthau. Funny yet insightful.

Lloyd Bourdelle (Walter Matthau) is a penniless Cajun horse trainer who raises Quarterhorses on his bayou ranch. He's aided by his three sons: Business-minded Buddy (Andrew A. Rubin); talented jockey Randy (Steve Burns); and 7-year-old Casey (Michael Hershewe). When one of the Bourdelle's mares gives birth to a special colt called Casey's Shadow after the bond the foal and the boy immediately share, the family's fortunes turn. When the chestnut, blaze-faced colt grows up, he's taken to Ruidoso, New Mexico to race in the prestigious All-American Futurity. High drama is in the air when Casey's Shadow gets hurt before the big race: With Lloyd's eyes on the prize, will the colt be forced to race in spite of his injuries? And what about the rich man who wants to buy Shadow - will Casey be able to part with his dream horse? And what about those unscrupulous types who want to stop the speedy stallion from running in the Futurity? You'll just have to see it find out! Packs an emotional punch, is well-acted, funny, and entertaining.

Staci Layne Wilson

I saw this movie for the first time over ten years ago. It is a wonderful story about a family without a mother and how all they have is each other. Mathau does a wonderful job of portraying the overbearing father who wants his one more shot at fame, no matter who he hurts. This movie is actually based on a jockey who still races today! If you enjoy horses, family, and the thrill of almost having it all, this movie is for you. Enjoy!

This was one on a list of movies that I made several years ago that I considered a "must have." As an adolescent, I remember watching this movie every chance that I could on a fledgling cable movie channel, and loved it each and every time that I saw it. Never saw it again, until I opened the Amazon package a couple of weeks ago, and sat down and watched it with my 11 year old daughter.

Not into horses myself, per se, but my in-laws, wife, and daughter are well into quarterhorses, and this movie made a huge impact on my daughter. Had to shake her pack down and recover the movie prior to her going to horsecamp last week!

A definite "must have" family movie with a slight exception to language....but nothing vulgar or in bad taste.

The "Rocky" of all horse movies. For those of us who dreamed of being the best but never had the money or the chance Casey's Shadow is as close as it gets. An excellent family movie but Walter Matthau says a lot of cuss words. Best oneliner from the movie, "I'd sell my private parts for medical research before I went on welfare." (Or something like that.) It's a great movie!!

This is my favorite horse movie. It shows that Quarter Horses are the common man's horse. Even though the movie is fiction, it shows that Quarter Horses can take you from the backyard to greatness. I feel a lot of pride as a Quarter Horse owner when I watch this movie.

How can you not love "Casey's Shadow," a gritty horse-racing film about a Louisiana underdog trying to beat the difficult odds of life? Released with little fanfare in 1978, this unique work came and went without a ripple. Watching it today is like stepping back in time, as so many great talents, long past their prime, try to forge a nice family drama in a rapidly-changing 1970's market embracing blockbusters. You have a salty Walter Matthau (in one of his finest performances), Alexis Smith, Robert Webber, Murray Hamilton, Whit Bissell and the greatest of American directors Martin Ritt, joining forces for this comfortable fable.

Sadly, the film has several miscalculations, showing signs of post-production tinkering, that keep it from achieving enduring status. But if you squint your eyes, you can see the core of a great vision. I love the on-location filming in Lafayette, Louisiana, as divorced horse trainer Bourdelle (Matthau) and his three sons (Andrew Rubin, Steve Burns and Michael Hershewe) scratch out a difficult existence barely above the poverty line. They drive an ancient, coughing truck and bunk in a house that must have been built in the 19th century. They fry steaks for dinner, wash dishes in the bathtub and negotiate horse prices for a frustrated investor (Harry Caesar). Luck falls their way as they stumble upon a secret offspring of a famous thoroughbred. Bourdelle's youngest son Casey raises the colt from infancy, the end product a regal animal clocking record times.

Bourdelle, a scrappy veteran usually stalking behind the scenes with a beer can in hand, sees a rare chance for glory and carts the animal - named Casey's Shadow after his son - to a million-dollar horse race in Ruidoso, New Mexico. A wealthy horse trainer (Smith) tries to buy the colt. A corrupt horse trainer (Webber) tries to poison it. The horse has an injury and, if forced to run, could be ruined for life. Bourdelle throws caution to the wind for a chance to be remembered as something more than a has-been Cajun. All of these interesting subplots play out with surprising resolutions.

But the missteps mentioned earlier give the film a distractingly low-budget aura. The musical score of Patrick Williams is an average mess, with incongruous riffs better suited for a sitcom (well, he did compose the music for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete First Season), attempting to create false moments of euphoria when a subtle stroke was needed. Though I will never discredit any film that plays Dr. John's "Coonass" (The Very Best Of Dr. John) over the opening credits.

The final race is shown entirely in slow motion, an unforgivably bland choice robbing what should have been the film's most dramatic moment. It's as if producers were trying to carve a Rocky-styled extravaganza from a quiet character study. Ritt (Hud, Sounder, Murphy's Romance) was usually in his element when filming on-location in the southwest, and signs of his wonderful eye are apparent. The detail of the horse-racing world, including several moments of blatant mistreatment of the animals, is fascinating and authentic. It's difficult to believe he signed off on some of the more shallow commercial choices made in the production room.

The performances are uniformly excellent, with Matthau giving one of his more underrated portrayals. Bissell has a nice cameo as a veterinarian in what would be his final motion picture role. I also like the work of Rubin as the oldest son Buddy, displaying a unique and sympathetic presence. If the film had succeeded at the box office, perhaps he could have had a more substantial career.

Ultimately, it's the quiet moments one will remember most from "Casey's Shadow," a film where artistry's better angels were pushed aside in an attempt to create a commercial product.

I too watched this growing up and loved it. I had horses so REALLY loved it. Couldn't wait to show it to our kids. But forgot all about the bad language in it!! Just wanted to warn anyone thinking it would be without.

Casey's Shadow is one of my favorite movies. It is really a classic, especially for horse racing fans.

This is one of those small family films that can get lost in the shuffle. I saw it many years ago but never had a copy of it until I finally found it on DVD. Walter Matthau portrays a Louisiana horse trainer and single parent of three sons. His life has not gone well, and he has never had a break. By accident, he comes upon a colt fathered by a famous race horse, and he sees this as his one chance at success. How the horse is reared and trained, what happens at the track, the ways the three sons become involved, the injuries to the horse's legs, the running in a championship race in spite of injury--and the results, all of these make for great movie moments. The film has ideals, thoughts about parenting, difficulties in growing up and becoming responsible, gambling and money, love of horses. It's a beautiful and touching film, and I highly recommend it. It's one for the whole family, not just the kids.