All The Pretty Horses

[Pat Holscher]

It may be because I pay next to no attention to what's going on at the movies generally (I assume that almost every current movie involves audio that is way to loud and features a plot device that does nothing other to show larger than life images of a sweaty Megan Fox and is therefore directed at the Ipod deafened teenage male demographic, or features brooding romantic vampires who don't do anything interesting other than hang around the house and is therefore directed at the 12-13 year old female demographic or features Sarah Jessica Parker as an apparently tape worm afflicted underemployed, over monied, boofadore with icky morals, apparently directed at the delusional demographic) but I hadn't even heard of this movie until it showed up on television the other day. I caught the ending first and found that pretty interesting so last night I went back and saw the whole thing. This is an interesting movie.

Has anyone else here seen it?

The movie starts in 1949. The plot involves a young Texas rancher whose grandfather dies, and his mother, the sole inheritor, sells the ranch, thereby dispossessing her son. He decides to go off to Mexico after convincing a friend to do the same, basically on the premise that ranching in Mexico was what it had been in the US in the prior century, an assumption that would have been partially off and partially on, as the movie demonstrates. On the way into Mexico the pair are joined by another Texan, a 16 year old runaway.

I won't give away the plot, but the depiction of Mexican ranching, Mexican horse use, and Mexico in 1949, is quite interesting. The Mexican police of the era are depicted as still being mounted, which perhaps they were in rural areas. Mexican justice is depicted as brutal and corrupt, and that's probably correct for that era, and quite a few years in either direction of that era.

It's an interesting film. Worth watching.

[Pat Holscher]

As a slight addition to this, one thing that I thought interesting about the film was the subtle references to World War Two. The main character goes to his father early in the film to try to get him to intervene with his mother. We see from the father's cigarette lighter that he's a veteran (I forget of which division). The father says there's no point as he "hasn't talked to her since San Francisco in 1942". We're left with the suggestion that the mother abandoned her husband, son and the ranch, for life in the city, during the war. The 16 year old runaway relates that he reacted to being beaten up at home. When asked if that was by his father, he reports that "My father didn't come home from the war" and it's a stepfather.

It's not a huge element of the story, but it weaves in the post war world in a realistic way through references like that.

[selewis]

I read, enjoyed, and recommend the book. I haven't seen the movie but will look for it. Thanks.
S.

[browerpatch]

(I assume that almost every current movie involves audio that is way to loud and features a plot device that does nothing other to show larger than life images of a sweaty Megan Fox and is therefore directed at the Ipod deafened teenage male demographic, or features brooding romantic vampires who don't do anything interesting other than hang around the house and is therefore directed at the 12-13 year old female demographic or features Sarah Jessica Parker as an apparently tape worm afflicted underemployed, over monied, boofadore with icky morals, apparently directed at the delusional demographic)

By golly, Pat, I think you hit the nail on the head with the current state of entertainment. We used to try to go the the movies once a month or so. Now. once every couple of years is more like it.

Regarding "All the Pretty Horses", I looked it up. Looks interesting. I think I'll put it in my "queue". Thanks for the recommendation.


Frank

[Tom Muller]

Pat,

I watched the movie by accident a few weeks ago and enjoyed it very much. I'd recomend it too.

Tom

[mnhorse]

I hadn't noticed that ALL THE PRETTY HORSES had been adapted for the screen.............. But then, I don't pay much attention to movies and haven''t been to one in years. The actors all mumble and the music is way too loud. My hearing is getting poorer by the year. Must have something to do with all the gunfire and loud machinery in my youth.

The book I enjoyed very much.
Richard

[Pat Holscher]

I hadn't noticed that ALL THE PRETTY HORSES had been adapted for the screen.............. But then, I don't pay much attention to movies and haven''t been to one in years. The actors all mumble and the music is way too loud. My hearing is getting poorer by the year. Must have something to do with all the gunfire and loud machinery in my youth.

The book I enjoyed very much.
Richard

On the mumbling, I would agree that the attempt at the regional accent comes off a bit off the mark.

FWIW, people who are born and raised in the West have a series of native accents. The one down there is different than the one up here, but both of them are there, if a person can recognize them. The one down there is easier to recognize, but if you get around a group of people from the Rocky Mountain West you'll note that they do have an accent.

I mention that as accents are perceived differently by those hearing them as opposed to those who speak with them. The accent that would be correct for the region in the film has sort of a marblely effect to those who are not used to it. Lest that sound like an insult, the accent up here most definitely sounds like mumbling to those from the outside. The regional accent here doesn't "slur" speech, or "drawl", but it simply doesn't pronounce words as distinctly as the standard Mid West accent. It's pretty recognizable to those who are attuned to it, and I've actually had been identify where I'm from based on that alone, although I can't notice it in myself. I do notice it if I'm around a group of people who are from here, including people who speak for a living. Outsiders, on those occasions, can be identified by "what?, what?. . . what?" Also, it tends to mean that receptionist from back East can't grasp a person's name, as in "Hello, I'm Pat. . .can I speak to Bob?. . . . "You say you're Raoul and you wish to order a car?"

I note all that as regional accents are really hard for outsiders to mimic. Most people who attempt West Texas accents on screen botch it. To locals, the accents affected by actors playing modern Westerners are hilariously funny, as they never get it right, and it doesn't sound anything like we sound like, to us. For some reason, perhaps inaccute ears, actors tend to tack towards about three accents for Americans that they feel need accents, which are "General Imaginary Southern", a fake southern accent that doesn't exist in the real world, "General Texas Accent", which is sort of a weird marbled mouthed attempt to do a Texas accent, that fills in for all Texans (and Oklahomans) and "Generalyl Hayseed", which is the accent used for anyone who doesn't live in a metropolis, and also doesn't actually mimic any real spoken English.

[Grant]

For me the main character in "All the Pretty Horses" had a wonderful " never say die" atitude & a fine sense of honor & decency! Refreshing to find such basic old fashioned qualities in a contemorary movie. It came off as a really worthwhile moral movie! An unusual story too. Well acted & filmed & produced. Grant

[Sam Cox]

Im waiting for a Billy Bob to revisit this film with some extras

there is about 40 minutes worth of movie that never made it to the final cut

always nice to see Penelope Cruz in anything