Miracle of the White Stallions (1963)

Based on a true story

BEHIND THE SCENES & TRIVIA: This Disney Studios production was first released to theatres on March 29, 1963. It later aired on Walt Disney's `Wonderful World of Color' on NBC television as a two part episode on October 17 and 24, 1965. It re-aired on November 11 and 18, 1973. For the television airing it was re-edited and renamed "Flight of the White Stallions". The screenplay was the first Disney project for 29 year old A.J. Carothers, base on the book "The Dancing White Horses of Vienna", by Colonel Alais Podhajsky. In fact, Mr. Disney sent Carothers on travel to Vienna to meet the Colonel and visit the school for research. Walt believed in having a good story as the base of a film, so much so that some writers were allowed to produce or direct their screenplays. The first director hired for this film wanted to bring in a writer to change the script that Walt Disney had already approved. As a result a new director was hired, Arthur Hiller. The writer Carothers stayed on several years with Disney to write other screenplays including "Emil and the Detectives", "The Happiest Millionaire", and "Never a Dull Moment". The first writer, from England, had been removed from the project when his draft included a characterization of American G.I.'s as "gum-chewing soldiers" according to Harry Tytle's biography. Walt and his wife had also traveled to Vienna and had a luncheon at the Spanish Riding School while being treated to a performance of the horses.
The solid background musical score is by long-time Disney studio composer Paul Smith, who won an Academy Award ® for his work on Pinocchio. Smith worked for the studio from 1934 to 1962, writing the music for most of the Disney True-Life Adventures and many of their short cartoons. He was nominated for his compositions for Cinderella, Song of the South, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Saludos Amigos, and The Three Caballeros. The famous composing duo, the Sherman Brothers, were asked by Walt Disney to create a German style song for the production, and so "Just Say `Auf Widersehen' " was born. The film is 117 minutes in length in the theatrical edit version. Released on VHS in 1987, and DVD in 2004.

STORY: During World War II, the Colonel Podhajsky (Robert Taylor) and his famous Spanish Riding School featuring white Lipizzaner horses in Vienna are threatened as the Nazis are moving in. The Colonel smuggles the stallions into St. Martin. The mares of the breed are in Czechoslovakia, and the Colonel fears their fate with the swiftly approaching Russians. The Colonel hatches a bold plan to appeal to U.S. General Patton, who is known a s horseman, to help rescue the horse and protect the future breeding. Great supporting cast including Eddie Albert.
September 4, 2008

I love this story

I love this story. I loved it as a kid and now some 40 years later, it is still a great movie. Thanks Disney and thanks Amazon.com June 20, 2008

Wonderful story of what poeple can do.

I saw this many years ago & wanted my grandkids to enjoy too. They did & I sure did. So great to see these marvelous animals. April 28, 2008

A life time devotion

I saw this movie as a child when it first came to the theatre...I have loved these horses all my life..I am a dressage trainer and am fortunate to now own my second Lipizzan with this comes a great responsibility to their legacy..this movie I have shown to anyone who will watch it and they all come away wanting to know more..I have been to the Spanish Riding School and the Febderal Stud of Piber..it has been the experience of a life time...you can get this movie through The Lipizzan Associan of North America and the United States Lipizzan Registry..plus many documentory DVD's about the SRS and Piber. February 20, 2008

My children -mad about-horses- love it

After visiting the Hofreitschule in Vienna my children where curious about the story. It seems, the film is not available in Europe anymore.
My Children are mad about horses and the loved the movie. February 8, 2008

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