Anyone remember the movie Sylvester? (*cynics*)

[RedTahoe]

Just the other day, I ordered "Sylvester" off Amazon.com. (The movie with Richard Farnsworth and Melissa Gilbert)

Some of the reviews on IMDB, etc. were hilarious including "saddle bronc turned olympic jumper."

Brief synopsis....

Stockman brings in a herd of horses to break and train as rodeo "stock." Melissa Gilbert ("Charlie") says, "I can gentle anything." Guy beats the horse, tries to break him and can't. Charlie does. Charlie decides that she's going to train the horse for Eventing. In a matter of a few pops over some homemade jumps in a field, and some overnight dressage training (because all horses can perform passage, etc. overnight), the horse competes, with Charlie, in what's assumed to be the Rolex. Local shop owners sew Charlie's attire, a local bootmaker makes her boots, and a local tack shop guy (in a dust bowl area) knows everything there is to know about Eventing tack and Eventing. There is a large banner in one scene showing "Rolex" and "3-Day Event."

*SPOILER*

Horse competes. A private owner falls in love and offers to buy Sylvester, etc.

There are some other things in the plot - Charlie being "mom" to her two brothers, love story, yadda yadda yadda.

I hadn't seen this movie in twenty years or so (whenever it came out and was being shown on HBO!), and I really had to laugh at this movie.

It needs to be re-rated. It is NOT PG. Attempted rape, a lot of GDs and other "colorful" language, etc.

I'm sure there are some people here who have seen the movie and can comment. I do recall that it was "Sylvester" that got me interested in learning more about Eventing.

Kinda wish I could take a soon-to-be saddle bronc horse and train him upper level dressage and jumping overnight!

[Lori]

I remember the movie, but not enough to have it stand out in my mind as something that I liked. Dunno, I remember Sylvester as cheezy. :)

I liked horse in the flannel suit and horse with the flying tail.

[RedTahoe]

Yeah, watching Sylvester now it's a little cheesy :)

I sure would like someone to "sponsor" me and give me all of my tack, all of my riding attire, and some custom boots! lol

[equusvilla]

My daughters loved that movie...I just remembered it being very cute..but pretty bad acting in some parts..

[loshad]

If you read the book it's made out of, it's made pretty clear that she has to qualify for the event she enters in Kentucky. I think she goes Prelim, but I'm not entirely certain about that. The older man character is a former U.S. Army eventer from back in the day with a lot of experience and is a good trainer (and is, of course, a curmudgeon with a heart of gold).

ETA: And Sylvester's deal is that he hates men and so can't be trained by one.

It's still pretty farfetched, but slightly less so, apparently, than the movie. ;)

[LuvMyTB]

Cheesy or not, I adored this movie as a kid. I didn't know you could get it on Amazon! *scurries off to place order*

I also LOVE International Velvet, which I know a lot of people hate. Maybe I just have bad taste in movies. :winkgrin:

[CB/TB]

Wasn't 'The Grey Goose" the horse and Kim Walnes the ride in the action/jumping scenes?

[JerseyGirlEQ]

I'll admit I loved this movie! I saw it back when I first started riding and I just fell in love with it. I loved the whole idea of it and seeing her bring him along. I always loved the one scene where the older man works the horse in the moonlight. It's prob one of the things that made dressage something I wanted to pursue. As I learned more about horses and riding tho it kind of ruins the movie, its pretty unrealistic for a girl used to roping cattle to take a bronc horse and compete at prelim without some serious help.

[talkofthetown]

I LOVED this movie when I was little! Actually...yeah, I still love it :lol: I saw it for the first time at summer horse camp. We were all eventers, so we laughed at the "wrong" parts, but it was still fun to watch.

[RugBug]

It's still pretty farfetched, but slightly less so, apparently, than the movie. ;)

Isn't it based on a true story?

[Angel Undercover]

Wasn't 'The Grey Goose" the horse and Kim Walnes the ride in the action/jumping scenes?

Yep. :) I loff The Grey Goose.

I agree about the PG rating. I was quite surprised when I saw that. Very cheesy and BAD acting, but I admit I still watch it the odd time!

[RedTahoe]

I love Amazon's "detailed" description:

"Melissa Gilbert made her movie debut in this "National Velvet"-style story of a girl and her horse. With the help of Richard Farnsworth and Michael Schoeffling, Gilbert trains a wild horse, Sylvester, and goes on to win a show competition."

Look what else Amazon offers for $10.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Horse-Favorites-Film/dp/B000U1ZV58/ref=pd_sim_d_2

Black Beauty
The Story of Seabiscuit (not the one with Tobey)
National Velvet
International Velvet

[gloriginger]

For all you fans, "Sylvester" in his retirement years, hanging in his paddock:

http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2334%3D%3B%3B5%3D389%3DXRO QDF%3E232383%3A%3B347%3A7ot1lsi

[janedoe726]

Cheesy or not, I adored this movie as a kid. I didn't know you could get it on Amazon! *scurries off to place order*

I also LOVE International Velvet, which I know a lot of people hate. Maybe I just have bad taste in movies. :winkgrin:


Me too-I have both on VHS, ordered from Amazon a couple years ago. Haven't watched them in a while, but the weather forcast is pretty wet for next weekend, so that might be on the agenda!

[cnvh]

Love love LOVE the movie... it was my all-time favorite movie when I was a kid, and I recently ordered it on DVD from Amazon. Yes, it's completely cheeseball, but who cares-- it's still on my favorites list. :)

[Chief2]

I don't know which way you'd go with the rating. The first time I saw this it was on network television. Cheesy but fun.

[Mara]

I can't help it. . .I love "International Velvet". Even though she has to qualify for the British team over a 2'6" course. . .

[Alagirl]

My daughters loved that movie...I just remembered it being very cute..but pretty bad acting in some parts..

aren't all horse movies like that? :lol:

Don't remember having seen that one, but I saw my share of cheesy horse movies. (Blue Fire Lady was probably the best of the lot, actually believable)

[RU2U]

OK - I'll be the cynic. I loved the horse, but I can't stand Melissa Gilbert. She was tolerable until she made the movie. In one of the horse mags. she bad mouthed Sylvester and I never forgave her for it. To this day I can't stand her and I always see how two faced she is!. LOL

[HorsesinHaiti]

For all you fans, "Sylvester" in his retirement years, hanging in his paddock:

http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2334%3D%3B%3B5%3D389%3DXRO QDF%3E232383%3A%3B347%3A7ot1lsi

HOOT! Don't he know what to do with a camera! Is that his movie review?

[dressagedevon]

I loved this one and Danny, and the horse in the grey flannel suit! I watched them all and loved them all, even the cheese ones!:D

[2boys]

LOOOOVE this movie! I could not get on Amazon fast enough to place my order. I can still recite lines. Super cheezy, but AWESOME.:yes:

[Foxtrot's]

I believe Nancy McLachlan (top dressage rider in Canada) did the dressage portion of Sylvester.

[RedTahoe]

I wonder if Amazon is saying, "Wow...this surge of popularity for this one movie!" lol

[trooper345]

I love that movie!!!! I found it on ebay on DVD :D and Danny too, that was a great one and remember reading that book as a kid!

I just showed the movie Sylvester to some foreign riders staying with us and they LOVED it...lol

[RedTahoe]

Does anyone know where I can find a copy of "Justin Morgan Had a Horse" by Marguerite Henry......the BOOK.....not the movie? I looked on Amazon, and I can't find it. I try to avoid Ebay as much as possible, but I may have to succumb.

I'm looking for an "original" or older copy - hardcover. A friend of mine bought herself a beautiful Morgan as a gift to herself for being in remission for five years, and I wanted to get her this book as a "congratulations" gift :)

[MSP]

Does anyone know where I can find a copy of "Justin Morgan Had a Horse" by Marguerite Henry......the BOOK.....not the movie? I looked on Amazon, and I can't find it. I try to avoid Ebay as much as possible, but I may have to succumb.

I'm looking for an "original" or older copy - hardcover. A friend of mine bought herself a beautiful Morgan as a gift to herself for being in remission for five years, and I wanted to get her this book as a "congratulations" gift :)

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?binding=&mtype=&keyword=%22Justin+Morgan+Had+a+Horse%22+by+Marguer ite+Henry&hs.x=10&hs.y=15

I buy lots of old horse books from Alibris!

Amazon has it as well http://www.amazon.com/Justin-Morgan-Horse-Marguerite-Henry/dp/0689852797

[vacation1]

It needs to be re-rated. It is NOT PG. Attempted rape, a lot of GDs and other "colorful" language, etc.

Ah, the eighties. I miss it:cry: Where swearing, nudity, violence and a general air of dystopic despair were film and tv staples, and children were expected to thrive or not; whatever. For 1985, Half Pint's near-rape experience wasn't that big a deal;) In 1985 theatres, PG films included Marty McFly was making out with his own mom in Back To The Future, a mutant baby locked in a basement in The Goonies, detention kids talking about sex and jock hazing in The Breakfast Club, and Pee-Wee Herman being Pee-Wee Herman in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

[Jealoushe]

love this movie!!!!! Who cares about cheese, it's a horse movie it's expected.

gloriginger - great pic :cool:

[Hunter Mom]

Wasn't 'The Grey Goose" the horse and Kim Walnes the ride in the action/jumping scenes?


Yes, it was. I loved this movie as a horse-crazy kid. We were actually taking about horse movies that the current barn girls probably hadn't seen, and this one came up.