In honor of this weekend's Kentucky Derby, I thought we'd focus this week's Flicks in Five on a 2004 biographical western film based on the story of American distance rider Frank Hopkins and his paint mustang, Hidalgo. It recreates Hopkins racing his horse in Arabia in 1891 against the Bedouins riding their Arabian horses.
Hidalgo stars Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, and Omar Sharif, with a musical score composed by James Newton Howard. In the film, the connection begins when Hopkins — a rather washed-up distance rider — is performing in a Wild West show, and is contacted by a wealthy sheikh who sends a message: the show must either stop using the phrase "the world's greatest distance horse and rider" or allow Hopkins and Hidalgo to prove themselves by coming to Arabia to participate in the "Ocean of Fire" race: an annual 3,000-mile survival race across the desert region.
On this week's Flicks in Five, we'll hear some of James Newton Howard's score from Hidalgo.
Hidalgo — Trailer
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