HIDALGO

US, 2003, 137 minutes, Colour.
Vigo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Louise Lombard, Said Taghmaoui, J.K. Simmons, Zuleikha Robinson.
Directed by Joe Johnston.

Horses and more horses - but the course is the most dangerous in the world, a race through the desert from Arabia to Damascus which many do not survive. At least, that is the build up to this adventure, set in Arabia in 1893.

However, before we get to Arabia, we are introduced to Frank T. Hopkins, a Pony Express rider, sometime cowboy and racer, relying on his faithful mustang, Hidalgo. He is also part Indian but conceals this, especially after he has brought the message to the army at Wounded Knee and has witnessed the massacre. Down and out and a drunk, he joins Buffalo Bill's touring show, where Annie Oakley gets her gun and audiences hiss at Sitting Bull and the Indians. Just like Tom Cruise as the Last Samurai, Frank gets his chance to travel to another culture and discover his true self.

Hopkins is played by Vigo Mortensen who made such an impression as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. Here he does not have to be so noble until he is challenged by hostile tribal leaders and princes as well as deceiving aristocratic British ladies and pledges to rescue the sheikh's daughter - where he turns into an 1890s Indiana Jones. The story is allegedly true, based on Hopkins' memoirs. But some suspect that he created his own legend - and it is all the more enjoyable for that.

Omar Sharif is a benign presence as the sheikh who challenges the American (and who loves to read pulp magazine western stories) to prove that his little mustang is better than the superbly sleek Arab horses. The race is called The Ocean of Fire and moves through treacherous terrain, sandstorms, quicksand and few oases (with Moroccan locations standing in for Arabia).

It sounds good but it lacks some oomph. Hidalgo is not as strong an equine presence as he might be. Hopkins is not really a heroic Indiana Jones. The film is rather long, making it sometimes seem slow.

(Released in the US in 2003, it was a shaky box-office prospect with Americans helping Arabs, hostile Arabs, and a race which brings Arabs and Americans together.)

1. The popularity of horses films in 2003 (Sea Biscuit)? The exotic aspects of this film, in the United States, the American Indians, in the Middle East? The race and its being called Ocean of Fire? The adventures - with the touch of Indiana Jones?

2. The film produced in 2003, the year of wariness of Islam, the war in Iraq? Did the film contribute to understanding of the different cultures, worlds, the possibility of some kind of coming together as seen in the film with Frank Hopkins and the sheikh?

3. The background of the American west, the Pony Express rider, Wounded Knee and the massacre, the American troops? The Buffalo Bill Show? The contrast with the voyage, Aden, Arabia? The locations, the desert, the special effects, especially for the sandstorm and the plague of locusts? The rousing score?

4. The focus on horses, especially the mustangs, the Indian culture, the Arab culture, the visuals of the horses and their riding, stampeding? Hidalgo with a personality - or simply observed? The Arabian horse El Attal?

5. The establishment of Frank T. Hopkins' world, real, the afterword about his life? The creation of a legend? The initial race, the angry rider who wanted to win, the fight in the park? As a Pony Express rider, bringing the orders to Wounded Knee? His background, observing the massacre, drinking?

6. His Indian mother, the Indian background and his growing up, the elders, the mythologies, the songs, the dances? The explanation of his character and his feeling out of both worlds? The visualising of the massacre of Wounded Knee? His bringing the orders, the round-up of the weapons, the deaf man and the shot, the military response, the massacre, the visuals of the dead bodies? Hopkins and the effect on him? The later influence of the Indian tradition, his telling the truth to Jazirah, her likening his hiding his identity to her veil? His seeing the spirits in the desert, helping Hidalgo to get up and his not shooting the horse? The ceremony - and the symbolic flag? His winning the prize money, buying the mustangs, bringing the orders to set them free, setting Hidalgo free?

7. Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, their show, the myths of the west, the Indians as villains, the audience booing the Indians? The excitement for the audience, the Arabs coming to watch, the emissary of the sheikh and the challenge? The influence of the wild west in Arabia, the sheikh and his reading the stories of the west, his wanting the Colt gun, his interest in the tactics and strategies? Their being used to help the Arabs? (Americans helping other nations?)

8. The Ocean of Fire, the challenge, Buffalo Bill's comments to Frank, his being drunk, his performing badly in the show? Aziz and the challenge? The decision to go, taking Hidalgo, the voyage? His meeting Lady Anne Davenport and her husband? The discussions on board? Her determination to win? The arrival, the atmosphere of the East, the sheikh in his tent and the horses? The explanation of the long tradition of the race and its dangers? The small survival rate?

9. Omar Sharif as the sheikh, his culture, the death of his sons, Jazirah and her being promised to marry the winner of the race? His inability to touch westerners? His interest in the wild west but yet seeing the westerners as infidels? The religious background, the quoting of the Koran? The other Arab contestants and their disdain of the westerner?

10. Action behind the scenes, Lady Davenport and her background, stud rights, her manipulating people, the attack by the soldiers, the British soldiers at oasis and not allowing Hidalgo in, the traps in the ground, the leopards, her seduction attempt on Hopkins? Her losing?

11. The prince and his horse, the prince who was a brigand, the contact with Lady Davenport, the abduction of Jazirah, the fight, the trading of Jazirah for the horse and the horse being disguised, the melodramatic action of the escape? The traps in the desert, his dying in the trap?

12. The Falcon Prince, his disdain, getting trapped in the quicksand, Hopkins rescuing him and his gratitude?

13. The race itself, the beginning, the terrain, the dunes, the slow pace, the oases, the need for food and water? Jazirah and her providing the dates? The day of rest, the adventure with her abduction and bringing her back? The sandstorm, the locusts and Jazirah advising they could be eaten? The trap and the fight in the desert, the leopards? Exhaustion? Hidalgo and his being wounded, exhausted, Hopkins and his vision, riding Hidalgo to the end?

14. Hidalgo, Hopkins and his mustang in the Pony Express, in the wild west show, the travel to Arabia, the friendship, the horse looking around, knowing his owner, the signals? His being wounded, withdrawing the stake, his getting up though wounded and riding to the end? The freedom in the hills of the west?

15. Frank, the American cowboy, way of talking, the codes, the strategies? The meeting with the prince, the prince wary of him, getting to like him? His being found with Jazirah, the threat of castration? His rescuing Jazirah? Giving the Colt as a present to the sheikh? The heroics, their shaking hands?

16. His comic assistant, the flag, the slave market, the slave boy and his working for Frank?

17. Jazirah, her veil, her discussions with her father, wanting to ride, the promise in marriage, her rebellion, visiting Frank, her being caught, revealing her face to him, the platonic friendship, the farewell?

18. Aziz, the challenge in the United States, his being in league with the brigand prince, taking part in the abduction, being trapped, fighting and dying?

19. The Ocean of Fire race as an achievement, the atmosphere of the 19th century - relationship between America and the East, in the past, now?