DANIELLE STEEL’S PALOMINO

US, 1991, 95 minutes, Colour.
Lindsay Frost, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Taylor, Lee Horsley, Michael Greene.
Directed by Michael Miller.

Danielle Steel appears at the beginning of Palomino to introduce the film and say that she had always wanted to write a cowboy story. This is a contemporary, 1980s-90s cowboy story.

The film is also a romance, Lindsay Frost playing a photographer who is betrayed by her TV anchor husband. She goes to a ranch in California, owned by Eva Marie Saint, to do a photo shoot for Life magazine. There she meets the hostility of Tate Jordan, the head wrangler. However, he is embittered from his divorce, falls in love with the photographer. However, he suddenly leaves and she is heartbroken. She has the example of Eva Marie Saint who has been in love with her head ranch assistant (Rod Taylor) for twenty years.

So far so predictable for a Danielle Steel story. However, the last part of the film calls for a lot of tears. Not only does the romance break, Eva Marie Saint suffers the grief of Rod Taylor’s death. She herself dies. When the photographer inherits the ranch, she has been injured in a fall from a horse and has become paralised. She has encountered a nice little boy, and decides to set up the ranch to train children to ride and rehabilitate themselves. Needless to say, there is a happy reunion at the end. This is very much the style of the Danielle Steel romances and their film versions.

1. The popularity of Danielle Steel? Romances? Sadness? Tragedy and hope?

2. The New York settings? The photographers? Television? The contrast with the California ranch? The open range? The horses? The mansion? An affluent background for the story? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to Samantha being like a palomino? The horses, riding, affection for the horses?

4. Sam, her marriage to Warren Taylor, his announcing that the marriage was over, his relationship with his co-presenter? Her being upset, the reaction? The divorce? Her reliance on Charlie, her agent? His suggestion of the photo shoot in California? Her contact with Caroline in the past? Going to Caroline’s ranch?

5. At the ranch, welcomed by Caroline, meeting Bill? The hostile encounter with the men, especially Tate? The men ignoring her? The photo shoot and its detail? Her ability to ride a horse? Her being daring – and Tate’s reaction?

6. Caroline and Bill, Caroline as the widow, the relationship with Bill? His refusal to marry Caroline because of his underling status and what people will think? Her disagreeing with him? His eventually getting sick, his death? His prior regrets that they hadn’t spent the time together that Caroline wanted? Caroline and her grief?

7. Tate, the party, dancing, his apologies to Sam, taking her to the hut? Their discussions, his back-story and divorce, his son? Her story? Gradually falling in love? The repeat situation of Caroline and Bill? His suddenly leaving?

8. Sam, her being upset, returning to New York? The news of Bill’s death, Caroline’s illness? Her going back, being supportive? Her riding the horse, the accident, hospital? Her being paralysed? Her meeting with Timmy, his family, attempting to walk, his giving up, her encouraging him? The drawings? Her giving him the phone number for future reference?

9. Inheriting the ranch, turning it into a home for children? The support of Josh, his helping her to ride, the straps for her legs? The children? Their success? Timmy, his being abandoned by his mother, the social worker, the phone number, his coming to the ranch? Sam adopting him?

10. Tate, his return, respects to Caroline? The encounter with Sam, his not realising she was paralysed? The discovery? Her hostility? The change of heart, love – and the triumphing at the end? Danielle Steel style?