MY BROTHER TALKS TO HORSES
US, 1947, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Jackie ‘Butch’ Jenkins, Peter Lawford, Beverly Tyler, Edward Arnold, Charles Ruggles, Spring Byington, Ernest Whitman, Lillian Yarbo.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.
My Brother Talks To Horses is an agreeable film for the family, capitalising on the enjoyable screen presence of the little boy, Jackie ‘Butch’ Jenkins, who was in quite a number of MGM films during the 1940s including Our Vines Have Tender Grapes and Little Mister Jim.
Here he plays a nine and a half-year-old who has an ability to communicate with horses. Peter Lawford plays his adult brother, Beverly Tyler Lawford’s fiancée, Spring Byington their mother. Edward Arnold, more genial than usual, is a racehorse owner and Charles Ruggles is a friend of the family who bets on the horses.
The film is set at the turn of the 20th century, has much in common, including the surname Penrose, with Booth Tarkington’s stories, many of which were filmed (On Moonlight Bay, By the Light of the Silvery Moon).
The film shows the family, the little boy and the interest of the racing fraternity. There is nothing particularly special but just a charm that is offered by director Fred Zinnemann, working in Hollywood on small-budget films but soon to move to The Search, The Men and an Oscar for From Here to Eternity as well as another Oscar for A Man For All Seasons twenty years later.
Of particular interest is the New Age atmosphere of the mother of the family who is interested in spirits, nature, yoga. There are also two sympathetic African American members of the cast, one a servant, the other a horse trainer, but presented sympathetically and on an equal footing with the white characters – interesting for the setting of the early 20th century as well as the place of African American actors in American cinema in the mid-1940s.
1.An entertaining family film? About family? The fantasy of the boy who could communicate with the horses?
2.The re-creation of the period, the town, the houses, the streets? The racecourse? The carriages, the trolleys, the cars? The costumes? Taking the audience into the atmosphere of homes and their style, meals, banks? The musical score?
3.Lewie Penrose, walking along the street, the dogs following him, his talking to the horses? His relationship with his older brother, John? John and his meeting with Martha at the trolley? Lewie going to school, John going to the bank? The return home? Martha coming to dinner, the long engagement? Mr Puddy upstairs, his experiments and inventions, the explosions? The meals and Mrs Penrose, her yoga, her breathing exercises, communicating with the spirits, the ingredients of her meals, deer tongue and kelp?
4.John, the bank, his boss being critical of him? His support of Lewie? Defending him? Going to the stables? Meeting Mr Mordecai? At the races, Lewie talking to the horses, knowing which horse would win? Mr Roeder listening in, befriending the family? The other gamblers? Mr Mordecai and the training of the horses, knowledge of what was happening? Lewie talking to the horse – and the comments bearing out what he had told Martha and John?
5.The races, the claim on the horse by John and Mordecai, its being crowded in the race, being shot? Lewie and his collapse? At home in bed, the visit of Mr Roeder? The family caring for him?
6.The tension between John and Martha, her hearing about the claim, walking out, John and his being hurt and ignoring Martha, especially at the trolley and the passengers all listening in? Her visit to Lewie, John’s hesitation, her waiting at the door? Not communicating?
7.Mrs Penrose, her love for her children, her interest in the horses? The visit of Mr Roeder? His staying to dinner, the kelp? Mr Puddy and the experiment with the bottle of beer that you could eat – and its oozing and destroying the bottles? His happiness that he was making progress?
8.Going to the races, Mrs Penrose and Martha putting their money on the horse? The owner and his bet? His sympathy towards Lewie and discussions with him? Mr Mordecai and his giving the money for the claim? John and his determination to get the money back to Mr Mordecai – despite losing his job at the bank?
9.The excitement of the race, the win? But Lewie losing his ability to talk to the horses and their talking to him?
10.Lewie going to the school, his previous comments about Virginia and not being interested in girls? His mother and the discussions about where chickens and eggs came from, passing it on to John? Saying he would be interested in girls? The dogs and the horses ignoring him – and his hurrying to catch up with Virginia?
