"The Great Dan Patch" is not the sort of film I would normally watch. While some people absolutely adore horses and movies about them, I really don't care much for them one way or the other. I mostly watched it because I like Dennis O'Keefe and he stars in this one.I had never heard of Dan Patch and didn't realize what an amazing horse he was. Apparently, he had the distinction of being an unbeaten horse in trotting races....something that seems impossible. He was so dominant that after a while they couldn't get horses to race against him! This movie is a biography which plays a bit fast and loose with the facts....with about as much truth as Hollywood in the story. So, if you only want the full and true story, read up on Dan Patch...don't watch the movie!The story is essentially about the horse but told much more about the horse's owner and the owner's son, David (O'Keefe). Most of the story centers not on Patch's life and career but on David's marriage to an ornery woman (Ruth Warrick)...and another woman (Gail Russell) who secretly loved him. In support are some excellent actors--Henry Hull, John Hoyt and Clarence Muse.So is it any good? Well, it is entertaining and the acting is nice....but it IS about horses. So, if you love 'em, see the film. If you're more ambivalent (like me), it's pretty skippable.

David Palmer (Dennis O'Keefe) has graduated from college as a chemist but returns to his father's horse farm in Indiana to sort things out. He has been engaged to a beautiful schoolteacher (Ruth Warrick) and they will probably wed soon. David's father raises harness-racing horses and is very excited about a stallion named Joe Patchen. Training the horse is his longtime employee and his teenage daughter, Cissy (Gail Russell). But, at his first race, Joe P has an unfortunate accident and ruins one his legs. Undeterred, Mr. Palmer Sr. decides to breed the horse and see what happens. Fast forward three years. David is married and far wealthier, due to an invention. His wife couldn't be happier but, David feels something is missing. He begins spending more time with Joe's son, horse Dan Patch, who is even swifter than his sire. Cissy, too, has blossomed into a beautiful, sweet young lady who secretly loves David. With Dan Patch winning race after race, David gets caught up in the excitement, as does the entire country. But, could his personal life with his wife suffer? Does he truly love Cissy, too? This 1949 film highlights the true story of a horse, Dan Patch, who set many records for harness racing and was well-loved throughout the whole USA. Few have heard of him today, unfortunately, but many viewers will love watching his "tale". The cast is quite nice, with O'Keefe a dignified, handsome leading man and Russell unusually pretty. Watch out for Warrick, who went on to fame in the soaps! She makes a darn good "villianess". All of the supporting actors are very fine as well. Naturally, the film's look is the standard of the times but the editing and camera shots are interesting. Costumes, sets, script, and direction are worthy. Of course, there is some obvious political "incorrectness", as the horse farm's workers are African-American and shown in a mostly subservient role. Likely it is historically accurate to their positions but, they are shown here as stereotypically "step-and-fetch-its" without much intelligence. That's too bad but the story is still a good one and worth watching, despite its problems. If you love horses, you should try to find dear Dan P. I got mine at the Dollar Tree store, for a buck, and it brought much more pleasure than it cost.

The film is really only a little about Dan Patch. It's more about the relationship of the great horse's owners, and that is largely fictionalized.David Palmer (Dennis O'Keefe) comes home to find that his father, Dan Palmer (Henry Hull), has purchased another trotting horse, named Zelica. She has great potential, but is injured in her first race and retired to being a brood mare. Her first foal is named Dan Patch, after her owner and after his sire, Joe Patchen. Ben Lathrop (John Hoyt) and his tomboy daughter Cissy (Gail Russell), who has a huge crush on David, are hired as trainers. David's wife, Ruth (Ruth Warwick), is a social climber who has no interest in his horses, only in improving her status among the elite of Indianapolis. After Dan Palmer dies, David takes over running the farm as a hobby and turns it into a training stable with Ben and Cissy in charge. A financial setback causes Dave to sell Dan Patch to M. W. Savage (in August 1902, according to the telegram in the film). The greater history of Dan Patch's popularity is covered in the final six minutes of the film. There are some good trotting scenes in the process, but the melodramatic story contradicts the title.In reality, Dan Patch was owned by Dan Messner and trained by Johnny Wattles. Manley Sturgis bought Dan Patch in 1900, and sold him to Marion Willis Savage of Minnesota in 1902. Savage was the man who toured Dan Patch throughout the country in a private rail car, capitalizing on the horse's fame by branding everyday products with the Dan Patch name.

This movie is about 30% accurate, but manages to capture the essence and appeal of the big horse, Dan Patch. The horse was unbeaten in 11 years of racing on the track and, by all accounts, kind and gentle off the track. The level of the horses appeal can be measured by the fact that the day after the horse died, the owner, M. W. Savage, also died. I believe the two female leads turn, Gail Russell and Ruth Warwick turned in exceptional performances, with Ms. Warwick giving a performance of award-Winning caliber. Maybe Claire Trevor deserved the best supporting actress Oscar that year, but I think Ms. Warwick deserved at least a nomination. The rest of the cast gave workmanlike performances. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but, in this case, fiction can make a better movie than fact.