Frankel Goes To Hollywood?

[Posts: 623Joined: 05 Jun 2012, 14:26]

No, sadly it is not a trip to the Breeders Cup. However, I just wondered if Frankel is considered the greatest racehorse ever, would they ever make a film about him, a la Sea Biscuit? Highly unlikely I know but I wondered who would play the roles of the main protagonists of the story?

Just for fun:-

Sir Henry Cecil:- Stephen Fry

Aiden O'Brien :- Matt Damon

Frankel:- Himself

Excelebration:- Billy the Donkey from Blackpool Beach

Camelot:- Computer generated image of Nijinsky

John McCririck:- Brian Blessed

Claire Balding:- (Ray Allan (if he is still alive))

Willie Carson:- Lord Charles (Operated by the above)

Matt Chapman:- Jude Law

Tom Queally........? No idea

[Posts: 372Joined: 26 Feb 2011, 00:03Location: Stroud]

first he will have to die.

[Posts: 728Joined: 09 Jan 2011, 14:48]

First of all, I hate you.

Tom Bennett would make a decent Tom Queally and if we could persuade Will Self to get back on the gear for a few months, his dry wit, haggard appearence, voice and air of superiority (all of which I admire by the way) would make for a terrific Sir Henry.

[Posts: 3572Joined: 08 Jul 2009, 22:10Location: Wexford]

Ian McKellen as Sir Henry Cecil.

Love Matt Damon as Aiden O'Brien!

[Posts: 1310Joined: 17 Nov 2009, 01:13Location: Virginia]

It would be boring. Seabiscuit made a great movie because it was a quintessential rags-to-riches tale-this was a horse who was tossed aside in Sunny Jim Fitzimmons' barn and toiled in weekly claiming races until a quiet cowboy trainer and bombastic owner stepped in. Add to that a half-blind jockey, lingering lameness issues, and War Admiral, and you've got a ready-made Hollywood film.

Frankel is owned and bred by an Arab prince, is royally bred, has essentially faced no hardship or uncertainty (sorry, his little injury scare this spring is nothing compared to Seabiscuit's year off and comeback as a 7yo to take one final stab at the Big Cap) in his career, and will retire soon to a cushy stud career for a high fee. He will have started 1/5 as many times as Seabiscuit, and his career will have lasted three seasons to Seabiscuit's 6. Seabiscuit ran at tracks all across the United States and Mexico. Seabiscuit's owner took many risks and many of these risks didn't pay off. Seabiscuit was an underdog. Frankel is the establishment.

[Posts: 1505Joined: 30 Oct 2007, 14:08]

It would be boring. Seabiscuit made a great movie because it was a quintessential rags-to-riches tale-this was a horse who was tossed aside in Sunny Jim Fitzimmons' barn and toiled in weekly claiming races until a quiet cowboy trainer and bombastic owner stepped in. Add to that a half-blind jockey, lingering lameness issues, and War Admiral, and you've got a ready-made Hollywood film.

Frankel is owned and bred by an Arab prince, is royally bred, has essentially faced no hardship or uncertainty (sorry, his little injury scare this spring is nothing compared to Seabiscuit's year off and comeback as a 7yo to take one final stab at the Big Cap) in his career, and will retire soon to a cushy stud career for a high fee. He will have started 1/5 as many times as Seabiscuit, and his career will have lasted three seasons to Seabiscuit's 6. Seabiscuit ran at tracks all across the United States and Mexico. Seabiscuit's owner took many risks and many of these risks didn't pay off. Seabiscuit was an underdog. Frankel is the establishment.

Agreed. Frankel is superlative, but an 'Underdog' he ain't. Can just imagine the cinema go-ers weeping with emotion while The Prince explains how Frankel has earned him another £10m.

[Posts: 406Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 10:28]

Kenneth Branagh (in drag) could play Clare Balding and a capuchin monkey as Willie Carson.

As for Tom Queally ... maybe 70's Spiderman actor Nicholas Hammond.

[Posts: 383Joined: 04 Mar 2009, 01:52Location: Herts, Stourbridge & Dorset]

Suprised no one's ever thought about a Red Rum film. Horse with dodgy feet joins taxi-driver/used car salesman/part time racehorse trainer Ginger McCain and wins three Grand Nationals.

Casting anyone?

[Posts: 623Joined: 05 Jun 2012, 14:26]

I did say this post was for fun, but it seems some people can't see the tiniest of fires starting without the need to mosey along and have a good pi$$ on it LOL

[Posts: 728Joined: 09 Jan 2011, 14:48]

I did say this post was for fun, but it seems some people can't see the tiniest of fires starting without the need to mosey along and have a good pi$$ on it LOL

I only hate you because you deceived me through pun. The worst kind of deceit. For a second, I thought that perhaps Frankel may yet head to the BC, only to find you pi­ss all over my cornflakes.

I think the Frankel film could work if it was written from the perspective of Excelebration in a kind of defeatist Beckett-esque perpetual disappointment plot.

[Posts: 2032Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 14:34Location: Bury St Edmunds]

I did say this post was for fun, but it seems some people can't see the tiniest of fires starting without the need to mosey along and have a good pi$$ on it LOL

I only hate you because you deceived me through pun. The worst kind of deceit. For a second, I thought that perhaps Frankel may yet head to the BC, only to find you pi­ss all over my cornflakes.

I think the Frankel film could work if it was written from the perspective of Excelebration in a kind of defeatist Beckett-esque perpetual disappointment plot.

Hollywood doesn't do deep, a film about the very rich, very successful being very rich and very successful is more likely to appeal to it than something with layers of consciousness.

[Posts: 406Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 10:28]

No point in Hollywood making a Frankel film because they'd reboot it in a couple of years.

How about Frankel: The Musical? Willie Carson could be a milkman singing the line "His name was Frankel and he pulled the fastest milk cart in the west"

[Posts: 482Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 20:31]

Tom Queally does remind me somewhat of Ed Norton...