The Homestretch (1947) User Reviews (7)

My Old Maryland Home Far Away

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 26 December 2015]

Some nice racetrack scenes from all over the world highlight this horse racing drama with Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara. The part that Wilde has in the film had to have been originally written for Tyrone Power. It is just the kind of hero/heel that he specialized in over in his glory years at 20th Century Fox.

If Power wasn't available Cornel Wilde in his years at Fox was one of many leading men who ran second string to Zanuck's favorite. But in this case Wilde lucked out with a good part just as he did with Forever Amber around the same time.

Wilde comes from an old Maryland racing family that has fallen on hard times. He's a racetrack vagabond of sorts who picks up a young filly as part of an estate from Maureen O'Hara's late uncle. She's an uptight Boston brahmin set to marry diplomat Glenn Langan. Try as she might she can't resist that irresponsible charm that Wilde possesses in abundance. So off they go with their filly to conquer the racing world.

With establishing footage from all over the world where the call to the post is universal music, the two try to make a go of it. She gets into the game, but she'd like to settle down at his old Maryland homestead and make a go of it with some roots.

In her memoirs Maureen O'Hara said she liked working with Wilde in their two films this one and the swashbuckler At Sword's Point. She felt in the sword play department Wilde was the equal of both Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn. Probably the superior as Wilde was a member of the US Olympic fencing team at the 1936 Olympics.

Certainly the two had good chemistry in The Homestretch. Ethel Griffies as her puritan Boston aunt and James Gleason as Wilde's and his father's old trainer are standouts in the supporting cast.

For those of us who like racetrack pictures, The Homestretch will be a winner.

A little known O'Hara film

[ratline-1 · 5/10 · 1 June 2007]

I searched this movie, because I have a photo of this 1947 film title on the marque of the almost new Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo. (Built in 1942). The Fremont still stands alone, uncut up and shows first run movies in the heart of this Central California coastal college town. (Cal Poly). The Fremont is also the main theater for the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

I stood in line three years ago to shake Howard Keel's hand on opening night. Yes, they were showing Kismet and Keel stood out front by the box office to greet everyone who was coming for the SLO Film Festival's opening night. Then when I mentioned that I was a stage manager for a college production of "Oklahoma!" guest starring John Raitt, Keel wanted to talk longer, as he said he and Raitt played golf almost every day in southern California.

Cornell Wilde's "Naked Prey" was the last good movie he starred in. Two favorite Maureen O'Hara movies of mine are the original "Miracle on 34th Street" with John Payne and Natalie Wood, and the every popular "Quiet Man" with John Wayne. If you visit the Irish village of Cong, you'll discover that this was the local for the John Ford film. They still point out the building that was the pub in the movie, and throughout this unchanged village you'll find stills from "The Quiet Man" framed on the walls of various restaurants. Ashford Castle faces the town of Cong and can be seen in the film. You can also stay at Ashford Castle and play 9 holes of golf out front, accompanied by a youthful Irish caddy.

I'd like to see more readers comment on films on this site, otherwise it will get filled up by people like me making comments about the cast.

At the races

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 11 August 2012]

This pleasant discovery was shown recently on a classic cable channel. The film, directed by Bruce Humberstone, features Cornel Wilde and a radiant Maureen O'Hara at the height of her beauty. It is a story of love as well as a passion for horse racing. The print shown on that occasion was of good quality, although the coloring was not at its best, no doubt due to the aging process.

Jock Wallace, a man who loved purebred horses, sees an opportunity to get a great song for almost nothing. Jack scores big when Leslie Hale, a woman who knew nothing about the sport, agrees to sell Amy R. for a song. In the process, she falls in love with Jock. Their happy marriage is troubled by the presence of Kitty Brant, a competitive woman who knows a winner whenever she comes in close contact with one. Secretly, Kitty has always felt something about Josh, and she is the cause of the eventual break between Leslie and Jock.

Both principals Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara made a delightful couple in the film. The atmosphere of the races at some well known tracks add to the fun of the story. Mr. Wilde and Ms. O'Hara show good chemistry which shows throughout the story. Helen Walker played Kitty, who secretly desired Josh and contributed to his separation from Leslie. Veteran actor James Gleason appeared as Doc Kilborne, and Henry Stephenson is Don Humberto, the Argentine horse breeder.

This site sounds like it will be enjoyable because I LOVE old movies.

[MKColucci · 24 October 2004]

I saw this movie when I was a kid, and it really impressed me. Of course, my tastes were simple; but I thought both Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara were gorgeous, and I was just beginning to "appreciate" the romance between a man and a woman. Also, I was still young enough to appreciate horses. It will live in my memory as one of my young favorites. I guess this movie was made in Cornel Wilde's "heyday." Maureen O'Hara seems to have had a longer "shelf life." She was still good in "Only the Lonely." I was sorry to see that Wilde died several years ago of leukemia. I read O'Hara's bio, "'Tis Herself," and enjoyed it. Also when I was a kid, I enjoyed O'Hara with Henreid in "The Spanish Main."

Miss O'Hara In Lavender

[boblipton · 5/10 · 29 March 2024]

Maureen O'Hara is engaged to marry Glenn Langan, but falls for race horse owner Cornell Wilde. However the rich-one-day-broke-the-next causes a strain that grows greater to finally reach the snapping point.

It's definitely intended as one of those movies that as much a travelogue as a story film, with sequences at Ascot, Saratoga Springs, and Churchill Downs. Unfortunately, the copy I looked at seems to have been a chemical-print rerelease of the originally Technicolor movie, and the color values have shifted to a disconcerting lavender. If, like me, you're always happy to see Miss O'Hara in the silliest vehicle, you'll enjoy this, along with James Gleason, Helen Walker, and Henry Stephenson. But in the poor print that I saw, it was not particularly impressive.

Love this new discovery.

[Larkrise · 10/10 · 12 June 2011]

I only discovered this movie recently and was very excited to have found also it helped it has the gorgeous Cornel Wilde in it. Being Irish i also like Maureen O'Hara our one and only Hollywood legend of the golden days of Hollywood. Apart from 'The Queit Man' which i like but as an Irish person find it a tad patronizing of the stereotypical Irish of that age in Hollywood which unfortunately still exists to this day 'Leap Year' jumps to mind. Anyway enough said on that only to say that apart from John Wayne and John Payne. Maureen O'Hara has the same chemistry with Cornel Wilde and it comes through in this movie. Everything about this film had me hooked from the story to the shots of international and famous race courses. I recommend this to anyone who loves horses and a bit of romance inbetween.

Great Performances from everyone...in this Horse themed film

[GregP89 · 8/10 · 11 March 2013]

Great Performances from everyone...in this Horse themed film, in addition to British Coronation parade scenes, as well. A true gem of acting chemistry between Leading man Cornel Wilde and leading lady Maureen O'Hara, who performs an surprising emotional crying scene with perfection, even better than actress Halle Berry, Oscar winning 'Monsters Ball' cry scene. However, beautiful actress Helen Walker just about steals every scene she is in with her esquisite beauty, ultra-confident charm and Wit. Lastly, I was amazed by the 1940's era Cardboard Periscope binoculars being utilized as a device to view a parade from behind a massive crowd.