Miracle of the White Stallions (1963) User Reviews (11)

Preserving a national treasure

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 12 September 2005]

Miracle of the White Stallions is a story set in the final days of World War II in Europe. Robert Taylor plays an Austrian Colonel in the German army. Back in his civilian days he was the head of the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna which featured the famous Lippazaner breed of specially trained horses. The school had been operating in Vienna for four hundred years and its future in doubt with both the American and Russian armies closing in and the Lippazaner mares over in Czechoslovakia.

The performances of these horses had entertained Viennese natives and visitors for generations and they were and are considered a national treasure. The film concerns Robert Taylor's efforts to save the horses aided of course by Lilli Palmer playing his wife.

The criticism of this film is that Taylor's performance is too wooden. But I think the point is missed that he was a single minded man on a mission and apparently flunked out of diplomacy school. Fortunately he's married to Lilli Palmer who smooths a lot of rough edges out during the film. I think that's what was intended in this script.

As the German surrender and Taylor fortunately falls into the hands of the Americans instead of the Russians, he manages to interest an American major played by James Franciscus in his quest. Who then in turn interests the theater commander who is George S. Patton.

As we learned in the movie Patton, George was an old horse cavalry man and even rode in the 1912 Olympics for the United States. Good thing he was in charge instead of Montgomery. Patton is nicely played by character actor John Larch.

Others in the cast of this very nice family film are Eddie Albert as Taylor's aide and Curt Jurgens as a weary German general who helps Taylor in his hour of need.

Nice piece of family entertainment from the Walt Disney studio.

7/10 ****/5 ~ Underrated, intelligent, mature Walt Disney adventure.

[Doctor_Mabuse · 7/10 · 14 May 2004]

This exceptional live-action Walt Disney adventure-drama might have benefited from a warmer actor in the lead role, but Robot Taylor (pun intended) nevertheless brings strength and conviction to the part of an angry but caring man. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Lilli Palmer and Curt Jurgens who supply a depth of emotion to a dry and unsentimental story.

The film works the family-oriented animal interest of the Lippizan horses into the framework of a dramatic and often suspenseful wartime adventure. One needn't be a horse-lover to be caught up in the story and end up caring about the animals which in this film are symbols of art, grace and beauty surviving a war-torn world. The audience is teased with glimpses of the stallions at play and in training and learns to appreciate their value so that the full-blown horse-show finale comes as a welcome joy.

The well-produced movie was filmed on location in Austria and is handsomely photographed. There is a gripping battle scene and adults will be impressed with the maturity of the entire project.

"......You walk into a stable and see something wonderful."

[brogmiller · 7/10 · 19 October 2023]

Bearing in mind the box-office appeal of Austria as depicted in 'Sissi', 'The von Trapp Family' and his own studio's 'Almost Angels', Uncle Walt Disney, acknowledged king of the feel good/family movie, must have felt he was on to a winner with this one but the film fared badly both critically and commercially.

Capably directed by Arthur Hiller in his only film for Disney, it is loosely based upon the memoirs of Alois Podhajsky, Olympic medallist, one of the greatest dressage riders of all time and director of Vienna's Spanish Riding School whose single-mindedness and determination in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds secured the survival and future breeding of the famed Lippizan breed whilst maintaining the glorious tradition of the haute école that had been established in the Renaissance.

Nebraskan Robert Taylor, back on the big screen after a spell in television, would seem an odd choice to play Podhajsky and is obviously cast with a view to North American distribution but his appealing personality and undoubted star quality enable him to carry it off. He also has the great good fortune to be playing opposite the wondrous Lili Palmer who enriches every film in which she appears and who provides a perfect balance.

Mention must be made of Curt Jurgens who once again plays the role that suits him to a tee, that of the good German who happens to be a Nazi. As cultured General Tellheim his melancholic monologue at the piano whilst playing 'forbidden' Jewish composer Mendelssohn is one of the film's highlights. Great support as always from Eddie Albert and as a bonus the classy Brigitte Horney is perfectly cast as an Austrian aristocrat. Charles Regnier is the dyed-in-the wool 'I am only obeying orders' Nazi, the refugees are portrayed as thieves and scavengers and apart from the one-dimensional General Patton of John Larch, most of the American soldiers are good natured hicks.

The final scene of the performing Lippizaners in the arena of the Spanish Riding School after ten years in exile is of course magnificent, with Taylor, Palmer, Horney and James Franciscus looking not a day older than they did in 1945!

There are those who proudly declare that they have no interest in equine activity and they have my deepest sympathy whilst those of us who have seen these noble creatures in action owe Podhajsky an immeasurable debt.

Great Disney film about the White Stallion's of Vienna

[Marta · 9 April 2001]

Despite a rather slow start, this film is absolutely classic Disney and well worth the time spent. Everyone should know the story of the Lipizzaner stallions and Col. Podhajsky, the man who risked everything to save them. The stallion's flight from Vienna at the tail end of WWII, and the fact that General Patton and the 3rd Army were heavily involved in their rescue, is exciting stuff and has achieved almost legendary proportions. It's to the film's credit that the viewer eventually gets wrapped up in the Colonel's crusade, and begins to feel a sense of wonder as random chance and pure luck conspire to save the Lipizzaner breed.

I would not have put Robert Taylor in the lead role of Col. Podhajsky, though. As he grew older he got stone-like in his acting, and this is one of his more granite-faced performances. Luckily for us they also cast Curt Jurgens, who plays a good Nazi for once. He is the standout in this production (human standout, that is; the horses are the real stars). He gives a bravura performance as a German General caught up in the atrocities of war with no idea how he could have ever gone along with the Nazis as long as he has. His eyes seem to bleed pain, and he gives the film a welcome dose of humanity as well as the viewpoint of a person who normally follows orders but who has had enough of doing what he doesn't believe in. Lilli Palmer plays the Colonel's wife, and she is more than adequate to the role.

Eddie Albert is used mostly for comic relief as a horse trainer, even singing a Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman song for us; fortunately he's good no matter what he does. And, an extremely young James Franciscus is an Army Major who plays a big role in interesting Patton in the horses, and also in liberating the mares and foals from a Russian onslaught in Czechoslovakia (and also a huge lot of American GI's being held prisoner in the same place); his 1000-watt smile is a welcome addition.

Bottom line, this is a wonderful film for the entire family, if you can get the kids to sit still through the slow beginning; the older they are the easier it will be. It's a film about a little-publicized event in WWII, and shows how the two sides worked side-by-side to save a treasured piece of Viennese history. The horses are gorgeous, and we don't see near enough of them, which is the only real detriment to this fine film about the marvelous White Stallions of Vienna and the Spanish Riding School.

The White Stallions of Vienna

[kelli_s_george-11417 · 7/10 · 12 November 2020]

The horses are the ONLY reason to watch this otherwise pathetic movie. The American soldiers and their incredibly STUPID comments and jokes are really cringe-worthy!!!

Mature, intelligent, underrated, nearly forgotten Disney film

[kingsgo4th · 9/10 · 8 September 2015]

I was 13 when I saw this wonderful film upon it's first release. This is a stirring piece of history and gallantry by an assortment of real life men and women from Germany, Austria and the US. The film was released less than 20 years after the actual events depicted. I have to say upon just seeing it again 50 years later, that it more than holds up. Other reviewers here have more than amply explained the plot and my contribution, if you will, goes like this: With all of the varied Disney films through the decades, I cannot recall any that was as majestic and carefully produced as this one. Filmed on an obviously healthy budget, it is an opulently told story, running just under 2 hours. Robert Taylor as the director of the school and Lilli Palmer as his supportive wife are both outstanding. Their commitment to save their beloved horses is not only conveyed convincingly, it is realistic with what was going on at the end of WW2 in Europe. Curt Jurgens as a world-weary German officer who movingly laments his self- contempt for his recent past as he takes small comfort having provided aid to the imperiled Riding School, going against Nazi orders. There are several characters who point that there existed more life-threatening concerns than saving horses. It was pointed out that a Russian unit did not share horse lovers' concerns and destroyed the Hungarian Riding School's horses when their food supply was running out. The great true story, was that the American forces were able to blend the rescue of Allied soldiers and liberation with the expedient but daunting task of rounding up hundreds of horses so that experts could later separate the breeds and care for them accordingly. Many Disney films---even the most cherished---rarely established such a mature, unsweetened film. In no uncertain terms, we are shown and explained the formidable, life-risking task of preserving a centuries old tradition and magnificent animals when a terrible war's final end threatened their existence.

Rather dull, which is a surprise

[r96sk · 5/10 · 17 July 2020]

Too pedestrian for my liking.

The concept as a whole isn't all that interesting, at least in regards to making a film about it. Nothing about it really stands out really, Robert Taylor does a decent job as Podhajsky but I'm struggling to pick out any others.

Also, for a film about horses there's hardly any major scenes with them. It's practically just 118 minutes filled with chatting which either goes against what Podhajsky desires or impacts Podhajsky and the Spanish Riding School. 'Miracle of the White Stallions' is just all rather dull, which is a surprise for a film set during World War II.

I assume Disney were going for an artsy film about Austria and its Lipizzan horses - as they similarly attempted with 1962's 'Almost Angels', which focuses on Vienna's Boys' Choir. It mostly worked in that, though it doesn't for me in this unfortunately.

Horses galore and a few men dedicated to saving them from the war

[clanciai · 10/10 · 3 April 2020]

This is something as rare as a war film about horses produced by Walt Disney while he was still alive, being about simultaneously produced with "Mary Poppins", but this is no fairy tale although it seems to contain elements of it, but it is a very true story, and general Patton was part of it himself. Not only was it an impossible task to save the Spanish riding school from the Nazi occupation of Vienna under bomb raids and threats of the approaching Russian army, but a more challenging necessity was to save the Lipizaner mares from their refuge in Czechoslovakia. The Russians had already seized the Budapest riding school and eaten the noble horses, and Czechoslovakia was consigned for the Russians. How then did the Spanish riding school of Vienna with the world's most celebrated horses manage to survive? It's a long and wondferful story.

Robert Taylor makes a fine performance as the director of the cschool in charge of all the worrying operations, while Lilli Palmer seconds him brilliantly. Eddie Albert is one of the master riders and even sings a song in a Viennese taverna. Brigitte Horney plays an important part as the countess housing the school in St. Martin, while Curd Jurgens' performance as a desillusioned German officer is more melancholy but the more important. On the whole it is a brilliant film and a must for all horse lovers, and who could not be a horse lover viewing a film like this?

Even if you don't love horseys, you'll like this one.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 18 August 2020]

"Miracle of the White Stallions" is a most unusual film...one I'd never heard of until I stumbled upon it on YouTube. Think about it....a movie about the Nazis in Austria who work with the famed Lipizzaner stallions and saved them during the war! And, to top it off...it was made by Disney!! I can only imagine that the company hasn't put it on Disney+ because the company is probably worried about showing these Third Reich soldiers in a more politically correct age...though these men are decidedly anti-Nazi in their sentiments. It could also be that they have 'forgotten' about the film because it is a war film...something that doesn't exactly fit in with the Disney+ image.

The story is about a real life incident. Col. Podhajsky (Robert Taylor) is in charge of the famed Spanish Riding School in Vienna. When the movie begins, the war is going badly for the Nazis and Podhajsky is having great difficulty protecting this very special breed of horses...an Austrian national treasure in many ways. To make it worse, the higher ups won't allow him to evacuate the horses to the countryside as they don't want to acknowledge in any way how badly the war is going. This film is about his efforts to save the animals and preserve this tradition...and, fortunately, the real life Podajsky was on hand to make sure the film got the story right.

This film is blessed with a very impressive cast, including: Robert Taylor (Podajsky), Eddie Albert, Curd Jürgens, Lili Palmer and James Franciscus. It also is a story that offers a bit for everyone...especially horse lovers. The story is well written, based on true events and is quite inspiring....a film Disney should be proud to have produced.

Inspirational and Historical!

[Rachel_E_Dewey · 9/10 · 27 April 2020]

This film tugs at the heartstrings with its memorable music, beautiful and talented animals, and compelling history. Though it opens like a war movie with tankers and soldiers filling the screen, it soon shifts into a moving story about the historic preservation of the famous Lippizaner stallions during the Second World War. This is family-friendly fare and safe for elementary school-age children (approx. third grade and above), to watch and enjoy. Those who love horses will be in awe of the impressive, precise performances these intelligent stallions present. Indeed, this film has so stayed with me since childhood, I leapt at the opportunity to see the Lippizaner stallions of today perform in real-life several years ago. They still "dance" to the same famous song! :)

One of the truly unique war movies made after the war.

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 12 April 2022]

"The Dirty Dozen" and "Patton" are classics, well known by people who don't even know much about Classic Movies. This Disney film nearly forgotten outside of classic movie lovers, and for me, it is a delightful surprise. Having seen many movies about World War II made during and after the war, I have seen so many that have the same story and are genuinely boring in spite of their seems so it's always nice to discover one that's different. Robert Taylor is a Austrian officer who obviously became involved with the Nazis much against his will, and he has been assigned the task of taking care of the famed white stallions the world's oldest riding school in Austria. With the aide of his outspoken wife Lilli Palmer, he gets through the last days of the war and during the occupation with the presence of American soldiers and General Patton. Taking occupation in the castle of countess Brigitte Horney, Taylor finds himself hoping for American aide in restoring the school by putting on a show for Patton himself.

A Disney movie aimed towards adult audiences that the entire family can enjoy as a history lesson, this is one of the best Disney films that I had never heard of, It's nearly excellent and not schmaltzy at all, certainly better than many of their all time classics. It's also probably Taylor's last great film, obviously one he made because of his own love of horses. There are some profound comments about the last days of the war, particularly with officers who have realized that their enthusiasm over Hitler was misguided, and that by following him, they have basically ruined their lives. Eddie Albert, Curd Jürgens, James Franciscus and John Larch as Patton are good in supporting roles, with Albert getting to sing a song and Larch getting to play Patton seven years before George C. Scott did. These horses are absolutely gorgeous and put on a terrific show. I'm always glad to discover a new film to add to my individual list of the year's best, and this definitely goes near the top.