Bev Kitchin
Radio personality Don Imus says Seabiscuit is a poor movie. Well, Imus is full of horse-biscuits.
The creators of this movie have not only told a good story but they have succeeded in capturing the essence of the times. Red Pollard wasn’t the only one riding Seabiscuit in those days. The nation’s destitute were desperately clinging to him, watching to see the underdog win. The thousands standing in bread lines across America needed something beyond their harsh existence to give them hope. Seabiscuit became that dream. To the discerning eye, this movie clearly reveals that.
Our generation cannot fully sense those times. We have it all. Our vast majority lacks nothing. We become impatient when sitting in our air conditioned cars, waiting for traffic to move. A bread line would devastate us.
New Yorkers have tasted of trying times with the advent of 9/11 and the recent blackout. We need occasional wake-up calls because we become spiritually poor when pampered with “things”. Our souls need exercise in the realm of gratitude and love for our fellow man. Hard times often bring out the very best in humanity.
The three men who were chosen for key roles in Seabiscuit were an excellent choice. The owner, the trainer, the jockey–all came from a hurting past to pour their energies into a miracle-in-the-making, nondescript, little horse who stunned the world. The bond that was formed between these men, according to the movie’s interpretation, was almost spiritual. They were soulmates with a common purpose and goal.
The owner had the means to provide everything necessary for success. He had the soul for the work and a kindness toward those he worked with. The trainer had spent his life with horses, studying them, caring for them, understanding them. He was a loner. His ability was uncanny.
The jockey was a misfit among his fellow jockeys. He was too tall. He wasn’t a likely candidate for the job. These men were a perfect combination although reason might have declared differently.
I could wonder if the Almighty looked down at America, saw her suffering, and sovereignly offered a ray of hope. Perhaps it was an indication that the hard times had come to pass, not to stay. And they did pass. But in their wake came a generation of Americans who were strong in spirit. They raised a generation of kids who valued hard work and honesty of character…not perfect, but with values that make a great nation.
I resent the cynics who devalue a good movie that embraces some of the finer qualities of life. I’m irked with society’s preoccupation with sex and its focus on self gratification. America would profit if Hollywood dispensed more “Seabiscuits”.
We live in a time of acute emptiness of purpose, a time in which it is difficult to grasp the higher meaning for our lives. At the end, will we feel good about our time spent here? Are we fulfilling our own personal purpose for taking up space on planet earth?
We are experiencing a time of “Great Depression” in our souls. It is a time which will pass. I believe our generation will receive it’s “seabiscuit”, its reason for finding better direction and purpose. We simply can’t continue to devote ourselves to frothy ideas that lead to degenerate living. Degeneration ultimately leads to ruin.
Therefore, my soul longs for the event that will stir America’s heart again. May it come soon. And if you haven’t seen Seabiscuit, ignore the naysayers and cynics. Judge for yourselves and see a piece of last century’s history.
Let it inspire you to keep on plugging when things get tough.
I think you’ll find it worth your while.