Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Dead Cert 1974


      This movie is based on a novel by Philip D’antoni.  In a surprise move, two horse owners decide to ride their own horses in a steeplechase.  Bill Davidson’s horse Admiral begins to behave weirdly and the horse falls hard after an obstacle.  Medical personnel go to check on Bill right away but he succumbs to his injuries.  His friend Alan York was riding his horse and he suspected Admiral was doped.  He also believes it was unscrupulous bookies involved in the doping.  The medical tests don’t reveal any evidence of drugs being used on Admiral?  The group involved in the doping doesn’t want anyone to investigate their activities and Alan may be in way over his head?    
      This film suffers somewhat from age?  The scenes of the races are good and the horses are very beautiful.  The men involved in the doping don’t care about the riders or the horses.  They are only interested in profits and the acclaim for winning.  Alan also rides a horse into the woods to escape the British police.  He leaves the horse behind and steals a police car.  Judi Dench was 40 years old at the release of this movie.  3* (This movie is OK)    
        
99 min, Thriller directed by Tony Richardson with Scott Antony, Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Nina Thomas, Julian Glover, Mark Dignam, John Bindon, Josephy Blatchley.

Note:  Imdb 5.1 out of 10, 14% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.1* out of 5* with 22 reviews.
Special Note:  Filmed in Portsmouth, Hampshire; Frontwell Racecourse, West Sussex; Findon, West Sussex, England, UK.  Go-Pontinental owned by Fred Pontin was one of the horses in this film.  He ran in the 1968 National, returned in 1973 and 1974. 

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