Casey's Shadow

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Casey's Shadow

PG

1978

1h 57m

Kids & Family

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A Cajun trainer (Walter Matthau) and his three sons enter the annual quarter-horse race in Ruidoso, N.M.

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Colin Bennett

The Age (Australia)

Altogether, Casey's Shadow is winning enough, whatever the race result.

Apr 7, 2022

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Time Out

Seems a shame to keep slagging off Ritt for his liberalism when he can turn in something as well-crafted and unpretentious as this.

Jun 24, 2006

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

It is so decently tempered and its principal characters so surprising at important moments that, in the world of horse movies it seems rare indeed.

Rated: 3/5

May 9, 2005

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Bernard Drew

Gannett News Service

Matthau and the young actors playing his sons are wonderful and Alexis Smith manages to imbue her role of Sarah Blue with elegance, intelligence and warmth.

Nov 1, 2019

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Randy White

Common Sense Media

A complex tale of morals and animal cruelty.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2011

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TV Guide

A sincere, good-natured, well-performed family picture.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 11, 2008

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Donna H

I have to watch again to see if I remember one thing correctly which made it very hard for me to watch. Someone intending to poison the racehorse accidently poisons his daughters pony. I found this heartbreaking so I can't see a young person watching it if my memory is correct

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/25

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Candi L

My favorite movie ever. Actually filmed in Ruidoso NM and that older veterinarian was a real vet there, I love this movie. Shows the dark side of racing 2 year old horses.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/04/23

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Audience Member

Ritt's best film hands down. This may be the simplest version of an action packed drama I've ever seen. The soundtrack, setting, cast, and dialogue are remarkable. I even felt a teardrop squeezing out of the side of my eye a couple times. A horse family stumbles onto a quarter horse foal to "Shure Hit". It is about the anxt of family, business, horseracing, and the desire to produce a champion, and all the pitfalls that come with it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

okay, king matthau ceases to amaze me. in this well made, heartfelt (don't let the schmaltzy cover fool you) film about men and horses, he plays a louisianna horse trainer, accent and everything. directed by martin ritt and shot beautifully by john alonzo.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Awesome horse movie...for all horse lovers and quarter horseracing fans....

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

I have a VHS copy of this that's probably older than I am. Walter Matthau is always awesome, and its probably just as good as any of these new kid/animal movies. Probably even better..though some of the events didn't seem to develop the actual plot.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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Martin Ritt

Director

Walter Matthau

Lloyd Bourdelle

Alexis Smith

Sarah Blue

Robert Webber

Mike Marsh

Murray Hamilton

Tom Patterson

Andrew Rubin

Buddy Bourdelle

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Synopsis

A Cajun trainer (Walter Matthau) and his three sons enter the annual quarter-horse race in Ruidoso, N.M.

Director: Martin Ritt
Producer: Ray Stark
Screenwriter: Carol Sobieski
Production Co: Columbia, Rastar Films
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Runtime: 1h 57m

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