Thunderhead, Son of Flicka

Thunderhead, Son of Flicka
DVD cover
Directed by	Louis King
Written by	Mary O'Hara (novel) Dwight Cummins Dorothy Yost
Produced by	Robert Bassler
Starring	Roddy McDowall Preston Foster Rita Johnson
Cinematography	Charles G. Clarke
Edited by	Nick DeMaggio
Music by	Cyril J. Mockridge
Distributed by	Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Release date	March 15, 1945 (1945-03-15)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$2,250,000

Thunderhead, Son of Flicka is a 1945 Technicolor family film directed by Louis King and starring Roddy McDowall, Preston Foster, and Rita Johnson. It is a sequel to the 1943 film My Friend Flicka (parodied in 2006 as Flicka). The film was adapted to screen by Dwight Cummins and Dorothy Yost from Mary O'Hara's novel, Thunderhead (1943), second in a trilogy with My Friend Flicka (1941) and Green Grass of Wyoming (1946).

The first feature film to be photographed entirely on 35mm Color negative film, in this case Technicolor Color motion picture film (section Monopack color film). Earlier color features used black and white negative film photographed behind color filters, or used Monopack only for certain sequences.

Plot

Ken McLaughlin's (Roddy McDowall) mustang mare Flicka gives birth to an all-white colt that, unknown to Ken's dad, Rob (Preston Foster), was actually sired by a neighboring rancher's thoroughbred racehorse, Appalachia, rather than Rob's own stallion, Banner. Ken's mother, Nell (Rita Johnson), names the colt Thunderhead after the billowing white clouds she sees overhead. Ken trains Thunderhead as a race horse, but the colt suffers an injury during his first race, ending his racing career.

Meanwhile, the Albino, a wild mustang stallion that has been raiding local ranchers' herds for years, steals Rob McLaughlin's best mares and kills Banner, putting the family near bankruptcy. The Albino is also Thunderhead's grand-sire. Rob, Ken, and the ranch hands search for the mares, but during the night, Thunderhead gets loose and runs off.

Tracking Thunderhead on foot to a secluded valley, Ken discovers the Albino's herd, including his father's horses. The Albino attacks Ken, but Thunderhead fights and kills the Albino, saving Ken's life.

Rob and the others arrive as Thunderhead rounds up the Albino's herd, heading them to the McLaughlin ranch. But once there, Thunderhead is uneasy. Rob tells Ken that Thunderhead is a king now and wants to roam his realm. Ken removes Thunderhead's halter, freeing him.

Cast

• Roddy McDowall as Ken McLaughlin
• Preston Foster as Rob McLaughlin
• Rita Johnson as Nelle McLaughlin
• James Bell as Gus
• Patti Hale as Hildy (as Diana Hale)
• Carleton Young as Maj. Harris
• Ralph Sanford as Charlie Sargent
• Al Bridge as Dr. Hicks
• Robert Filmer as Tim

Filming and production

The film was shot on location at various sites, including the following:

• Oregon: Bridal Veil Falls at Oneonta Gorge and the Multnomah County Fairgrounds near Gresham, Oregon
• California: Brent's Crags, Hidden Valley, and Hollywood Park Racetrack
• Utah: Zion National Park, Kanab, Bryce Canyon National Park, Red Rock Canyon, Navajo Lake, Glendale Gorge, Cedar City, and Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Additional scenes were shot in Duck Creek, Nevada

Release

The movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 22, 2005.

External links

• Thunderhead, Son of Flicka at IMDb
• Thunderhead, Son of Flicka at AllMovie
• Thunderhead, Son of Flicka at the TCM Movie Database