Treasured Movie Revisited: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.

When conceiving this blog, we set out to plumb the depths of Netflix obscurity. But, as I was waiting for the bus today, I was struck with a marvelous idea: We should make it a point to revisit movies that we adored as kids, and see what our impressions of them are now.

And so, here is my first offering. Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.

Runtime: 88 minutes
Rated: G
Cast: Gabrielle Anwar, Michael Schoeffling, Cliff Robertson, Dylan Kussman, Kathleen York, Frank Renzulli, Nancy Moore Atchison
Availability: DVD and Streaming
Viewer Rating: 3.9
Netflix predicted rating for Molly: 4.6 stars



This live-action Disney Family Classic stars Gabrielle Anwar [of recent Burn Notice fame], Cliff Robertson [has magnificent hair], and Michael Schoeffling [what has he done lately, anyway?]. Sonara Webster [played by Anwar] is a young girl dreaming of a grand life during the Great Depression. After life with her over-worked Aunt gets strained due to Sonara's willfulness, Sonara runs off to join the traveling carnival and learn how to jump horses off a high-dive into a pool of water. You honestly can't make this stuff up, because it's based on a true story - or so the credits tell me.

Oh gosh did I love this movie as a kid. I remember standing on my bed, arms out, pretending that I was waiting for a horse to gallop up a ramp for me to ride off into the air.

What. We all have our weird fantasies, I don't make fun of you for singing into a hairbrush [I bet you totally looked ridiculous].

Anyway, the movie opens with Sonara contemplating a haircut. Once she's done the deed, and her aunt sends her out with a paper bag over her head, Sonara stops and says hello to her horse, Lightning. Trouble ensues, and Sonara runs away from home to join the circus.

Every kid wanted to do that at some point, right? Not just me?

Good.

Moving on: She joins up with a band of folks who run a diving horses show. Sonara is hooked right away, and so she starts her new life.

There's romance, and drama, and Sonara never once gives up. I still enjoy this movie very much, and at least in my opinion, it's kept it's place in my mental catalogue of wins.

Wild Hearts! They can't be broken!


If you're interested, here's a cute video with some info about the real Sonora Webster. It's basically the Wikipedia article set to music and interspersed with photos: