A boy and his dog. A girl and her horse. Staples of family fare.
It is the latter that occupies front and center in "Flicka," based on Mary O'Hara's book.
girl-and-her-horse pictures. Yet "Flicka" does itself proud in many areas, especially when horses gallop across the land and Flicka, Swedish for young and beautiful Can't be tamed, says Katy's father of the wild mustang that draws her attention.
Besides, he's miffed the money he spent sending her to private school, while trying to save his failing ranch, went for nothing. Katy dreams as others hit the books.
But the young girl is determined, and, eventually, the wild animal comes around to her, even if dad doesn't; he sells the horse.
Stubborn in her belief Flicka and she belong together, she schemes to buy her back by riding her in a rodeo.
It works, but comes to a bad end, and here is where the point - and the audience's willing disbelief, too. Of course, dad will relent, but does he have to find her school essay as she sleeps?
And just because he's a big country star, does Tim McGraw have to deliver a tear-stained Happily, Maria Bello as Katy's mom doesn't mind playing a plain woman, albeit an amazingly wise one. Totally convincing is Alison Lohman as the teen. Behind them are characters played by actors who appear to be the real deal, In his second film, Michael Mayer proves adept at juggling the horses, the scenery and the cast, even if there is little he can do with the pounding messages.
It is especially heartening since Mayer, whose career was fostered at Ithaca's Hangar Theatre, did so poorly with the Colin Farrell flop, "A Home at the End of the productions for 2006-2007.
fairgrounds on Feb. 13 with the intimate, popular musical July for the big-scale musical, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," based on an unfinished Charles Dickens work.
Opening is set for July 13.
Auburn's Harlequin Productions, based at Cayuga Community College, launches the season with Seigel, "Frank Capra Gets His Wings" by Beth Campbell Stremple, "Rain Check" by Vickie Kozel, Producer Bib Frame doubles as director.
Nov.
2 to 4 in CCC's Black Box Theater.
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