Flicka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flicka
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Mayer
Produced by	Kevin Halloran Gil Netter
Written by	Mark Rosenthal Lawrence Konner
Starring	Alison Lohman Tim McGraw Maria Bello
Music by	Aaron Zigman
Cinematography	J. Michael Muro
Editing by	Andrew Marcus
Studio	Fox 2000 Pictures Zucker-Netter Productions
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	October 20, 2006 (2006-10-20)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Money made	$21,893,591

Flicka is a 2006 American family adventure drama film loosely based on the 1941 children's novel My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara. The film is directed by Michael Mayer and written by Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner. The novel had previously been made into a film in 1943, and served as the inspiration for My Friend Flicka, a 39-episode TV series in 1956–1957. In this version, set in the 21st century, the protagonist is a girl, played by Alison Lohman. The film also features Maria Bello, Ryan Kwanten and country singer Tim McGraw, who also served as executive producer of the soundtrack album. This USD15 million-budgeted film grossed $21 million in the United States theaters, and then it went on to become a surprise hit in DVD market in the United States; it made more than $48 million on DVD sales and more than $19 million on DVD/Home Video rental.

A sequel Flicka 2 was released direct to DVD on May 4, 2010, and another sequel Flicka: Country Pride was released on May 1, 2012.

Plot

Katherine "Katy" McLaughlin has dreams of running her father's Wyoming horse ranch, but her father, Rob, has other plans. He is grooming her older brother, Howard, to take over the ranch and sends Katy away to a private school where she feels like a misfit. Rob is having trouble understanding his daughter as she continually defies his authority to follow her own path. When she comes home for the summer, Katy is met with her father's disapproval because she did not finish a writing assignment at school, but is greeted by her mother, Nell, and Howard. Howard wants to attend college. While out riding, Katy finds a black wild mustang, and feels a connection with the horse. She sets off to tame "Flicka" (Swedish for little girl), despite her father's protests.

Flicka is captured during a roundup, and Rob asks Katy not to go near Flicka. Determined to prove she can run the ranch, Katy starts training Flicka at night. Flicka slowly warms to Katy and the two develop a close bond. However, Rob sells Flicka to the rodeo, leaving Katy devastated. Nell and Howard are furious at Rob about making the decision without including them. Howard then stands up to his father and says that he does not want the ranch, but Rob refuses to take Flicka back. In turn, Howard and Nell refuse to help Rob with the ranch, which he is now considering selling, since Howard does not want it. Katy starts writing about Flicka to escape her pain.

At the rodeo, Howard and Katy enter the competition that Flicka is being used in, hoping to get the horse back. Flicka runs from Katy until the girl calls her name. Rob tries to intervene, and Katy freezes at the sight of him. Howard boosts his sister onto Flicka, and the two escape. Katy becomes lost in the mountains, and allows Flicka to make her way towards the ranch. The family reconciles and searches for Katy as a fierce thunderstorm moves in. Katy and Flicka are attacked by a mountain lion. Flicka bolts, throwing Katy to the ground and the lion goes to attack her. Flicka protects Katy, but is badly wounded in the process. Katy binds Flicka's wounds and refuses to leave her in the storm, resulting in her developing a fever. Rob finds the two and brings a delirious Katy back to the house. As her fever spikes, Katy calls for Flicka as Nell tends to her. Rob thinks Flicka is mortally wounded and believes she should be put down. Overhearing the argument, a dazed Katy stumbles into the room and gives her father permission to "shoot us now."

Rob goes outside and begins to cry as he finally understands his daughter's feelings, her pain and what a prideful & selfish person he's been to his family over the years. A gunshot is heard and Katy bursts into tears, thinking Flicka is dead. The next morning, Nell finds Rob walking back to the house, supporting the injured Flicka. She runs outside to help and finds out that the gunshot was him shooting at the mountain lion. Both are stunned that Flicka is alive and decide not to put her down. Katy's fever breaks and she begins to recover. As he watches over his daughter, Rob reads the story that Katy had been writing about Flicka, eventually typing the story and sending it to the school so that Katy can pass for the year. When Katy wakes from the fever, she and Rob reconcile and he takes her to see Flicka. Rob apologizes to Howard and gives his son his blessing and Howard prepares for college. As a family, they decide to not sell the ranch, making it both a working ranch and a refuge for wild mustangs.

Cast

• Alison Lohman as Katherine "Katy" McLaughlin
• Tim McGraw as Robert "Rob" McLaughlin
• Maria Bello as Nell McLaughlin
• Ryan Kwanten as Howard McLaughlin
• Dallas Roberts as Gus
• Nick Searcy as Norbert Rye
• Danny Pino as Jack
• Kaylee DeFer as Miranda Koop
• Jeffrey Nordling as Rick Koop
• Dey Young as Esther Koop
• Buck Taylor as Wagner

Sequel

A sequel to Flicka, Flicka 2 was released directly to DVD on May 4, 2010. Pre-production cinematography started in April 2009. The sequel bears an entirely new cast and character list and is not a direct follow-up to Flicka. Flicka 2 features Patrick Warburton, Tammin Sursok and Clint Black. The movie was directed by Michael Damian. Another sequel, Flicka: Country Pride, was released on May 1, 2012. With Damian returning as director, it also features Clint Black, along with Kacey Rohl, Black's wife Lisa Hartman-Black, Max Lloyd-Jones, Siobhan Williams, Laura Solties and Alexander Calvert. When asked if the Flicka franchise could follow the Air Bud, Beethoven and Marley & Me franchises by having its animal star talk, Damian responded, "I don’t think so. But you know, never say never, because you never know what will happen. Stranger things have happened. I’m open to everything."

Soundtrack

A soundtrack album was released October 17, 2006.

Chart performance

Awards

Nominations

• Critics Choice Award - Best Family Film (Live Action) - Alison Lohman - Nominated
• Critics Choice Award - Best Song - Tim McGraw For the song "My Little Girl". - Nominated

See also

In Spanish: Flicka para niños