My Friend Flicka (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids My Friend Flicka |
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| Directed by | Harold D. Schuster |
| Produced by | Ralph Dietrich |
| Written by | Francis Edward Faragoh (adaptation) Lillie Hayward |
| Starring | Roddy McDowall Preston Foster Rita Johnson |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Cinematography | Dewey Wrigley |
| Editing by | Robert Fritch |
| Studio | Twentieth Century-Fox |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century-Fox |
| Release date(s) | May 26, 1943 |
| Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $1.6 million (US rentals) or $2.4 million |
My Friend Flicka is a 1943 Technicolor film about growing up. It tells the story of a young boy, played by Roddy McDowall, who gets a young horse to raise. The movie is based on the popular 1941 children's novel by Mary O'Hara. A sequel, Thunderhead, Son of Flicka, was released in 1945.
Plot Summary
Rob (Preston Foster) and Nell McLaughlin (Rita Johnson) own a ranch in Wyoming. They decide to let their 10-year-old son, Ken (Roddy McDowall), raise a horse. They want him to learn about being responsible.
Ken picks a young wild horse, a mustang filly, and names her Flicka. Gus (James Bell), a ranch hand, tells him Flicka means "girl" in Swedish.
The family faces money problems. Also, some of their horses have a condition called "loco," which makes them act strangely. A neighbor offers $500 for Rocket, Flicka's mother, who is a very fast horse. But sadly, Rocket dies in an accident while being moved.
Things get worse when Flicka gets hurt by barbed wire. Her wound becomes infected. Ken tries his best to help Flicka. But the infection is so bad that Rob, his father, thinks they might have to put the horse down.
Ken hears a gunshot from his father and fears the worst. But it turns out his dad was scaring away a mountain lion that Flicka had warned them about. Flicka's life is saved! Ken then works hard to help her get better.
Main Cast
- Roddy McDowall as Ken McLaughlin
- Preston Foster as Rob McLaughlin
- Rita Johnson as Nell McLaughlin
- James Bell as Gus
- Diana Hale as Hildy
- Jeff Corey as Tim Murphy
- Arthur Loft as Charley Sargent (uncredited)
Radio Show
A radio version of My Friend Flicka was broadcast on Lux Radio Theatre on June 7, 1943. Roddy McDowall and Rita Johnson, who starred in the film, also appeared in the radio show.
