The movie tells the story of immigrant Harry deLeyer and the plow horse named Snowman he rescued from slaughter. Paying just eighty dollars for Snowman, in less than two years, Harry & Snowman went on to win the triple crown of show jumping, astonishing a nation.
Gallop, don't trot to Ron Davis' winning documentary "Harry & Snowman," which recounts the inspiring story of an underdog show horse, his tenacious trainer and their rise to fame in the late 1950s.
This is a moving documentary about relationships, between horse and man, and family relationships too. The story of the rescued horse is amazing, and the story of Harry de Leyer and his family is remarkable in its own way.
There are mentions of De Leyer's less savory qualities, such as being a taskmaster with his children, but these faults are forgiven in the movie's overly nostalgic glow.
The engaging Harry & Snowman shows the impact of a rescue animal on the man who saw his neglected qualities. It's also a succinct demonstration of the difference between a livelihood and a life's work.
Laced with captivating home movies and a wealth of archive footage from the 1950s and '60s... Davis' film is a disarming underdog story that doubles as an animal-rescue advocacy tool.
This darker side of the man who became known as the "Galloping Grandfather" in the 1970s lends a bitter taste to the sweetness of director Ron Davis' documentary, but it also gives it a more honest and human feel.
In the film, a student of Mr. deLeyer's recalls some of his advice: "Throw your heart over the top, and your horse will follow." "Harry & Snowman" makes you want to do the same.
