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Film / The Horse In The Gray Flannel Suit

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The Horse In The Gray Flannel Suit is a 1968 Disney film starring Dean Jones as Fred Bolton, a struggling ad executive and the single father of Helen, a teenage equestrian. When his daughter begins moving up the riding circuit, he buys her a horse that he names after one of his company's most important products so the animal can double as a corporate mascot. However, things are complicated by Fred's romance with Helen's riding instructor Suzie Clemens and Helen struggling to deal with the pressure on her. The film is an adaptation of the Eric Hatch novel The Year of the Horse. A young Kurt Russell has a supporting role as Helen's boyfriend.

Tropes:

  • Affectionate Nickname: The main cast often calls Aspercel the horse (named after a stomach drug) "Aspy."
  • Composite Character: Helen's riding instructor and Fred's girlfriend/Aspercel's second jockey Suzie are different characters in the book (where Suzie is Fred's secretary), but are combined in the film.
  • "Eureka!" Moment: When Suzie hears that Aspercel jumped over a seven-foot fence, she realizes that the horse has the potential to compete in the International Horse Show and not just the teenage circuits that Helen feels uncomfortable in.
  • No Antagonist: Fred means well and lets Helen stop riding his corporate mascot as soon as she gets uncomfortable with it. The drug company owner does threaten to fire Fred when the campaign seems to be failing, but only in one scene, and he's quick to congratulate Fred and reward his successes later on. A hinted romantic rival for Susie's affections (her ex-fiancé) agrees that they are Better as Friends. And the reigning champion Susie competes against is a remarkably good sport no matter how well she's doing against him.
  • Spoiled Sweet: When Fred asks his secretary if he spoils his daughter Helen (mainly with the money he spends on her riding lessons), she gives a Blunt "Yes", which Fred cheerfully agrees with. However, Helen is a polite and friendly girl who prefers to be honest with her father rather than try to manipulate him to get what she wants, and is also realistic enough to understand that the family can't afford some luxuries.

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