''The Colt'' is a 2005

television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

made for

Hallmark Channel The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies and ...

. The film is set during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and is based on the short story (Жеребёнок, Zherebyonok) by

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

winner

Mikhail Sholokhov Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov ( rus, Михаил Александрович Шолохов, p=ˈʂoləxəf; – 21 February 1984) was a Russian novelist and winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is known for writing about life ...

Plot

In 1864, an

troop struggles to survive when young

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

soldier Jim Rabb (

Ryan Merriman Ryan Earl Merriman (born April 10, 1983) is an American actor. He began his career at the age of ten and has appeared in several feature films and television shows. He is best known for a handful of Disney Channel original movies and for portra ...

) discovers that his mare has given birth to a

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

. A superior officer orders Jim to shoot the

foal A foal is an equine up to one year old; this term is used mainly for horses, but can be used for donkeys. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, and are used until the horse is three or four. When the foal i ...

because it may become a burden, but Jim - seeing the colt as a sign of hope and a reminder of the beauty of life - refuses. The colt remains with the men as they battle. When

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

s overtake the camp and steal the colt, Jim must risk his life retrieving it.

Cast

as Jim Rabb *

Steve Bacic Steve Bacic ( ; hr, Bačić ) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing the characters Gaheris and Telemachus Rhade on the Sci-Fi series ''Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda''. After guest starring in seasons 1-3 as both characters, he joined the c ...

as Sgt. Longacre * William MacDonald as Sgt. Woodruff * Darcy Belsher as Convington * Scott Heindl as Lt. Hutton

Critical reviews

Hal Erickson of ''All Movie Guide'' called the film "an uplifting tale of unassailable innocence in the midst of America's bloodiest war." ''South Coast Today'' praised the film, saying its "symbolism is never so heavy-handed as to obscure an intelligent film filled with fine performances."

Awards

Won

*2005 FAIF International Film Festival, Judges Choice Award for Best Feature Film *2005

LA Femme Film Festival LA Femme International Film Festival focuses on platforming women filmmakers, "by women, for everyone". The Festival was created in 2005, to answer the need to enhance women behind the camera as directors, producers, and writers. It was the first ...

, Best Director *2005 WorldFest Houston, Special Jury Award for Feature Made for Television/Cable

Nominated

*2006 Humanitas Prize, 90 Minute or Longer Category *2006 Writers Guild of America, USA, WGA Award (TV) Long Form - Adapted

External links

* *
''The Colt''
at

RHI Entertainment Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colt 2005 television films 2005 films Hallmark Channel original films American Civil War films Films about horses 2000s American films