''The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit'' is a 1968 American
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Norman Tokar
Norman Tokar (November 25, 1919 – April 6, 1979) was an American director, actor and occasionally writer and producer of serial television and feature films, who directed many of the early episodes of '' Leave it to Beaver'', and found his gr ...
, with a screenplay by
Louis Pelletier
Louis Pelletier (March 7, 1906 – February 11, 2000) was an American writer of radio dramas and screenplays for motion pictures and television.
Pelletier was born in New York City, New York (state), New York. He graduated from Dartmouth College ...
and starring
Dean Jones,
Diane Baker
Diane Carol Baker is an American actress, producer and educator who has appeared in motion pictures and on television since 1959.
Early life
Baker was born in 1938 at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California a ...
, Ellen Janov,
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began acting on television at the age of 12 in the Westerns on television, western series ''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV series), The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'' (19 ...
and
Lurene Tuttle
Lurene Tuttle (August 29, 1907 – May 28, 1986) was an American actress and acting coach, who made the transition from vaudeville to radio, and later films and television. Her most enduring impact was as one of network radio's more versatile a ...
, as well as
Fred Clark
Frederick Leonard Clark (March 19, 1914 – December 5, 1968) was an American film and television character actor.
Early years
Born in Lincoln, California, Clark was the son of Fred Clark Sr. He attended Stanford University with plans to becom ...
in his final film appearance (he died 2 days after it was released). It is based on the 1965 book ''The Year of the Horse'' by
Eric Hatch. The film's title is a humorous reference to the titular horse's color and the title of the 1955
Sloan Wilson novel (and
1956 film) about the American search for purpose in a world dominated by business, ''
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
''The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' is a 1956 American drama film based on the 1955 novel '' The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' by Sloan Wilson. The film focuses on Tom Rath, a young World War II veteran trying to balance his marriage and fami ...
.''
The film was paired with the animated featurette ''
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
''Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day'' is a 1968 American animation, animated featurette based on the third, fifth, ninth, and tenth chapters of ''Winnie-the-Pooh (book), Winnie-the-Pooh'' and the second, eighth, and ninth chapters from ''The Ho ...
'' in its original theatrical release but failed at the box office, and it received mostly negative reviews for its predictable script.
Plot
Madison Avenue advertising executive Fred Bolton, a
Lakeville, Connecticut
Lakeville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, close to Dutchess County, New York. It is within the town of Salisbury, but has its own ZIP Code (06039). As of the 2010 census, the population of Lak ...
widower living beyond his means, is beset by two major problems. His boss has instructed him to devise an original campaign in just 24 hours to promote their client Allied Drug & Food's over-the-counter
indigestion medication, Aspercel. Allied's chairman Tom Dugan wants a "
jet set
In journalism, jet set is a term for an international social group of wealthy people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of tra ...
" appeal campaign that will "give sour stomachs class and dignity."
Fred's other problem is his teenage daughter Helen, who loves horses, takes riding classes and has competed. She dreams of having her own horse but knows that the family cannot afford one and that her father is allergic to horses.
Fred has an idea to solve both problems at once: he will acquire a good horse, name it Aspercel and publicize the horse while Helen rides it. Helen and the horse must first win a few prizes to make the horse a celebrated figure. Fred enlists the help of Helen's riding instructor Suzie, and is assisted by teenager Ronny Gardner, who is smitten with Helen.
Helen wins some ribbons, but the resulting publicity is below Dugan's expectations. When Helen learns that her father's job is at stake, she falters under pressure and fails to win an important show. Suzie realizes Aspercel's potential when the horse carries Fred over a wall and away from a police car. She volunteers to ride Aspercel in the
International Horse Show
The Royal International Horse Show (originally the International Horse Show) is the official horse show of the British Horse Society and consists of both showing and showjumping events. The event is held during July each year at the All England ...
and recruits her wealthy friend and equestrian Archer Madison as a trainer. After a close competition with the reigning champion, Suzie and Aspercel win the championship. Fred is rewarded with a promotion and Suzie's love.
Cast
See also
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List of American films of 1968
This is a list of American films released in 1968.
'' Oliver!'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Top-grossing films
# '' 2001: A Space Odyssey''
# '' Funny Girl''
# ''Planet of the Apes''
# '' Rosemary's Baby''
# ''The Odd Couple''
# ' ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Horse In The Gray Flannel Suit
Films about horses
1968 films
American comedy films
Walt Disney Pictures films
Films directed by Norman Tokar
1968 comedy films
Films set in Connecticut
Films scored by George Bruns
1960s English-language films
Films produced by Winston Hibler
1960s American films