Wild Horse Hank
| Wild Horse Hank | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Eric Till |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | James Lee Barret |
| Based on | The Wild Horse Killers by Mel Ellis |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Richard Leiterman |
| Edited by | George Appleby |
Production company |
Film Consortium of Canada |
| Distributed by | NBC (network premiere) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $CAD2,800,000 (estimated) |
Wild Horse Hank is a 1979 Canadian adventure drama film directed by Eric Till starring Linda Blair, Michael Wincott and Richard Crenna. It is based on the 1978 teen novel The Wild Horse Killers written by Mel Ellis.
Plot
Wild Horse Hank is the adventure of a brave young girl named Hank (Linda Blair) who is a dedicated cowgirl to saving a herd of wild mustangs from poachers. Hank is an independent girl in the film who has been around horses all her life. One day while out riding she happens upon some horse hunters who are rounding up a herd of mustangs to sell for pet food.[1]
Hank follows the hunters into town and releases the caged horses. If Hank is to save these wild animals, they must reach the protection of federal land. But the nearest such area lies across a desert, through a river and over a mountain range some 150 miles away.[2]
Pace, Hanks father (Richard Crenna), objects to her plan but finally agrees to let her go. Hank begins her adventure, herding the horses toward the Rantan Game Preserve, but the epic drive soon becomes a contest of wills with the poachers trying to outwit Hank whenever possible. In the film, Hanks love interest Charlie Connors (Michael Wincott) assists with her adventure and is eager to earn her respect and get to know her.
Cast
- Linda Blair as Hank Bradford
- Michael Wincott as Charlie Connors
- Richard Crenna as Pace Bradford
- Al Waxman as Jay Conors
- Lloyd Berry as Foreman
- Richard Fitzpatrick as Clay
- Barbara Gordon as Marlene Connors
- Helen Hughes as Mrs Webley
- Stephen E. Miller as Harper
- James D. Morris as Sheriff Walter Mack
- Richard J. Reynolds as Rankin
Production
The film was shot on location at Dinosaur Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada and was broadcast in 1982 as a television network premiere. It is also known under the alternate titles: Hard Ride Hank, Hard Ride to Rantan, Long Shot in the United States.[3]
DVD release
Wild Horse Hank was released on DVD on September 16, 2008 for the 1st time.[4]