Miracle of the White Stallions

Miracle of the White Stallions is a 1963 film released by Walt Disney starring Robert Taylor (playing Alois Podhajsky), Lilli Palmer, and Eddie Albert. It is the story of the evacuation of the Lipizzaner horses from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna during World War II.

In WWII Austria, Col. Alois Podhajsky sets out to protect his beloved Lipizzaner stallions and make sure that they are surrendered into the right hands. It is known that Patton is something of a horse fancier and might help, if he sees the stallions perform.

Robert Taylor - Col. Podhajsky
Lilli Palmer - Vedena Podhajsky
Curd Jürgens - Gen. Tellheim
Eddie Albert - Rider Otto
James Franciscus - Maj. Hoffman
John Larch - Gen. Patton
Brigitte Horney - Countess Arco-Valley
Philip Abbott - Col. Reed
Douglas Fowley - U.S. General
Charles Regnier - Gen. Stryker
Fritz Wepper - Rider Hans
Guenther Haenel - Groom Sascha
Hans Habietinek - Innkeeper Hager
Philo Hauser - Dispatcher
Michael Janisch - Refugee Leader
Max Haufler - Engineer
Robert Dietl - German MP Captain
Erik Schumann - German Capt. Danhoff
Helmuth Janatsch - Intruder
Michael Tellering - Stryker's Adjutant


User Comment (imdb.com):

This exceptional live-action Walt Disney adventure-drama might have benefited from a warmer actor in the lead role, but Robot Taylor (pun intended) nevertheless brings strength and conviction to the part of an angry but caring man. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Lilli Palmer and Curt Jurgens who supply a depth of emotion to a dry and unsentimental story.

The film works the family-oriented animal interest of the Lippizan horses into the framework of a dramatic and often suspenseful wartime adventure. One needn't be a horse-lover to be caught up in the story and end up caring about the animals which in this film are symbols of art, grace and beauty surviving a war-torn world. The audience is teased with glimpses of the stallions at play and in training and learns to appreciate their value so that the full-blown horse-show finale comes as a welcome joy.

The well-produced movie was filmed on location in Austria and is handsomely photographed. There is a gripping battle scene and adults will be impressed with the maturity of the entire project.

User comment (allmovie.com):

In a rather confusing and slow-paced manner, this wartime drama about a real-life dilemma is meant to highlight the dedication of Colonel Alois Podhajsky (Robert Taylor), the instructor at a prestigious Vienna equestrian school. The colonel is in charge of the safety and health of the royal Lipizzaner horses and he has a serious problem. He has not been able to secure German permission to leave for a safe haven with the horses and, at the same time, he has to get them together with the Lipizzaner mares in order to continue the species. The trouble is that the mares are in the hands of the enemy. And so the colonel sets out to get the horses through a German checkpoint, and convince General Patton (James Franciscus) to help him with his mission.