WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY, THE: FLASH (TV)
Summary
One of this series of Disney movies presented under the umbrella title "The Wonderful World of Disney." This made-for-television production is about a teenage boy and his extraordinary horse Flash, and the adventure they undertake. The program opens with Michael Eisner, president of Walt Disney, discussing the significance of horses in motion pictures.
The narrative, set in rural Georgia, begins with fourteen-year-old Connor Strong going to visit a colt which Mr. Parker, a local farmer, is selling. Connor learns from the farmer's son that the family's poverty is forcing them to sell Flash, with an asking price of $500. Connor tells his grandmother Laura and father David about Flash, urging them to purchase the horse for him. David wonders how they could possibly afford to raise a horse. Connor goes to a local grocery store to try and get some work and is hired as a stockboy.
Connor visits Mr. Parker, claiming he wants to buy Flash and will have the $500 in four months. However, Mr. Parker says he will have to sell Flash to the first person who can come up with the money. One day, Connor makes a delivery to the Rutherford's mansion. There, Connor meets their bookish son Tad.
Later, David is upset that Connor has taken a job without his permission, curious as to why his son wants to buy a horse so badly. Privately, David tells his mother that he is having trouble supporting the family and is considering rejoining the Merchant Marines. He thinks that it's the only way to get their family in good financial standing. One day, Connor arrives at the Parkers to learn that Flash has been sold and the family has lost their farm.
A saddened Connor storms home and throws his already-earned cash in the trash. However, David has used an advance on his new Merchant Marines earnings to purchase Flash. Connor is elated, though his father tells him that he must quit his grocery job. Connor goes to work building a fence for the horse while Laura struggles with the animal's habit of eating from her garden. Meanwhile, David has still not told his son that he is shipping out.
Connor begins testing his riding chops on Flash, unable to control the colt at first. That night at dinner, David finally tells Connor of his new job. In the weeks to come, Connor becomes more skillful at riding Flash and writes letters to inform his at-sea father. Meanwhile, Connor begins to further befriend Tad, who rides one of his father's horses. Tad tells Connor how his father, Alfred, insists that all their horses be treated in a business-like fashion, with whippings administered "when necessary." At the same time, Laura finds that the family's account is overdrawn. Now, Laura is unable to feed both Connor and Flash.
Connor thinks maybe he should go back to his stockboy job. Laura goes to the Rutherford textile mill to try and get some employment, despite the fact that she has no experience with heavy machinery. Surprisingly, the sixty-one-year-old gets hired for the graveyard shift, urging Connor not to report this fact back to David. Now, grandmother and grandson are hardly seeing each other, communicating mostly by notes.
Meanwhile, Connor and Flash develop a playful relationship. One afternoon, Connor struggles to wake his sleeping grandmother. Connor writes his father, stating that Laura is overtaxed. However, Connor crumples the letter before sending it. One day, Connor and Flash race Tad and his thoroughbred and easily prevail. Connor tells Tad that one has to be partners with a horse, not the creature's boss. That day at the textile mill, Laura's eyes begin to blur and she nearly faints. Laura is rushed home, where the doctor finds that she has had a mild heart attack and thus will have to take it easy for a while.
Connor is put in charge of taking care of his grandmother, who claims the two will be able to scrape by until David gets home. However, the next morning Connor finds that his grandmother has passed away. Connor tries to make contact with his father but finds that his ship is out of range due to a hurricane in the Indian Ocean. Soon, Connor has to go about handling his grandmother's funeral arrangements, wanting to get her a pricey casket. Connor tries to pawn various items to earn some money to buy the $1,000 coffin. Thus, Connor has no choice but to sell Flash to Alfred.
Before buying the horse, Alfred wants to know about Flash's lineage and is impressed to learn that the horse beat one of his more prestigious horses in a race. Nevertheless, he refuses to pay Connor's $500 fee until seeing Flash run. Tad also likes Flash, so Alfred agrees to pay $500 for the horse if Tad uses him to compete. Connor then asks that he be allowed to work in the Rutherford stables in order to be around Flash. Laura is soon laid to rest in the $1,000 casket that Connor bought for her. That afternoon, Connor finally receives a call from David, who apologizes for leaving his son alone and in turmoil. Connor insists that David finish his Merchant Marines job so that he can be paid. Meanwhile, Tad struggles to control Flash as he learns to ride him, angering Alfred, who begins to whip the horse. Seeing this, Connor runs to the scene and insists that whipping Flash is counter-productive.
Later, Connor returns home to find the authorities boarding up his house due to non-payment and discussing how he must be put in a foster home. Connor then moves into a tiny room in the Rutherford stables. One night, Connor sneaks back to his house to retrieve some things. The next day at work, Connor learns that Flash is being taken to the Georgia International Horse Park to have his racing skills tested. That night when Flash is brought back to the Rutherford stables, Connor can immediately tell that Alfred has abused him. Angered, Connor marches into Alfred's home to yell at him during supper.
The following day, Alfred has a talk with the "proud and angry" Connor, asking him to help teach Tad to ride Flash. Soon, Connor has helped Tad develop into a somewhat competent rider. Tad and Flash enter a jumping competition in which he attains second place. However, Alfred is not pleased, especially since Tad refused to use his whip. Not wanting to be thought a coward, Tad sprints to the stable where he grabs a whip and begins striking Flash.
Later, Tad goes back to try and apologize to Flash but the horse raises on him and breaks his arm. Alfred thinks Flash is dangerous and wants to kill him. Thus, Connor decides to steal Flash and escape with him. Alfred arrives at the stables just in time to see Connor and Flash riding off. He shouts that the sheriff will be alerted. Alone late at night, Connor tries to figure out where he and Flash can go, eventually deciding to travel to the northeast to meet his dad's ship when it arrives in New York City. At the same time, authorities begin pursuing Connor.
Continuing to traverse the country, Connor tires of searching for food in dumpsters. He is forced to stop at a stranger's home to ask for some food. The woman, Adelaide Williams, assists him while claiming that it is impossible for Connor to make it to New York from South Carolina in a week. By the July Fourth weekend, Connor is still five hundred miles from New York. While in a small North Carolina town, Connor notices a fair with a horserace that has a two-hundred-dollar grand prize.
He enters the race under an assumed name after paying the five-dollar entry fee. Connor and Flash win a neck-and-neck race and claim the prize. After getting his money, Connor and Flash go to the nearest train station but don't have enough money to get both of them to New York City. They can only afford to get to Trenton, New Jersey, with the prize money. Aboard the train, Connor's hunger pangs kick in and a kindly stranger gives him half a sandwich.
In Trenton, some eighty miles from New York, Connor and Flash deboard and begin the final leg of their journey. However, during the train ride, Flash was hurt and Connor is forced to find some medication for him. In Trenton, some police officers hassle Connor and Flash but the two manage to ward them off. Though injured, Flash allows Connor to ride him. Once nearing New York City , Connor finds a stable for Flash and decides to catch a cab into Manhattan. There, Connor meets David's arriving ship and tries to board it but learns that no one is still on it.
Finally, Connor finds and reunites with his father. David is so impressed with Connor's achievement that he calls the New York Times and Connor's story makes national news. Returning to Georgia, the town greets Connor as a hero. Alfred is there as well, wanting the sheriff to arrest Connor. Alfred also says he'll shoot Flash. However, Tad claims the horse is actually his, and insists that his father not kill him. Instead, Tad returns the horse to Connor, who happily mounts Flash and rides home with his father. Includes commercials.
(Network varies; this series was also telecast on NBC from 1961 to 1981 and on CBS from 1981 to 1983.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 21, 1997 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:58:43
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:51864
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Children's programs; Horses
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1997-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" home video
- TV - Commercials - ABC Viewing Enhancement Department
- TV - Commercials - Blockbuster gift cards
- TV - Commercials - Borden Eagle Brand Creamy Chocolate
- TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Chex trail mix
- TV - Commercials - Children's Tylenol cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - Children First organization mentoring hotline
- TV - Commercials - Green Giant frozen meals
- TV - Commercials - Hall's lozenges
- TV - Commercials - Hanes Her Way undergarments
- TV - Commercials - Hitachi televisions
- TV - Commercials - JC Penney stores
- TV - Commercials - Johnson & Johnson products
- TV - Commercials - K-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - Kleenex tissues
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Mervyn's California stores
- TV - Commercials - Monopoly Star Wars CD-ROM
- TV - Commercials - Rite Aid/Thrifty Payless stores
- TV - Commercials - Sudafed cold relief
- TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - Wards stores
- TV - Commercials - Wrigley's Doublemint gum
- TV - Promos - "A Magical Walt Disney World Christmas"
- TV - Promos - "Disney's One Saturday Morning"
- TV - Promos - "Eyewitness News"
- TV - Promos - "Junior"
- TV - Promos - "The Wonderful World of Disney: A Little Princess"
CREDITS
- Roger Birnbaum … Executive Producer
- Riley Kathryn Ellis … Producer
- Christopher Seitz … Producer
- Monte Merrick … Co-Producer, Writer
- Simon Wincer … Director
- Bruce Rowland … Music by
- Michael Eisner … Host
- Lucas Black … Cast, Connor Strong
- Brian Kerwin … Cast, David Strong
- Shawn Toovey … Cast, Tad Rutherford
- Tom Nowicki … Cast, Alfred Rutherford
- Von Coulter … Cast, Floyd
- Ellen Burstyn … Cast, Laura Strong
- Don Biggers … Cast, Jeweler
- Sharon Blockwood … Cast, Eunice
- Whitt Brantley … Cast, Georgia State Patrolman
- Jill Jane Clements … Cast, Madison Shopkeeper
- Lola Cochran … Cast, Waitress
- Randy Cohlmia … Cast, N.J. Policeman
- Ed Corbin … Cast, Marine
- Tom Deardorf … Cast, Doctor
- Bruce Evers … Cast, Repossessor
- Kathryn Firago … Cast, Teller
- Wilbur T. Fitzgerald … Cast, Mr. Erickson
- Charles Franzen … Cast, Minister
- Leland Jones … Cast, Security Guard
- Jon Kohler … Cast, Traveler
- John Lawhorn … Cast, Stableman
- Ted Manson … Cast, Ticket Man
- James Mayberry … Cast, Undertaker
- Brandon Morgan … Cast, Tobias Parker
- Danny Nelson … Cast, Station Attendant
- Afemo Omilami … Cast, Sam Parker
- Elizabeth Omilami … Cast, Mae
- Ginny Parker … Cast, Mrs. Adelaide Williams
- Johnny Popwell … Cast, Stationmaster
- Jody Thompson … Cast, Announcer/Entry Manager
- Terrie Thompson … Cast, Cashier
- Tom Turbiville … Cast, Foreman
- Alex Van … Cast, Breckinridge Sheriff
- Joseph Wilkins … Cast, Passerby
- Dan Byrd … Cast, Street Kid #1
- Corey Reitz … Cast, Street Kid #2
- Lance Shields … Cast, Street Kid #3
- Monica Kaufman … Cast, Newscaster #1
- John Pruitt … Cast, Newscaster #2