Celebrate a Woman Wednesday:Helen “Penny” Tweedy Chenery – the true hero behind the success of Secretariat
I ran off to the movies tonight because I wanted to see Diane Lane play the role of what appeared to be a true and honest real-life heroine. And she did. I was very pleased with the movie, the horse, and this remarkable woman behind the horse.
Penny Tweedy Chenery is introduced to us as a stay-at-home-mom in the early seventies with four kids and a lawyer husband who sits in his chair at the breakfast table reading the paper while she is trying to prepare breakfast for him and their four children AND taking his orders for clean shirts and Riesling wine she has to buy for one of his clients. You can’t judge him. It was the time — how women and men were in those days, although I do argue that some things haven’t changed.
Brought back to her father’s farm by her mother’s death, her love for horses, her father, and the business of the farm and horses that he taught her as a child come rushing back. She is a business-minded woman, having given up her own personal ambitions and career in order to raise her family. Diane Lane presents her character as a graceful and committed woman, who has no qualms about standing up for herself and her decisions. During the entire movie, she is confronted, attacked, ridiculed, and threatened by men; this includes her husband, her brother, other horse owners and racers, and so on. But she stands her ground, ridicules back, and lets her determination and intelligence speak for her. In her champion horse, Secretariat, she sees herself: she is running for her life, running to win the race that motherhood and familial obligations deterred her from competing in. She saves her father’s farm, races a champion, faces the adversity that came with patriarchal notions of her time regarding women, and she accomplishes the unimaginable: she made millions of money by racing a horse everyone bet against, competing against the big rich boys of her time — and proving herself a valuable business woman.
Here’s to a real life hero – Penny Tweedy, for her willingness to race against the grain and prescribed notions of patriarchy that labeled her a homely and simple housewife. She sure proved them wrong!
I highly recommend this movie — but not for kids. It’s a woman’s movie – with a deeply threaded and empowering mother-daughter message.
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Being from KY (horse country) I just love this story. The movie was beautiful and I am so happy they were able to portray this strong woman so amazingly!
Starting in racing when Bold Forbes won in 1977, I remember my best friend telling me about Big Red just when I got out of VietNam in late 1972. Later, I picked a young 2-yr.-old named Barbero to win the Derby.
I just saw the movie for the first time tonight, and I had tears all throughout. Penny Tweedy was a feminist pioneer, for sure.
The best part of the movie is when Penny looked Red in the eyes before the Belmont. I felt a tingle through my body.
Awesome review! I was wondering about this movie. It looked like it could go either way from the previews to me. As in be either really brilliant or really sappy. Hubs and I may get a chance to go out on a date this weekend. Maybe we can check it out! I’ll let you know.
This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!
Our young girls sorely need role models to look up to. It makes me sad to see so many of our youth chasing a life without quality, without substance.
Beautifully articulated, Stig, although quite somber a thought. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment.
I totally agree with this review. I have a copy of this movie saved on my television receiver and I watched it again after reading the review. I also agree with Stig, our young girls do need good role models instead of what they are offered in the Media these days.
Thanks, Pattiduke. I really love her as a woman and a real life heroine.