The Long Shot
Encyclopedia
The Long Shot, sometimes called The Long Shot: Believe in Courage, is a Hallmark Channel
original movie that aired April 18, 2004. It stars Julie Benz
and Marsha Mason
and centers around a dressage
competition.
) is a young woman who moves with her slacker husband Ross and their seven-year-old daughter Taylor (Gage Golightly
) from Colorado
to a ranch in northern California
. After he fails to land a job as promised, Ross abandons Annie and Taylor. With nowhere to turn, and their horse to look after, Annie gets a job as a ranch hand and stable person at a stud farm owned by Mary Lou O'Brien (Marsha Mason
), a stern woman who is dealing with her own past. Inspired by Mary Lou's encouragement, Annie decides to enter in to a dressage
competition with her horse she trained herself, Tolo. Unfortunately, Tolo becomes blind and Annie is injured. When she recovers she goes to compete on one of Mary Lou's horses, California Red, but due to an unexpected visit, the horse is unable to compete. In order to compete, she has to believe in herself and have faith in Tolo to win.
signed on its product Claritin as the network's entitlement sponsor for The Long Shot. This meant that not only did the film's title artwork include the Claritin logo, but the brand would be featured in every promotion and spot regarding the movie's premiere. This made The Long Shot the network's first exclusive entitlement-sponsored film.
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
original movie that aired April 18, 2004. It stars Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
and Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason is an American actress and television director.She received four Academy Award nominations as Best Actress for her performances in Cinderella Liberty, The Goodbye Girl, Chapter Two, and Only When I Laugh. She is also known for starring in the 1986 film Heartbreak Ridge.-Life:Mason was...
and centers around a dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
competition.
Plot summary
Annie Garrett (Julie BenzJulie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
) is a young woman who moves with her slacker husband Ross and their seven-year-old daughter Taylor (Gage Golightly
Gage Golightly
Gage Golightly is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Hayley Steele in the Nickelodeon series The Troop .-Career:...
) from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
to a ranch in northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. After he fails to land a job as promised, Ross abandons Annie and Taylor. With nowhere to turn, and their horse to look after, Annie gets a job as a ranch hand and stable person at a stud farm owned by Mary Lou O'Brien (Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason
Marsha Mason is an American actress and television director.She received four Academy Award nominations as Best Actress for her performances in Cinderella Liberty, The Goodbye Girl, Chapter Two, and Only When I Laugh. She is also known for starring in the 1986 film Heartbreak Ridge.-Life:Mason was...
), a stern woman who is dealing with her own past. Inspired by Mary Lou's encouragement, Annie decides to enter in to a dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
competition with her horse she trained herself, Tolo. Unfortunately, Tolo becomes blind and Annie is injured. When she recovers she goes to compete on one of Mary Lou's horses, California Red, but due to an unexpected visit, the horse is unable to compete. In order to compete, she has to believe in herself and have faith in Tolo to win.
Cast
- Julie BenzJulie BenzJulie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
as Annie Garrett - Marsha MasonMarsha MasonMarsha Mason is an American actress and television director.She received four Academy Award nominations as Best Actress for her performances in Cinderella Liberty, The Goodbye Girl, Chapter Two, and Only When I Laugh. She is also known for starring in the 1986 film Heartbreak Ridge.-Life:Mason was...
as Mary Lou O'Brian - Paul Le MatPaul Le MatPaul Le Mat is an American actor who first came to prominence in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which won him the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor.-Life:...
as Guido Levits - Gage GolightlyGage GolightlyGage Golightly is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Hayley Steele in the Nickelodeon series The Troop .-Career:...
as Taylor Garrett, Annie's daughter - David Alexander as Monte Shelton
- Christopher Cousins as John Oaks
- John Livingston as Ross Garrett, Annie's husband
- Robert PineRobert PineRobert Pine is an American actor who has starred on television and in film. He is probably best known for his role as Sgt. Joseph Getraer on the hit NBC television series CHiPs from 1977 to 1983.-Personal life:...
as Douglas McCloud - Laura JohnsonLaura JohnsonLaura Johnson is an American actress who played Terry Hartford in the soap opera Falcon Crest from 1983 to 1986.Johnson was married to actor Harry Hamlin from 1985 to 1989, she was previously married to producer David Solomon....
as Bonnie McCloud - Juliette GogliaJuliette GogliaJuliette Rose Goglia is an American teen actress. She is best known for portraying Sierra in the Disney Channel series That's So Raven and Hannah West in the CBS series CSI...
as Colleen O'Brian, Mary Lou's granddaughter
Promotion
Schering-PloughSchering-Plough
Schering-Plough Corporation was a United States-based pharmaceutical company. It was founded in 1851 by Ernst Christian Friedrich Schering as Schering AG in Germany. In 1971, the Schering Corporation merged with Plough to form Schering-Plough. On November 4, 2009 Merck & Co...
signed on its product Claritin as the network's entitlement sponsor for The Long Shot. This meant that not only did the film's title artwork include the Claritin logo, but the brand would be featured in every promotion and spot regarding the movie's premiere. This made The Long Shot the network's first exclusive entitlement-sponsored film.
Reception
The Long Shot did moderately for the network, premiering with a 1.8 household rating. However, at the time it aired, the movie ranked #1 in average "Length of Tune" over all competitive cable original movies.External links
- The Long Shot at Hallmark ChannelHallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
- The Long Shot at Hallmark Channel UKHallmark Channel (International)The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts in over 100 countries. They specialize in series and movies that are appropriate for the whole family. In all countries except the United States they are owned by NBC Universal. The Hallmark name is licensed from Hallmark Cards,...