Hidalgo Sparknotes

Hidalgo is a great movie that tells the legend of Frank Hopkins who was an actual man in history. The film came out in 2004 and revived the genre of the classic Westerns that were once produced. Also this film has a great theme with a classic storyline displaying the adventures Frank and his horse Hidalgo have together. Frank is a typical cowboy that only cares for himself, however throughout his conventional western journey following the usual hero quest he is transformed and embraces his true Indian ancestry willing to help others. Frank starts off in his normal world of being a dispatch rider for the government. He delivers a message that ends up slaughtering his own people, and although he is greatly disturbed and traumatized by the …show more content…
After arriving and partaking in the race for a while, perhaps his first real challenge arrives. Jazira is kidnapped in order for Katib to gain control of Al Hattal. Even though it is the racers day off Frank is sent after Jazira to reconcile his past mistake. After a classic fight scene Frank shows his heroism by taking back Jazira from Katib and a more heroic picture is painted of Frank by the Arabians that once thought of him as the rough and tough cowboy that is only out for himself. Jazira and Frank seem to parallel each other at this point after finding out about Frank’s heritage since they both are hiding their true identities of what they want to be and what they truly are, Frank an Indian and Jazira a normal girl. Another challenge along the way deals with Franks now arch enemy Prince Bin Al Reeh. The prince is sent by Lady Davenport to eliminate the other riders. Hidalgo unfortunately lands in a trap and is wounded but the man Frank helped earlier in the race comes back to help him out of the trap and then Frank kills the Prince. This shows Franks compassionate side when he saves a man who was pestering Frank during the race and ritually should die. Frank is also thought of as a hero for killing the “bad guy.” These two things contribute to Franks image as not the cowboy out for himself but rather the cowboy willing to help …show more content…
Frank now abandons his cowboy hat as it blows away in the wind cementing the change of the cowboy to Indian. It ends up being a sprint to the finish which happens to be an ocean symbolizing Franks change from being ashamed of his heritage (desert) to Frank’s new outlook and embracing his heritage. Franks wins the race and continues to show ways he has changed. Frank has become friends with Sheikh Riyadh giving Sheikh his colt showing again that Frank is no longer a cowboy but an Indian. Once again there is a parallel to him and Jazira since she no longer has her veil on, she too has changed and embraced who she wants to be, like Frank. With Frank’s earnings he decides to help out his race of people and set the wild herd of mustangs free along with Hidalgo ultimately symbolizing Frank as the changed man he has