It's 1932. Sonora Webster (Gabrielle Anwar) is a head-strong orphan in Waycross, Georgia living with her younger sister under her aunt. She gets into trouble at school. Then she reads an ad for a diving horse rider. Her aunt is about to give her over to the State. She runs away to ride the diving horse for Dr Carver (Cliff Robertson) in his carnival act. First she comes to the rescue to Dr. Carver's son, Al (Michael Schoeffling) after he's caught cheating at cards. Bumbling Clifford Henderson (Dylan Kussman) immediately falls for the beauty. The diving horse job is already taken by Marie (Kathleen York). Al helps Sonora to tame a new wild horse.
This movie has the feel of a well-made TV movie. Director Steve Miner can't seem to raise the level of the production. Anwar is a beauty but there is a spark of innocence missing. She is playing only a plucky one-note performance. That is more due to the writing. There's also an over-romanticization in this movie. In the end, this is at the level of a simple watchable TV movie but not much more.
This movie has the feel of a well-made TV movie. Director Steve Miner can't seem to raise the level of the production. Anwar is a beauty but there is a spark of innocence missing. She is playing only a plucky one-note performance. That is more due to the writing. There's also an over-romanticization in this movie. In the end, this is at the level of a simple watchable TV movie but not much more.