A most unusual kerfuffle has kicked up among US critics. The subject of the dispute is, of all things, Disney's feel-good horse-racing drama Secretariat. Andrew O'Hehir, distinguished and experienced pundit for Salon, described Randall Wallace's film as "a work of creepy, half-hilarious master-race propaganda almost worthy of Leni Riefenstahl".

O’Hehir went on argue that the film described a situation in which “all right- thinking Americans are united in their adoration of a Nietzschean Überhorse”.

Tough words for a true story about a horse that won a bunch of races in 1973. It seems clear that O’Hehir was indulging in comic hyperbole. Nonetheless, lifelong liberal critic Roger Ebert was minded to respond.

“His review resembles a fevered conspiracy theory,” Ebert says. “I saw a straightforward, lovingly crafted film about a great horse.”

Judge for yourself when Secretariatopens here in December.