The Sophian

Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Courtesy of Chenery Family Private Collection

Smith has received a lot of attention on film lately; first Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith, and then Julie and Julia. More recently, Walt Disney has begun filming its first major motion picture to be made about a Smithie. 

The film, called Secretariat after the Penny Chenery's '43 prize-winning horse, is currently scheduled to be released in October 2010. Oscar-nominated actress Diane Lane will play Chenery.

Chenery enjoyed Diane Lane's performance. "Oh, she is a wonderful person. We talk on the phone a lot," she said. "She is a beautiful, empathetic person."

Nonetheless, the experience was a bit bizarre for Chenery.

"Being on a movie set is just weird. Seeing your life filmed is just weird," she said.

"I just keep seeing things and want to say, 'that's not the way it was,' but they have their story lines. The scriptwriter spent a week with my family and me. When he sent me the script, there was a sticky note on top warning me to consider that this movie is written for Disney," Chenery continued.

"I must say, though not exactly perfect in portraying my life, I really love the story."

During her academic career at Smith, Chenery lived in Sessions. Her mother, aunt and sister also attended Smith.

"I went to a girls' boarding school; I went to Madeira. So I was well-prepared, but I was not prepared for the freedom," she said.

"The thing I got from Smith was the attitude that we can do anything that we put our minds to. You need to set goals and stick to them," she explained.

Chenery's path to success was not an expected or easy one. After graduating from Smith, she took some time off and served in Europe for the Red Cross.

"It was an eye-opener for me. For the first time I was just out with people, not schoolmates or college-mates," she said.

"I had never been anywhere I did not have my aunt or mother around. My name did not mean anything. We were just able-bodied people cheering up the soldiers."

Chenery was one of the first women to be on top in the world of thoroughbred racing. Yet, being such a powerful woman in a male-dominated sport never fazed her.

"I never thought about it. I was never concerned about competing with men or thought about it. I was before the feminist movement so there was no undercurrent," she said.

"You just have to do what you are doing and not worry about what people think. There were men who would be patronizing because these were my father's horses and I was the daughter. There were men who resented my being female, [but] I can't change that."

Continued...

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