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In Pursuit of Honor
In Pursuit of Honor
from Wikipedia
In Pursuit of Honor
GenreDrama
Western
Written byDennis Lynton Clark
Directed byKen Olin
StarringDon Johnson
Craig Sheffer
Gabrielle Anwar
Bob Gunton
Rod Steiger
Theme music composerJohn Debney
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerJeffrey M. Hayes
ProducerAnne Hopkins
Production locationAustralia
CinematographyStephen F. Windon
EditorElba Sanchez-Short
Running time89 minutes (TV)
109 minutes (DVD)
Production companyHBO Pictures
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseMarch 18, 1995 (1995-03-18)

In Pursuit of Honor is a 1995 American made-for-cable Western film directed by Ken Olin. Don Johnson stars as a member of a United States Cavalry detachment refusing to slaughter its horses after being ordered to do so by General Douglas MacArthur. The movie follows the plight of the officers as they attempt to save the animals that the Army no longer needs as it modernizes toward a mechanized military. The movie claims to be based on a true story but without firm evidence to support the claim.

Plot

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The film opens in 1932 during an historical event, known as the Bonus March. World War I veterans are protesting and rallying in Washington, D.C., demanding immediate cash redemption of bonus certificates that were due to be paid in 1945. Troops from the U.S. Cavalry and Infantry are present for crowd control. Major John Hardesty, orders the mounted cavalry to present their sabers, in order to hold back the protesters. First Sergeant or "Top" John Libbey and three fellow soldiers refuse to draw their swords because the demonstrators are men with whom they served during the war. As a consequence, their military careers are tarnished and they are relegated to duty at a remote post in Texas.

Two years later, young Lieutenant Marshall Buxton arrives at his new post. During his interview with retiring Colonel Stuart, it is revealed that he has been assigned to this post because he attacked another soldier for hurting his horse. Many other men are there because of insubordination. Lieutenant Buxton meets Sergeants Libbey, Quinlain, Mulcahey, and Shattuck, who together manage the herd of remounts.

Commanding officer Colonel Stuart is replaced by Colonel Hardesty (on Hardesty's promotion). Hardesty's mission is to aid the transition to a mechanized army. To accomplish this, the horses at the outpost will have to be destroyed. When Buxton is ordered to take the herd to be killed, he tries to tell Colonel Hardesty that he cannot have that on his conscience. Hardesty refuses to change his mind, telling Buxton that he will do as ordered or face a court-martial. While watching the first 100 helpless horses being shot in a mass grave, Lieutenant Buxton decides to end the massacre and drive the remaining herd to safety. The other sergeants agree to help him.

A manhunt ensues that forces the renegade men and horses north. Along the way, the men get a little help from the retired Colonel Stuart, who is in good standing with the U.S. War Department, and from Stuart's daughter, Jessica, who is a journalist. Many of the horses are lost during the journey, due to exhaustion and injuries, but Buxton is still determined to save the ones that are left. The original plan is to take the horses to the Indian Reservation in Montana, where they will be safe, but because of Hardesty's Armored Division they are forced to go north to Canada. When they cross the border, the Americans cannot follow.

When they reach the Canada–US border, they make a final run with the herd. Jessica brings a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, granting them pardons, but they are already being fired on by light artillery. None of the shells hit them, because the Gunnery Sergeant, who does not believe in shooting American soldiers, "accidentally" set the range incorrectly. Buxton's men and the remaining horses make it across the river and are met by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are on their side. Lieutenant Buxton decides to return to the United States to face charges, hoping to do something in court to stop this kind of thing from happening again, Sergeant Libbey decides to head further north, to Alaska, and the others decide to stay in Canada.

Cast

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Production

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The film was shot in Australia.[1]

Accuracy

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While the film depicts the US Army eliminating its horse cavalry units in 1934 by destroying all its horses, research conducted at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and the records at the MacArthur Memorial show no record of a slaughter of horses as alleged in the film, or any order or plan for such destruction.[2]

In reality, the US Army and various states' National Guard units retained horse cavalry units into the 1940s. Several US Army units, including the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts, the 5,307th Composite Unit (Provisional) ["Merrill's Marauders"], and portions of the 3rd Infantry Division and 10th Mountain Division used horses and mules for transportation for men and equipment during the Second World War, even riding into combat, in some instances. US Army occupation troops in Germany included a mounted platoon.[3]

The US Cavalry School continued training horses and riders until 1946, when it was deactivated.[3] When the Army's Remount Service ended, its horses and programs were transferred to the Department of Agriculture, which sold the horses at auction the following year.[3]

Slaughter of feral horses by ranchers in the intermountain region was not uncommon in the 1960s. Many horsemen in this region wear Stetsons in the "Montana Peak" style which resembles the "Campaign Hat" of the old cavalry units. This might have contributed to the belief that the Army was slaughtering the horses. In his 1992 painting Save the Wild Horses, created for a Smithsonian fundraiser, Stockton Master Artist Jack Feldman depicted the mustangs, rounded up, their eyes glowing red, illuminated by spotlights, in a nighttime mass slaughter.

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
is a 1995 American Western television film directed by and starring as a U.S. who defies orders to prevent the slaughter of horses during the Army's transition to in . The story follows a small group of cavalrymen, including characters portrayed by and , who steal hundreds of horses intended for destruction and embark on a perilous journey to save them, highlighting themes of loyalty, honor, and resistance to bureaucratic mandates. Loosely based on historical events surrounding the U.S. Army's efforts and the eviction of the in 1932, the film portrays the officers' moral stand against the destruction of equine assets deemed obsolete. Produced as a made-for-cable feature, In Pursuit of Honor received positive reception for its dramatic portrayal of duty and , earning an 85% approval rating on from critics who praised its inspirational narrative and strong performances. It holds a 7.0/10 average user rating on , with viewers commending its heartfelt depiction of soldiers prioritizing ethical convictions over commands. The film's supporting cast includes and , and it underscores the real-world shift from horse-mounted to motorized units post-World War I, a transition that rendered thousands of army horses surplus.

Synopsis

Plot Summary

In 1935, amid the U.S. Army's shift to mechanized forces during the , surplus cavalry horses face destruction by order of superiors, including . Sergeant John Libbey, previously disciplined for under Colonel John Hardesty, arrives at a remote Southwestern base where Lieutenant David Marshall oversees the grim task of executing the animals. Bonding over their shared reverence for the horses, Libbey and Marshall, joined by sergeants Quinlain, Mulcahey, and Shattuck, resolve to defy the directive. The group orchestrates a nighttime breakout, from the holding pens and initiating a perilous flight across rugged toward border to avert slaughter. Pursued relentlessly by trackers and facing escalating confrontations with pursuing forces, the fugitives endure chases, injuries—including Libbey's wound during an escape—and harsh environmental challenges. In the climax, they execute a daring breakthrough against and opposition, ultimately delivering the herd to safety at the cost of their careers and personal freedoms.

Cast and Characters

Principal Cast

Don Johnson stars as Sgt. John Libbey, a principled in the U.S. who spearheads the clandestine effort to preserve surplus horses from destruction amid the Army's push. portrays 2nd Lt. Robert Marshall, Libbey's steadfast subordinate and comrade, embodying the tight-knit loyalty among cavalry traditionalists resisting modernization. plays Col. Owen Stuart, a high-ranking symbolizing the inflexible bureaucratic enforcement of orders to cull the horse herd. depicts , the authoritative Army chief who mandates the destruction of cavalry mounts as obsolete in the face of advancing military technology. Among supporting roles, appears as Sgt. Thomas Ring, an enlisted cavalryman providing a ground-level perspective on the soldiers' attachment to their equine partners and the hardships of the transition era.

Character Portrayals

The protagonists in In Pursuit of Honor embody archetypes of steadfast valor, portraying seasoned soldiers who prioritize personal oaths of and over bureaucratic mandates during the Army's shift to . Figures like Sergeant John Libby represent the honorable of the old guard, whose deep-seated bonds with fellow troopers and mounts drive acts of quiet rebellion against orders to dispose of equine assets deemed obsolete. This contrasts protagonists' human-centered with the antagonists' emblematic role as harbingers of impersonal progress, where leaders enforce efficiency-driven policies that strip away tradition's emotional core. Antagonistic portrayals, such as General , function as symbols of ruthless , advancing military modernization by subordinating sentiment to logistical imperatives, which ignites the story's central ethical clash between legacy and expediency. These figures underscore a tension wherein institutional authority views traditions as expendable, framing antagonists not as villains per se but as catalysts exposing the human cost of systemic overhaul. Horses are depicted as anthropomorphic extensions of the protagonists' honor, integral to their identity through portrayed reciprocal loyalties forged in service and adversity, elevating the animals beyond mere utility to sentient partners in the cavalry's . Specific interactions highlight these bonds as repositories of shared valor, where the mounts' fate mirrors the soldiers' struggle to preserve amid . Among the ensemble, character dynamics evoke archetypes of fraternal , with troopers collectively manifesting unyielding that amplifies themes of mutual and collective conscience, independent of individual heroics. This group portrayal reinforces loyalty's role as a binding force, depicting interpersonal ties that sustain resistance without hierarchical resolution.

Production

Development and Script

The screenplay for In Pursuit of Honor was penned by Dennis Lynton Clark, who drew inspiration from oral histories shared by aging cowboys recounting tales of cavalry loyalty and equine bonds during the U.S. Army's mechanization era. Although marketed with claims of being based on true events, the narrative fabricates specific incidents like the mass horse theft and evasion depicted, prioritizing dramatic exploration of moral defiance over verifiable history. Clark's script intertwines animal welfare concerns with themes of military honor and personal conscience, framing the protagonists' rebellion against orders to euthanize surplus horses as a stand against bureaucratic inhumanity amid the Great Depression. Ken Olin directed the film, marking his feature-length debut after helming episodes of series such as thirtysomething and My So-Called Life. Olin emphasized building tension through the cavalrymen's internal conflicts and high-stakes evasion, using the script's structure to underscore causal tensions between obedience, legacy, and ethical imperatives in a transitioning military. Developed in the early 1990s as an original production, the project aligned with the network's push into higher-budget prestige Westerns to differentiate from low-cost acquisitions, targeting audiences seeking substantive cable dramas over theatrical blockbusters. commissioned the film to capitalize on renewed interest in narratives following successes like (1992), positioning In Pursuit of Honor as a vehicle for examining institutional change through individual agency.

Filming and Technical Aspects

Principal photography for In Pursuit of Honor took place primarily in during 1994, leveraging the country's expansive landscapes to replicate . Locations included diverse sites along the east coast, such as and Belltrees in , selected for their arid terrains and open plains suitable for depicting operations. This choice also circumvented stricter U.S. regulations on film sets involving horses, enabling more flexible stunt coordination without reported injuries to animals. The production emphasized practical effects for action sequences, including horse chases and mounted maneuvers, to convey the authenticity of amid the shift to . Cinematographer employed wide-angle shots and dynamic tracking to capture the epic scale of herd movements and pursuits, enhancing the 's visual realism on rugged terrains. Technical demands involved managing large groups of horses for scenes portraying mass disposals and escapes, requiring precise choreography to ensure safety and historical plausibility without digital augmentation, as CGI was limited in mid-1990s television filmmaking.

Release and Distribution

In Pursuit of Honor premiered on on March 18, 1995, as a made-for-television produced by HBO Pictures. The production eschewed a theatrical rollout, aligning with HBO's strategy for original cable content amid the surge in premium television subscriptions. Post-premiere, the film entered distribution with a release in 1995, enabling retail availability beyond initial broadcasts. A DVD version followed, with commercial editions distributed starting in 2001 by HBO Home Video. Marketing efforts centered on the film's purported roots in historical events and the casting of Don Johnson, leveraging his prominence from the recently concluded Miami Vice series (1984–1989) to attract viewers to the HBO event. International reach remained constrained, confined largely to U.S.-centric cable networks and limited overseas licensing, with no widespread theatrical or broad foreign video distribution recorded. Reruns on American cable channels later sustained visibility, capitalizing on enduring interest in cavalry-themed narratives.

Historical Context

U.S. Cavalry Transition to Mechanization

Following , the U.S. Army initiated experiments with to augment or replace horse , recognizing the limitations of equine mobility exposed by emerging technologies like tanks and trucks. In the 1920s, early trials focused on integrating motorized elements into traditional missions such as and pursuit, with policy diverging by 1930 into branch-specific efforts: emphasizing mobility for scouting and support via slower vehicles. The 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized), established at , , in the early , exemplified these advancements, conducting maneuvers that demonstrated superior speed and logistics over horse units in open terrain. By the mid-, Army leadership accepted the obsolescence of horse for , planning gradual conversion while retaining horses for specialized roles in rough terrain where faltered. The exacerbated fiscal pressures, prompting efficiency drives that underscored the high maintenance costs of horse units—feed, veterinary care, and breeding—amid severe budget cuts that shrank the overall . Leaders like General , from 1930 to 1935, prioritized modernization to enhance operational effectiveness, influenced by events such as the 1932 dispersal, where horse was deployed alongside infantry but highlighted vulnerabilities in urban and rapid-response scenarios. Despite resistance from cavalry traditionalists who viewed as diluting scouting expertise, the economic constraints accelerated procurement of trucks and half-tracks, reducing equine dependencies without immediate full divestment. Horse cavalry persisted into , with 21 of 23 active regiments still equine-based on the eve of U.S. entry in 1941, but rapid wartime demands for armored mobility led to their inactivation. On March 9, 1942, the War Department abolished the office of Chief of Cavalry, effectively ending horse-mounted operations as units converted to armored roles, marking the culmination of interwar efforts. This shift aligned with global trends, where mechanized forces proved decisive in early campaigns, rendering horses logistically untenable for sustained combat.

Army Horse Management and Disposal Policies

The United States Remount Service, under the Corps, was established in 1908 to procure, breed, train, and issue horses and mules for military use, with significant expansion during to meet wartime demands. By , as the transitioned toward , surpluses accumulated due to reduced needs, prompting systematic disposal policies governed by War Department procedures. These policies emphasized pragmatic utilization over sentiment, prioritizing sales of serviceable animals to civilians via public auctions and transfers to other government or civilian entities, while unserviceable horses were culled through or rendering for byproducts. Disposal focused on economic efficiency amid fiscal constraints of the and the logistical superiority of motorized units, which incurred lower long-term maintenance and operating costs than equine assets requiring daily feed, veterinary care, and stabling. Healthy surplus horses were routinely auctioned, as evidenced by sales at depots like , where animals were offered to buyers for ranching, breeding, or other civilian purposes rather than destruction. Unfit or aged animals underwent primarily by gunshot to the head, a standard method ensuring rapid dispatch, with carcasses often processed at rendering for (used in zoos or ) or industrial products like glue and fertilizer, aligning with directives to maximize resource recovery. No War Department orders mandated the mass slaughter of healthy horses; instead, policies directed disposal agencies to sell over 28,000 equines between 1943 and 1944 alone, reflecting a pattern of auction-based reduction in the preceding decade without verified instances of widespread insubordination or theft. These measures were driven by causal realities: equine maintenance demanded substantial forage and labor, exacerbating budget strains as vehicles proved more reliable and cost-effective for modern warfare, with no historical records supporting dramatic narratives of en masse destruction of viable stock. Auctions and transfers thus served as primary outlets, ensuring orderly divestment while cullings targeted only non-viable animals to avoid unnecessary waste.

Factual Accuracy and Controversies

Claimed Basis in True Events

The film In Pursuit of Honor opens with credits asserting it is "based upon a true story," a claim attributed to Lynton Clark's drawing from oral histories relayed by cowboys who heard accounts directly from participating U.S. during events. These narratives describe personnel defying orders to execute surplus horses amid the Army's shift, instead commandeering the animals for relocation. The central plot inspiration involves an unspecified group of cavalrymen stealing condemned horses and herding them northward from Sonora, Mexico, across the U.S. border to sanctuary in Canada, evading pursuit to preserve the animals' lives. General Douglas MacArthur appears as a portrayed historical figure, depicted in connection with the era's military policies on cavalry reduction, including the 1932 Bonus Army clearance in Washington, D.C. Production documentation references broad "military histories" for background on horse disposal practices but does not specify primary sources such as declassified orders, muster rolls, or contemporaneous eyewitness testimonies to corroborate the horse theft expedition. Promotional materials for the 1995 HBO release highlighted the "true story" foundation to underscore depictions of principled resistance and equine valor, positioning the narrative as rooted in verifiable acts of defiance against bureaucratic mandates.

Major Discrepancies and Historical Critiques

The film's central plot, depicting U.S. officers stealing approximately 400 to evade an alleged -ordered mass slaughter and embarking on a cross-country pursuit, lacks corroboration in historical records. archives and declassified documents from document the gradual disposal of surplus through auctions, transfers to other services, or humane due to economic constraints during the , but no evidence exists of a coordinated or pursuit involving defiance of direct orders from high command. Historians note that the narrative draws from unverified oral accounts by ranchers claiming participation, akin to anecdotal without supporting primary sources such as muster rolls, incident reports, or correspondence in the . Portrayals of General as a ruthless advocate for abrupt horse destruction invert documented positions; as from 1930 to 1935, MacArthur, a former officer, endorsed phased to enhance mobility while preserving equine units for reconnaissance roles, not wholesale elimination. The film's depiction aligns with dramatic license rather than realities, where horse reductions—totaling around 500 animals in select depots—prioritized fiscal over sentiment, with disposals managed by the Remount Service to avoid amid cuts exceeding 50% in the early . Military analysts critique this inversion as discrediting leadership's pragmatic adaptations, which foreshadowed mechanized 's superiority in , where horse units suffered high attrition rates (e.g., 75% losses in Philippine campaigns due to limited speed and vulnerability) compared to armored divisions' logistical edges. Scholars of U.S. argue the film romanticizes equine tradition at the expense of causal factors driving modernization, such as technological imperatives proven in European maneuvers and the Army's doctrinal shifts post-World War I, where horses proved inadequate against machine guns and . This narrative frames progress as callous, overlooking empirical outcomes: by , full dismounting enabled rapid deployment of over 16 armored divisions, contributing to Allied victories through superior maneuverability unattainable with horse cavalry. The reliance on unsubstantiated anecdotes over archival evidence exemplifies Hollywood's distortion of institutional decision-making for emotional appeal, undermining recognition of mechanization's role in averting operational .

Reception

Critical Response

The critical reception to In Pursuit of Honor was mixed, with reviewers praising the film's strong premise rooted in historical tensions between tradition and modernization while faulting inconsistencies in pacing, , and emotional resonance. In a March 18, 1995, review, the highlighted the intriguing real-life basis involving U.S. efforts to save from disposal orders but criticized the shallow script for lacking meaningful and character depth, resulting in cavalrymen who fail to evoke emotional connection to each other, the animals, or military tradition. Direction by was described as toothless, undermining potential for a stirring or engaging action despite adequate performances from leads and , which were constrained by the writing. Conversely, Variety's March 15, 1995, assessment lauded the film as a first-rate HBO production, crediting writer Dennis Lynton Clark's outstanding script and Olin's effective direction, including beautiful cinematography during the 2,000-mile pursuit sequences. Performances were deemed authentic and rugged, particularly Johnson and as the defiant cavalrymen, though Rod Steiger's portrayal of Colonel Owen Stuart was called superb yet miscast. The review acknowledged thematic sentimentality in the horse-centric narrative and resistance to perceived dishonor in but viewed these as strengths in linking equine to human honor. Aggregate scores reflected this divide, with reporting an 85% approval rating based on verified viewer responses, while limited professional critiques averaged lower due to recurring complaints about uneven execution over substantive depth.

Audience and Viewer Reactions

Audience members rated In Pursuit of Honor 7.0 out of 10 on , based on over 1,900 user votes, reflecting solid approval among viewers drawn to its portrayal of loyalty and resistance against bureaucratic orders. Many praised the film's depiction of strong bonds between soldiers and horses, with reviewers noting the inspirational quality of the protagonists' defiance in saving from destruction, often citing emotional resonance for those valuing military honor and . This appeal particularly resonated with pro-military audiences, who highlighted the narrative's emphasis on duty and camaraderie over institutional mandates. Viewer feedback on platforms like Letterboxd echoed these sentiments, averaging 3.4 out of 5 from hundreds of logs, with fans commending the authentic feel of the cavalry story and its economical storytelling without excessive character depth. Some accepted the film's "based on a true story" framing despite historical skepticism, focusing instead on its motivational defiance theme in user discussions and reviews. However, certain viewers criticized slower pacing during chase sequences and found the action mild, making it more engaging for Western genre enthusiasts than strict history aficionados. The movie maintains a niche following through DVD releases and 2020s streaming availability, where renewed viewings underscore anti-bureaucratic undertones appealing to audiences skeptical of top-down authority in military contexts. Sensitive viewers occasionally noted discomfort with horse slaughter depictions, though these elements were seen as heightening the stakes of the honor-driven plot.

Themes and Analysis

Concepts of Honor and Duty

In the film In Pursuit of Honor, honor is depicted as an individual's unwavering fidelity to the horses that embodied their prior , particularly for World War I veterans whose identity was intertwined with traditions. This portrayal posits a causal connection between preserving the animals and upholding personal integrity, framing the steeds as extensions of the soldiers' past sacrifices and communal bonds forged in combat. The narrative centers a conflict between this personal ethic and institutional duty, presenting defiance of orders to euthanize the horses as a form of moral realism against perceived wasteful destruction amid economic hardship. However, military doctrine underscores that duty fundamentally requires adherence to the chain of command to maintain unit cohesion and operational effectiveness, even for lawful directives that conflict with individual sentiments. U.S. Army regulations and ethics emphasize obedience as essential for collective discipline, with disobedience—absent illegality—risking erosion of command authority and mission success. Empirically, enlistment oaths in bound soldiers to "obey the orders of the and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and ," prioritizing institutional over personal moral reservations. The film's emphasis on aligns more with romanticized archetypes than the institutional realism of service, where oaths and codes like "Duty, Honor, Country" subordinated personal honor to collective obligation. Proponents of the film's perspective interpret the soldiers' actions as valorous preservation of life and tradition, echoing broader ethical debates on moral autonomy in service. Detractors contend it romanticizes akin to , which undermines the causal foundations of by elevating subjective over verifiable operational necessities.

Tradition Versus Modernization

In the film, the tradition of horse-mounted is romanticized as a bond fostering unparalleled , , and mastery of rugged terrains, with officers portrayed as defying orders to exterminate surplus equines rather than yield to impersonal machinery. This depiction frames horses as irreplaceable for the human spirit of service, contrasting sharply with modernization's drive toward tanks and trucks, which is shown as eroding honorable traditions under bureaucratic efficiency. Historically, however, mechanization proved causally superior, enabling faster strategic mobility and sustained logistics that underpinned U.S. armored successes in , such as the rapid advances of divisions like the 1st Armored in from November 1942 onward. Horse , while effective in pre-mechanized eras for pursuits and , became obsolete against machine-gun nests and armored vehicles; U.S. maneuvers in demonstrated tanks outperforming equines in speed and , with the Army fully phasing out horse units by 1943 in favor of mechanized . The 26th 's last mounted charge on January 16, 1942, in the delayed Japanese forces briefly but suffered devastating losses to and artillery, illustrating tactical vulnerabilities in . The film's portrayal critiques modernization as soulless pragmatism, yet the shift responded to empirical necessities, including the high costs of maintenance—feed, veterinary care, and breeding—that strained Depression-era budgets already cut by over 50% from levels, prompting reductions in national stocks from 25 million in 1920 to under 14 million by the . While preserving heritage risked operational irrelevance, the U.S. Army's adaptive pivot to armored units ensured verifiable successes, such as the exploitation phases of the 1944 breakout, where mechanized speed outpaced any equine equivalent. This transition prioritized causal effectiveness over nostalgia, affirming mechanization's role in Allied victory despite romantic counter-narratives.

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