‘The Longest Ride’ Is Not Based on a True Story, but There Are Some Real-Life References

‘The Longest Ride’ was a 2015 movie based on the novel written by legendary Nicholas Sparks. He is a famous novelist and screenwriter known for his works in the romance genre. He gained widespread recognition for his novels, many of which have been adapted into successful films. ‘The Longest Ride’ wasn’t an exception when it comes to heart pulls, and as it turns out, there is more than a romantic heart behind the story as Sparks’ inspiration came from several real-life sources.

‘The Longest Ride’ follows two parallel love stories, but one is rooted in real life

In case you have never seen ‘The Longest Ride,’ it’s enough to say that it’s a classic Sparks story with a lot of longing, lots of flashbacks, and cherishing what’s important when it comes to a life well spent with an ideal partner. The first couple in the ‘Longest Ride’ are Ira and Ruth, who have been married for several decades and have been in love since at least the 1940s. Ruth died a few years ago, and Ira still cherishes their time together and keeps the letter they exchanged when they were younger.

The second couple is far younger, Sophia and Luke. Luke is a professional bull-rider, and Sophia is an art student at the nearby Wake Forest University College. The stories run parallel with flashbacks, and Sophia and Luke are using the wisdom of the ages and Ira and Ruth as their inspirations to keep their relationship going, which found itself in trouble when Luke and Sophia realized how different they were.

I mean, it sounds like pretty much every romantic movie ever, so what makes ‘The Longest Ride’ stand out?

‘The Longest Ride was most likely inspired by the real-life love story of Herbert and Dorothy Vogel

Nicholas Sparks never confirmed this, but the similarities between the two couples are incredibly obvious, so let’s start by telling you who Dorothy and Herbert are.

Herbert and Dorothy Vogel, known as “proletarian art collectors,” worked as civil servants in New York City for over 50 years while building one of the most significant post-1960s art collections in the United States, focusing on minimalist and conceptual art. Herbert was the son of a Russian Jewish tailor, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and worked as a postal clerk until his retirement in 1979. Dorothy, the daughter of an Orthodox Jewish stationery merchant, was a librarian until her retirement in 1990. They married in 1962, living frugally without children, and began collecting art after taking painting classes early in their marriage.

Their collection, which consisted of 4,782 works, featured artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Cindy Sherman, and Robert Mangold. In 1992, they donated their entire collection to the National Gallery of Art to ensure public access, later even starting a program that donated 2,500 works to institutions across all 50 states. Herbert Vogel passed away in 2012, but Dorothy Vogel is still alive as of December 2023.

What are the similarities between the two couples?

Well, despite Sparks never wanting to admit it, Ira and Ruth are incredibly similar to Herbert and Dorothy as their life story was adapted almost shot for shot. First, in the movie, Ira and Ruth are Jewish, and it’s a major part of their identity and a major thing that shaped Dorothy’s vision of the future as she was affected by the Holocaust greatly. Most of their family was gone following the event, and so she wanted a huge family of her own to compensate for it.

Second, Ira served in the army in WWII, and Herbert was also a WWII veteran, and it was a significant part of their identities. Ira and Ruth couldn’t have kids because of the injury he suffered during WWII. Dorothy and Herbert also couldn’t have kids, so they decided to adopt numerous cats named after the most famous artists.

Ira and Ruth at one point started enjoying art together and decided to amass a massive collection of art despite having a rather humble net worth, this is exactly what happened in real life with Herbert and Dorothy as well. Despite being civil servants with modest paychecks, they had one of the largest private collections in the United States at the time.

The similarities are obvious, and it’s safe to say that the story of Ira and Ruth was at least partially inspired by Herbert and Dorothy Vogel.

Sparks listed Black Mountain College as his main inspiration

One of the major themes in the book and the film is the fact that Sophia is an artist and attends the local Wake Forest University. Wake Forest University is the real deal and legitimate institution but it turns out that the inspiration was actually Black Mountain College. Black Mountain College, a private liberal arts college in Black Mountain, North Carolina, was founded in 1933 with an ideological focus on John Dewey’s holistic educational philosophy, emphasizing the centrality of art in liberal arts education. Faculty and students at the college, including influential figures like Josef and Anni Albers, John Cage, Willem de Kooning, and Robert Rauschenberg, played key roles in the arts.

Despite being rather small and unknown at the time, the college had a massive influence on American art at that time, giving rise to many notable names on the art scene that are remembered even today. Despite its notable contributions, the school closed in 1957 after 24 years due to funding issues, and the site is now occupied by Camp Rockmont for Boys. The history and legacy of Black Mountain College are preserved and continued by the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center in downtown Asheville, North Carolina.

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