Black Beauty

This is an excellent little horsey film with Mark Lester, the angel-faced victim of Bill Sykes (Oliver!), now playing the farm boy on what looks like Exmoor or somewhere similar (perhaps Scotland). His nemesis this time is the terrible, sadistic Sam Greene (Patrick Mower) whose mission is to wreak havoc on everyone on his newly-inherited estate following the death of his altruistic father.

Really, it's a bit of a naturalist film, with the actual birth of Black Beauty himself shown and lots of delightful shots of rural, country life in England amidst classical English landscape. There really is some fine cinematography with sweeping panoramic landscapes, etc. The Pro-Hunting enthusiasts in England would now love this film and there are tons of shots of bands of red tunic huntsmen all over the place, with packs of dogs and stuff in hot pursuit.

However, the editing is clumsy and contrived and the director seems to want to create some sort of pseudo-art film, with lots of slow motion shots of hunting accompanied by a cheesy, amateurish soundtrack.

This is a movie that can be looked at one of two ways. You can look at it as an adaptation of Anna Sewell's classic novel, or you can look at it as a story about a bunch of people who all happen to own the same horse. I'll do both.

As an adaptation of the novel this movie disappoints terribly. The plot bears almost no relation to the original story. Classic characters like John Manly, Reuben Smith, and Jerry Barker are cut out completely. New characters are often shallow and one-dimensional. Ginger, one of the most important horses in the story, acting as a foil for Black Beauty and with her own heart-wrenching story is turned into a gelding, given about three seconds of screen time and has no involvement in the actual story. The plot, particularly the ways in which Beauty passes from owner to owner, often seems contrived. On more than one occasion Beauty is simply standing around in the middle of nowhere and someone comes along and finds him. Other times he performs some heroic deed which would merit his owners deciding to keep him forever and the next thing we know he's being sold again. While the novel deeply explores the society of the time and the effects of that society (for better or for worse) on both the humans and the animals this movie disregards that aspect entirely. It portrays some rather stereotypical views. Worse, some of the bad guys are just that: bad guys with no depth or personality. Take for instance the young squire who is cruel for no reason and loves to hurt horses just for the fun of it.

As a movie with complete disregard to the book it isn't half bad. The story as it is presented here is not about the horse; it is about all the different people who own the horse. Beauty isn't a character so much as he is a plot device. If you don't mind the focus shifting from animal to human it is an enjoyable sequence of stories. I stand by what I said earlier about many of the characters being one-dimensional, but when the entire cast is reviewed as a whole it displays a wide range of personalities and backgrounds. There is a good balance between kind and cruel owners. Pacing was fairly good. The movie had a nice balance with enough action but not too much. Cinematography was very nice. Many of the shots of the countryside were beautifully done (if occasionally somewhat overdone). Most of the stories were fairly standard plots (a decent farmer at the mercy of a heartless bank, young lovers forbidden from meeting) but some, such as the circus family were rather creative and even the recycled plots were well done. Acting was good overall.

My conclusion: A good animal and people story, but if you want something closer to the source watch the 1994 version.

Set in 19th Century England , about the fates of horses , and the people who own and command them, are revealed as Black Beauty narrates the circle of his life and seen through its own carefree life . It deals with a horse's trials as it passes from an owner to owner . When farmer Evan's mare (Eddie Golden) has a good son called Joe , he promises the black stallion to his child Joe (top billed Mark Lester only worked three weeks) . The youngster enjoy growing up as playmates . Alas , once the good squire is buried , his nasty heir (Patrick Mower) , who abuses animals , turns the screws on till pa Evans is forced to leave and abandon even Black Beauty , but Joe is desperate to get him back . The unfortunate black stallion reminds his life through from his birth through his existence as a colt , and the many hardships , passing several owners both good and bad and suffering hardships after achieving maturity . As the beloved horse experiencing from benevolent guardianship to ignorant abuse by a mean aristocrat . An owner soon loses everything in a cards game , so the stallion ends up in the Hackenschmidt circus whose two proprietaries (Walter Slezak and his daughter Úrsula Glas) show brilliant spectacles and both of whom confronting another circus owner (José Nieto) .

Exciting life of a horse named Black Beauty is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the horse . Handsome take off of the Anna Sewell family novel but sometimes fails to capture qualities that make Sewell's book a classic . The animals in this film were in no way harmed or mistreated , and all scenes in which they appeared were under strict supervision with utmost concern for their handling . Developed quite energetically and starred by the marvelous horse , as the story is told of the horse's life and through its profound and wizened eyes . The impressive scenery , photography and music enhance the story of ¨Black Beauty¨ and its adventures , sufferings and adversities . The tale is treated in good sense and high sensibility ; environment , horses , landscapes combine to enhance the glories of nature , one of which, after all, is silence . Good cast full of fine British actors as Patrick Mower , the prodigy child Mark Lester , Germans : Peter Lee Lawrence , Maria Rohm who married to film producer Harry Alan Towers and a lot of Spanish secondaries such as Jose Nieto , Fernando Bilbao , Ricardo Palacios , Daniel Martin , Luis Induni , Jose Canalejas and Chris Huerta . Colorful and glamorous cinematography by Fernando Arribas and the Oscarized Chris Menges , being shot in La Pedriza , Manzanares Del Real , Colmenar Viejo , Madrid , Spain and Irreland and Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland . Furthermore , a sensitive as well as emotive soundtrack ; as Lionel Bart worked on the musical score , working again with Mark Lester as both were involved with Oliver . The motion picture was professionally directed by James Hill . He was an expert on children films and serials for showing at schoolboy cinema . Hill designed his acquaintance with amusements for the young generation and costume adventures blending with Lions (Born free , The lions are free , The lion at world's end) , Horses (Black Beauty) , Foxes (The Belstone Fox) , Elephants ( An Elephant called Slowly) and sea animals as Sharks and Squid like ¨Captain Nemo and underwater city¨. ¨Born Free¨ remains his triumph in which the way the protagonists romp with three lionesses who play Elsa at several stages of growth is near-miraculous . Forever in search of a similar movie to equal this hit , he never quite found it . James Hill best movie turned out to be ¨Studio in terror¨ a Sherlock versus Jack Ripper terror thriller with lurid killings .

Other films based on this classic novel written by Anna Sewell are the followings : First silent version , 1921 , titled ¨Black Beauty ; first sound rendition of 1933 by Phil Rosen ; ¨Black Beauty¨ 1946 by Noel Nossek with Mona Freeman and Richard Denning ; ¨Courage of Black Beauty ¨ by Harold Schuster with Johnny Crawford ; ¨Black Beauty¨ 1994 by Caroline Thompson with David Thewlis as Jerry Barker , Jim Carter as John Manly , Peter Davison as Squire Gordon , Alun Armstrong as Reuben Smith , John McEnery as Mr. York , Eleanor Bron as Lady Wexmire , the notorious Sean Bean , Peter Cook , James Cosmo and ¨Black Beauty¨ 2015 with Luke Perry , Bruce Davison , Sarah Schultz , Jennifer Mckenzie . In addition , various TV movies and TV-series . This equine melodrama for grown-up adolescents and children will appeal to horses lovers ; resulting to be one of the best filmization of the classic story to date.

A serviceable adaptation of the Anna Sewell novel, although it loses something in the translation; the horse becomes more of a supporting than central character here. Unusually, this was produced by Harry Alan Towers for Tigon, and it's far less sleazy than most of his work (although familiar faces like Maria Rohm turn up). Mark Lester is still riding high from OLIVER!, the actors are invested in their roles, the scenery beautiful and the story involved and fast-moving.

Most of the reviewers giving this movie a low rating do so because they don't think it followed the original book. I didn't read the book, but watched the movie. It was fine, with action, adventure, some violence, humor and sadness. Even a touch of romance. So anyone reading this who has not read the book or seen the movie yet, it's good entertainment, but probably not for real young children. For those who have read the book, don't judge the movie on your misguided thinking that movies have to mimic the book. They can be different and both be good.