The Black Stallion
Composite Score: 82.7
Starring: Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Axton, Michael Higgins, and Ed McNamara
Director: Carroll Ballard
Writers: Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, and William D. Wittliff
Genres: Adventure, Family, Sport
MPAA Rating: G
Box Office: $37.80 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
The Black Stallion is the 1979 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Walter Farley, following the story of a shipwrecked boy and the horse he befriends on the island where he washes up. The film is, in a lot of ways, your basic horse movie: A kid meets a horse that doesn’t like anyone else; the horse likes the kid; the kid can’t keep the horse at his own house; the kid gets the horse to do a race. Where The Black Stallion deviates from the typical family horse film is in its score and cinematography. Many stretches of the film have limited dialogue, so these elements have to be excellent in order to keep the audience’s attention, and they are. Visually, I can’t think of many live action “children’s” movies that look like this one. It showcases its scenery with a photographer’s lens, highlighting the beauty of nature and the horse in every shot. Accentuating the film’s gorgeous visuals is its stunning score, playing behind most of those shots, engrossing the audience in the world of the film in moments where no dialogue is needed. I don’t know if this film will be for everyone, but its technical elements go a long way in making it worth watching.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
In many ways, The Black Stallion is the ideal Sunday afternoon nap movie, rife with stunning visuals, a great musical score, and an incredibly simple story. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily most people’s qualification for a “great” film. The story feels uninspired in many places, sticking with convenient moments and standard tropes to tell its story of friendship between a horse and a boy. Also, much of the film’s limited dialogue comes across as tired and simplistic. One moment that stands out as particularly puzzling comes toward the end of the film’s second act. Alec and Henry are deep in training “The Black” for the big race, and Alec has a conversation with Snoe, an elderly black man who lives in the area. Snoe offers the sage-like wisdom that Alec should allow The Black to remain wild, and the scene ends. Over the film’s third act, there is nothing to indicate that Alec rejects or accepts this advice – it just falls to the wayside as a throwaway line despite its heavy thematic implications. Moments like this are common throughout the film, bringing its themes and motifs to the fore with no real substance behind them, ultimately leaving the audience with not much but a feel-good horse film that also looks good at the end of the day.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Carmine Coppola’s score carries this film, bringing emotion and weight to every scene, no matter how simple. Its swells and lulls bring the audience alongside Alec and The Black on their journey, from the perils of their island living to the complexities of 1940s suburbia to the thrills of the racetrack. I don’t always mention great scores, but this one was so overtly present and noticeable in the way it improved the film that it bears mentioning. If I’m being honest, horse movies aren’t typically my thing, but the music that played across this one kept me engaged even in the slowest points.
The other piece of The Black Stallion’s filmmaking that sticks out is its cinematography/film editing. Visually, this is a stunning piece of film, evoking more of a nature documentary than a horse movie. The scenes of the shipwreck capture the chaos and bring the audience right into the terror of such a moment. Scenes on the island showcase its remote beauty, helping the audience appreciate both the danger of the situation and the beautiful aspects of nature’s danger. Perhaps the best moments of visual glory come in the scenes of horses running. The shots of The Black racing against the two fastest horses in America showcase the speed and power of the horses involved in a way that not even real horse racing can truly accomplish. Though the race is not the most suspenseful, the visuals of the horses do enough to keep the audience engrossed in what is unfolding on screen.
Beautiful visuals and a striking score are the highlights of The Black Stallion that have made it a standout among horse movies, accentuating the beauty of nature and horses on its way to achieving greatness. The film’s simple story, tired dialogue, and half-hearted themes will no doubt keep it out of some people’s lists of greats, but its technical greatness should be celebrated, particularly among films made for the whole family. This film is currently available to watch with ads via Tubi, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, and Freevee if you are interested.
