Three Favourite Horse Movies
One of the best known movie horses was actually a non-existent one! ‘ A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!’ cries Richard 111 when he finds himself steedless and at the mercy of his enemies on Bosworth Field.The horses in these movies are, however, a far cry from Shakespeare’s evil Richard and the horse – any horse – he so desperately needed. The sheer expendibility of both man and horse in Richard III’s time would have certainly made modern inventions like horse insurance beyond the financial reach even of the highest nobility!
The Black Stallion
This award winning film was produced in 1979 – some 400 years after Shakespeare.It tells the story of the relationship between Alec and a spirited Arabian stallion. Especially memorable is the shipwreck scene and Alec’s subsequent rescue from drowning by the horse and the ensuing time on a desert island where they learn to overcome the mistrust they previously felt for each other. They learn to trust each other and become devoted partners. It’s a wonderful portrayal of the deep bonds that can exist between man (well,’boy’) and horse. I’ll refrain from telling you what happens because maybe you haven’t seen it yet. Suffice it to say that it was described as possibly ‘ the greatest children’s movie ever made.It’s not necessary, however, to be a child to enjoy it.
Black Beauty
What! Another black horse!. Would you be excited at the title ‘Piebald Beauty’?. Anyway, whereas we see the Black Stallion from the outside as observers, Black Beauty is herself the narrator in this 1994 production. The obviously human nature and attitude of this voice is a serious defect. I don’t mean that it doesn’t neigh and whinny like a horse; such a practice would soon empty any cinema. No, it’s the content of what the horse says that’s so human. Regrettably the horse comes over as an especially priggish and self-righteous human. However hard you try, you cannot fail to find Black Beauty’s human attitudes and voice clumsy and ineffective. Notwithstanding what one critic described as the ‘soppiness’ of the film, there is much to enjoy both in the scenery and the numerous scenes where Black Beauty expresses her joie de vivre.
The Horse Whisperer
This is a more recent film – 1998. Grace and her precious horse, Pilgrim, recover from a terrible accident in this film. Annie, Grace’s mother, wants to find a way to bring about the recovery of Grace and Pilgrim so she takes them to Montana where Tom, known for his understanding of animals, lives in open country. Tom’s powers of empathizing are equally as effective with disturbed women as with disturbed horses. Tom soon has both Annie and Pilgrim doting on him. The contrast between Annie’s previous sophisticated city life and that of the country is a theme that is developed alongside the story of Grace and Pilgrim’s recovery and the growing love between Annie and Tom. Annie is faced with choosing either the down-to earth Tom or her high-flying lawyer husband. Which of these will she choose?!
There’s a lot of trotting, cantering, and galloping movement in these films as well as movement of the emotional kind. The delight you’ll feel at many of the lovely scenic sequences will be in contrast to some of the sickly sentiment of the ‘moving’ scenes. It is not only a rider that these horses carry; they are also the vehicle for a message. Only you can decide the nature of the message and whether or not it’s a help or a hindrance to the story of the horse. To form your own opinion you’ll have to get in touch with your local DVD store!
This article has been published for the millions of horse enthusiasts all over the world by Animal Friends Equine Insurance – the UK’s only not-for-profit horse insurance provider. You can buy horse rider insurance today online or by phone, and all net profits go towards helping animals in crisis around the globe. You can read more about the many charities helped by Animal Friends on the charity support pages of their ethical pet insurance website.
