---

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell’s 1877 novel about the life and masters of a beautifulblack horse had already received several screen treatments by the time1971's Black Beautycame along. Breaking from Sewell’s first-person narrative from thehorse’s point of view, this version focused on one of Black Beauty’smasters, a young boy named Joe Evans (Mark Lester, the title star ofAcademy Award winner Oliver!)
 
Joe raises the young Beauty, developing a special bond. When Beautyis taken from him, Joe sets out in search of the horse, which (as inthe Sewell original) passes from master to master, some crueler thanothers.

With moving performances from Lester and his horse friend, and featuring thrilling setpieces, Black Beautywas a touching, if not entirely literal adaptation of the Sewellclassic. The dark horse returned for another go-round in another filmadaptation in 1994, keeping the untamed spirit of Black Beauty alive.

 

---