Obviously events need to be condensed when creating a movie version of a book. Scenes are cut and details left out. Generally, this makes the movie less satisfying than the book for most people.
In Black Beauty, it has another effect, seeming to concentrate all the bad experiences and suffering of the horses. As a result, I think this movie version is much sadder than the book.
Some things are changed from the book for no apparent reason. The many references to Christianity in the book are all removed in the movie. Some things just struck me as silly and out of character for anything Anna Sewell would have included. For example, Lady W_ of Earlshall is shown painting a portrait of Black Beauty, the horse posing for her inside the house, with the inevitable bathroom humor.
The film quality and acting are excellent. If you don’t mind the deviations from the book, you will like the movie.
Cautions:
The birth of a foal is shown at the beginning of the movie. Abuse and neglect of horses, death of Ginger.
My Rating for the Movie: 3
Equine Realism: 5
MPAA Rating: G
Time (minutes): 88
Year: 1994
