Black Beauty : 1971

Black Beauty : 1971

Synopsis of Movie

Anna Sewell’s 1877 novel about the life and masters of a beautiful black horse had already received several screen treatments by the time 1971's Black Beauty came along. Breaking from Sewell’s first-person narrative from the horse’s point of view, this version focused on one of Black Beauty’s masters, a young boy named Joe Evans (Mark Lester, the title star of Academy Award winner Oliver!)

Joe raises the young Beauty, developing a special bond. When Beauty is taken from him, Joe sets out in search of the horse, which (as in the Sewell original) passes from master to master, some crueler than others.

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

Movie Release History

1971 - Black Beauty

Movie Sub Categories

live-action
drama

Movie Studio

Chilton/Paramount Pics./Tigon British Film Prods.

Cast

Joe Mark Lester
Heckenschmidt Walter Slezak
Gervaise Peter Lee Lawrence
Marie Uschi Glas
Sam Greener Patrick Mower
Sir William John Nettleton
Anne Maria Rohm
Evans Eddie Golden
Roger Clive Geraghty
Muldoon Johnny Hoey
O'Flaherty Patrick Gardiner
Mark Beauchamp Brian McGrath
Farm Boy Ronan Smith
Coalman John Franklyn
Anne Sewell Margaret Lacey

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