If you don't already know the story, you'll be surprised by the variety of different sections in the film The Black Stallion. At first it takes place on an ocean liner, and a little boy, Kelly Reno, admires a horse while his father partakes in a high stakes poker game. There's a shipwreck and the boat sinks, but miraculously, Kelly and the large black stallion wind up washed ashore on a desert island. The next section is Cast Away-esque, with the boy trying to survive on the island and adjusting to his solitary life by making friends with the wild animal. When the boy gets rescued, the horse actually swims after him, refusing to be parted from him.
Even though that story would have been entertaining enough to make up the entire movie, that's only half of it. Once back at home with his mother, Teri Garr, Kelly gets it into his head that his horse is fast and could win a race if he was entered. He seeks out an old horse trainer, melts his gruff exterior, and talks him into training the black stallion and teaching him how to be a jockey. Who plays the crusty old trainer? After playing a jockey in both Thoroughbreds Don't Cry and Stablemates, as well as a former jockey and trainer in National Velvet, Mickey Rooney gets the "and" in the credits in The Black Stallion as the horse's knowledgeable trainer. Mickey adds class and realism to the film, and the best scenes are when he's imparting his wisdom to Kelly about how to ride and what to expect at the race. When he joins the other jockeys and trainers in the locker room for the weighing in, the audience can't help but remember he's done it before in his other movies. Even the names are similar: in Thoroughbreds Don't Cry, the horse was named The Pookah, in National Velvet was named The Pie, and in The Black Stallion, he was The Black. Your imagination won't have to be stretched a bit to see Mickey in this movie.
If you're a horse or horse racing lover, you'll want to rent this one. I was sticking with it for Mickey Rooney, and I found the first half of the film to be a bit boring because he hadn't arrived yet. Kelly is really sweet and has a cute relationship with his horse, but keep in mind that this movie was made in 1979. Movies in the 1970s took their time with things. Yes, it's similar to National Velvet, but with better special effects, but it isn't as fast paced as if it were made today.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. During the shipwreck scene, the camera tilts, and during many of the horse's scenes, the camera moves rapidly and in unexpected directions to keep him in the frame, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Even though that story would have been entertaining enough to make up the entire movie, that's only half of it. Once back at home with his mother, Teri Garr, Kelly gets it into his head that his horse is fast and could win a race if he was entered. He seeks out an old horse trainer, melts his gruff exterior, and talks him into training the black stallion and teaching him how to be a jockey. Who plays the crusty old trainer? After playing a jockey in both Thoroughbreds Don't Cry and Stablemates, as well as a former jockey and trainer in National Velvet, Mickey Rooney gets the "and" in the credits in The Black Stallion as the horse's knowledgeable trainer. Mickey adds class and realism to the film, and the best scenes are when he's imparting his wisdom to Kelly about how to ride and what to expect at the race. When he joins the other jockeys and trainers in the locker room for the weighing in, the audience can't help but remember he's done it before in his other movies. Even the names are similar: in Thoroughbreds Don't Cry, the horse was named The Pookah, in National Velvet was named The Pie, and in The Black Stallion, he was The Black. Your imagination won't have to be stretched a bit to see Mickey in this movie.
If you're a horse or horse racing lover, you'll want to rent this one. I was sticking with it for Mickey Rooney, and I found the first half of the film to be a bit boring because he hadn't arrived yet. Kelly is really sweet and has a cute relationship with his horse, but keep in mind that this movie was made in 1979. Movies in the 1970s took their time with things. Yes, it's similar to National Velvet, but with better special effects, but it isn't as fast paced as if it were made today.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. During the shipwreck scene, the camera tilts, and during many of the horse's scenes, the camera moves rapidly and in unexpected directions to keep him in the frame, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"