If Charles Dickens had written from the horse’s point of view, instead of as the omniscient narrator of human life in Victorian England, “Black Beauty” is the book he would have written.
The beloved novel from the same era detailed the ups and downs, the whippings and the caresses, the triumphs and the tragedies of the stoic horse. Author Anna Sewell did fine on her own, without Dickens, in a book that some say has sold more than 50 million copies over time.
Adapted many times for the large and small screen, the spirit of “Black Beauty” produced a worthy movie of the same name in 1994. It didn’t do much at the box office, but around the stalls and stables, animal lovers enjoyed it as a lyrical romp through the life of a great horse.
The multitalented Caroline Thompson made the film work, directing for the first time. (She has also written “Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for Tim Burton, so it’s fair to say she knows how to engage the kiddies and all the senses.)
Black Beauty’s voice, by Alan Cumming, infuses the animal’s point of view with wonder and enthusiasm. BB starts life on a wondrous British farm, all gloaming and grooming and galloping. Then, just as Dickens would have plotted it, the baddies take over and whip him mercilessly, breaking up his circle of equine friends.
Beauty is eventually sold into servitude, and suffers or enjoys a series of bad owners and helpful friends; the film can’t cover as many horse-centered sagas as the novel, but we more than get the picture. My 6-year-old, who is not particularly taken by horses compared with dogs or dragons, was riveted throughout.
“Black Beauty”
Rated: G, with some cruelty to animals but a happy ending
Best suited for: 6- to 9-year- olds of any persuasion — and adults who love horse stories.
