Tini's Blog

The story is about a horse. I had forgotten that the horse talked in the movie. It's the life story of this horse from birth until it's old age. I was touched by the film making, imagery, stunts, story and characters. As a teenager I really loved horses. My favorite horses were on a pony farm/camp and visited them every holidays for 4 years. Therefore I know most of the movie was realistic and not a made up story, because of the sentiment the movie held for me I was very moved by the story.

Black Beauty's life:

The horse had very happy early days with his mother in a big, wonderful pasture. At the age of 3 he was put in in a paddock with other young horses. After his "awkward age" he had to get used to snaffle and saddle and commented on how sensitive it felt. The caring owner sold him to a nice family.

At this first place he made a friend in Ginger, a beautiful mare in the next stall of his stable. Once there was a fire but a stable boy, John, saved Black Beauty. They became friends forever. Black Beauty saved his masters life on a bridge in bad weather. Then the mother of the family fell ill and the family had to move to a warmer country so their horses were sold.

The next owner was a rich, fancy lady who strangled BB and Ginger so they would hold their heads very high for fashion reasons in front of the coach. She was so cruel that Ginger broke down. One night an drunken employee rode BB back from the city and hurt him badly. Both broken horses were sold again.

They got separated and BB became a cab horse in a city. It's master became ill and BB was sold as a rental horse to a very bad master. BB saw Ginger dead on a carriage in the city and got sad and weak. On another horse sale, John, the old friend from earlier, recognized him, bought him and took him to a beautiful paddock to retire.

The story is very impressive because the horses seem like they are acting. The horse's comments are just like a narrator in the background. Nature is very colorful and the city is represented as grey and dark. Some of the humans are very sympathic and some are cruel. You can see and feel it in their handling of the horses. I now think, you can discover a person's character through their behaviour towards animals. I'm not 100 % sure if all horses are so sensitive, but I'm sure they can feel good and bad people around and have a memory for bad situations with people.

Horses are used for rehabilitation work with the handicapped. And small children love ponys and horses from first sight. A horse will never step on a human lying on the ground on purpose. Nearly everyone is happy after seeing a horse in a paddock. There is a strong relationship between humans and horses and BB is one wonderful, touching fairytale about it.