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The Black Stallion (1979)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.8/10
Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 19 | Rotten: 3

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 6/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 2

No consensus yet.

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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 31,382

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Movie Info

This beautifully mounted adaptation of Walter Farley's story for children tells the tale of Alec (Kelly Reno), a young boy touring the world with his adventurous salesman father (Hoyt Axton). While travelling back to the United States by ship, Alec discovers a wild, beautiful Arabian stallion being brought along in the cargo hold. When disaster strikes at sea, the ship sinks, and Alec and the stallion are the only survivors. Alone together on a nearby island, the boy and the horse develop a

G, 2 hr.

Action & Adventure, Kids & Family

Directed By: Carroll Ballard

Written By: Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, William D. Wittliff

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1979 Limited

On DVD: Sep 10, 1997

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

The Black Stallion Trailer & Photos

Cast

Kelly Reno
Alec Ramsey
Mickey Rooney
Henry Dailey
Teri Garr
Alec's Mother
Clarence Muse
Snoe
Hoyt Axton
Alec's Father
Michael Higgins
Neville
Ed McNamara
Jake
Doghmi Larbi
The Arab
John Burton
Jockey
John Buchanan
Jockey
Kristen Vigard
Becky
Fausto Tozzi
Rescue Captain
John Karlsen
Leopoldo Trieste

Critic Reviews for The Black Stallion

All Critics (23) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)

Ballard's sumptuous images exist only to distract from his rather conventional failings of craftsmanship.

December 11, 2007 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine

| Comment

Frank Rich

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

Carroll Ballard's feature debut is rich in adventure, suspense and mythical elements and marks the prize-winning short-subjects director as a major talent.

December 11, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Deepens into a far more powerful entertainment through matchless cinematography and talented supporting players.

May 11, 2007 Full Review Source: Denver Post

| Comment

Michael Booth

Denver Post

Top Critic

The director, Carroll Ballard, and the cinematographer, Caleb Deschanel, have captured so many lavishly beautiful images that the cumulative effect is one of repetition.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

The film represents a studied, sophisticated approach to instinctual emotions: it's carefully, calculatingly naive, and amazingly it works.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Breathtakingly beautiful, truly magical movie.

December 28, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A simple film, sentimental but not mawkish, as enjoyable for adults as it is for children.

December 11, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

A magnificently well-crafted movie.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

First-rate adaptation of the well-loved children's classic

February 11, 2005 Comment

Daniel Eagan

Film Journal International

Beautifully phortographed and surprisingly good.

September 9, 2004 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Tells the enchanting story of a boy whose life is enriched by his relationship with a magnificent horse.

July 23, 2003 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

This is an intelligent, moving and insightful nature drama that far exceeds its 'for kids' tag.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

One of those rare family films that goes on to earn true Classic status.

July 26, 2002 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Black Stallion

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With a terrific visual treat, Carroll Ballard's The Black Stallion, is a interesting film, that show a friendship between men and the wild nature. The absence of speech, in the first scenes of the film, it's a very good way, to the audience see, slowly, the construction of an unlikely amity. But, when the character

December 24, 2011

Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

I saw this movie yesterday. What a bunch of good memories. I loved the art put on it by Francis Ford Coppola. It's a beautiful movie in every aspect, specially the story and photography. Almost a silent movie but it's what adds more beauty to some scenes, specially that when the boy feeds Black on the beach. Fantastic.

July 12, 2011