The Rocking Horse Winner (1949)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Anthony Pelissier

Writers:

D.H. Lawrence (story)
Anthony Pelissier (writer)

Release Date:

30 November 1949 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

"One of the finest portrayals of youthful distress that you are ever likely to witness." -- N.Y. TIMES

Plot:

A young boy receives a rocking horse for Christmas and soon learns that he is able to pick the winning horse at the races.

Plot Keywords:

Money | Horse | Horse Race | Boy | Debt

Cast

Valerie Hobson	...	Hester Grahame
John Howard Davies	...	Paul Grahame
Ronald Squire	...	Oscar Cresswell
John Mills	...	Bassett
Hugh Sinclair	...	Richard Grahame
Charles Goldner	...	Mr. Tsaldouris
Susan Richards	...	Nannie
Cyril Smith	...	Bailiff

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bassett: Are you looking for me?
Paul Grahame: You're Bassett, aren't you?

Movie Connections:

Version of The Rocking Horse Winner (1983)

Dark overtones in this strange fantasy from a D.H. Lawrence short story...

JOHN HOWARD DAVIES is the boy with the sinister rocking horse that enables him to predict winners of the forthcoming races. JOHN MILLS is the man who teaches him how to ride the horse, unintentionally setting up the tragic circumstances that unfold.

But it's VALERIE HOBSON as the selfish, compulsive spender living in middle-class luxury with hubby HUGH SINCLAIR, a man who can't keep up with her spending habits, who makes the most of a juicy role.Lucky for her, she has a well-to-do brother, played by RONALD SQUIRE, who becomes her private bank until his funds run out.

Then comes the heart of the story as we get to the boy and his magic rocking horse. It's this aspect of the dark fantasy that provides the most gripping moments of the film. However, even more could have been done to provide the suspense and conflict involved in the boy's desire to win money so that he could keep his mother and father from being bankrupt. In this respect, William Alwyn's background score is a great asset.

Hobson, Ronald Squire and John Mills give the best performances in the film. Hugh Sinclair is wasted as the weak husband. Davies benefits from good direction but seems to be playing his role according to detailed direction rather than living it.

Highly recommended as an unusual exercise in fantasy/suspense with a noir quality.