Black Beauty (1971)

Director:

James Hill

Writers:

Anna Sewell (novel)
Wolf Mankowitz (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

April 1971 (UK)

Genre:

Family | Drama

Tagline:

The Immortal Classic - Filmed in Ireland and Spain

Plot:

When farm Evan's mare has a fine son, he promises the black stallion to his son Joe. The youngster enjoy growing up as playmates...

Plot Keywords:

Abuse | Animal | Rescue | Beating | Horse Actor

Cast

Mark Lester	...	Joe Evans
Walter Slezak	...	Hackenschmidt
Peter Lee Lawrence	...	Gervaise
Uschi Glas	...	Marie Hackenschmidt (as Ursula Glas)
Patrick Mower	...	Sam Greener
John Nettleton	...	Sir William
Maria Rohm	...	Lady Anne
Eddie Golden	...	Evans
Clive Geraghty	...	Roger
John Hoey	...	Muldoon (as Johnny Hoey)
Patrick Gardiner	...	O'Flaherty
Brian McGrath	...	Mark Beauchamp
Ronan Smith	...	Farmboy
John Franklyn	...	Coalman
Margaret Lacey	...	Anna Sewell
Fernando Bilbao	...	Mungo
Vicente Rola	...	Flying Fred
José Nieto	...	Lorent, rival circus owner
Eucilio Rodríguez	...	Horse dealer
Daniel Martín	...	Lieutenant
Luis Induni	...	Sergeant
Ricardo Palacios	...	Russian general
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Canalejas	...	Gate Sergant [Spanish prints] (uncredited)
Cris Huerta	...	The Commissioner [Spanish prints] (uncredited)

Directed by
James Hill

Writing credits
Anna Sewell		(novel)
Wolf Mankowitz		(screenplay)
James Hill		(additional dialogue)
Artur Brauner		German version (as Art Bernd)
Pedro Samu		Spanish version

Produced by
Primitivo Álvaro	....	producer: Spanish prints
Peter L. Andrews	....	producer
Artur Brauner	....	producer
Peter Hahne	....	executive producer
Malcolm B. Heyworth	....	producer
Tony Tenser	....	executive producer
Harry Alan Towers	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Fernando Arribas		(director of photography: Spanish prints)
Chris Menges		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ann Chegwidden
Pablo González del Amo

Production Design by
Adolfo Cofiño

Art Direction by
Hazel Peiser

Costume Design by
Maruja Galindo
Claudia Hahne-Herberg

Makeup Department
Stella Bowen	....	makeup artist
Jeanette Freeman	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Primitivo Álvaro	....	production manager
Ron Jackson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stuart Freeman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Paul Carr	....	sound mixer
Max Galinsky	....	sound
Chris Lancaster	....	dubbing editor
Vernon Messenger	....	dubbing editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Hans Burman	....	camera operator: second unit [Spanish prints]
Patrick Carey	....	camera operator: second unit
Godfrey A. Godar	....	camera operator (as Godfrey Godar)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eileen Long	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Lionel Bart	....	composer: theme music
John Cameron	....	composer: additional music
John Cameron	....	music arranger
John Cameron	....	musical director

Other crew
Isabel Mulá	....	continuity (as Isabel Mula)
Bill Westley	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Tigon British Film Productions
• Chilton Films
• CCC Filmkunst (European prints)
• Emiliano Piedra (European prints) (as Emiliano Piedra P.C.)

Distributors

• Cinerama Filmgesellschaft MBH (1971) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Tigon British Film Productions (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fabulous Films (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures
• Prism Leisure Corporation (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (uncut) | West Germany:6 | UK:PG | Australia:PG | USA:G | Finland:S (cut)

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Tigon British Film Productions

Trivia:

Top billed Mark Lester only worked three weeks.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Buck Henry/The Band (#2.6)" (1976)

The best filmization of the classic story to date.

This internationally-produced version of the oft-filmed Anna Sewell classic about the adventures and misadventures of a horse that is seperated from its original owners is the best of several films based on the timeless tale. Mark Lester stars as the young boy who longs to be reunited with his beloved horse. The film rarely strays from its source, and I believe this is superior to the 1994 remake.