Based on the narrative of Black Beauty, a stallion that was born in England and narrates his life circle, showing the challenges and hardships that horses face throughout their lives and the fate of them and their owners.
This level of equine empathy takes getting used to, but it's worth the trouble. Ms. Thompson's film may be precious, but it's also rapturously pretty and filled with surprising passion.
This Black Beauty, unlike earlier versions of the book, wisely follows Sewell's lead and concentrates instead on this generous, trusting horse and the consequences of its encounters with humanity.
Assuming a good picture is one that transcends its own material -- pulls in a variety of people with no special interest in the subject -- then "Black Beauty" is a lumbering candidate for the glue factory.
Four (or more) movie versions precede this latest cinematic incarnation of "Black Beauty," but none have managed to capture the spirit of the book as well.
Although already filmed three times in the sound era, Black Beauty has never been put onscreen faithfully or well, a situation partially remedied by this affecting, rather grave rendition of the children's perennial.
