Film Forum

(1979, Carroll Ballard) A young boy and a magnificent black horse form a close bond when disaster strikes the ship they’re traveling on, and they’re marooned on a desert island. Carroll Ballard’s powerful debut feature is an adaptation of Walter Farley’s 1941 novel, which he imbues with a sense of magical realism. With Mickey Rooney, who’s played this role before… DCP. Approx. 118 min.

Reviews

“Told simply, eloquently, poetically, and reaches near-mythic heights. It conveys a clear, childlike awe for nature and, amazingly, never gets sticky or manipulative. It’s a feast for the ears and for the eyes that captures the grace of movement as few other films have ever done.”
– Leonard Maltin