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The Black Stallion (film)
Encyclopedia
The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion
by Walter Farley
. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian
stallion whom he befriends. After being rescued, they are set on entering a race challenging two champion horses.
The film is adapted by Melissa Mathison
, Jeanne Rosenberg and William D. Wittliff
. It is directed by Carroll Ballard
. The movie stars Kelly Reno
, Mickey Rooney
, Teri Garr
, Hoyt Axton
, and the Arabian horse
Cass Ole
. The film features music by Carmine Coppola
, the father of Hollywood producer Francis Ford Coppola
, who was the executive producer of the film.
In 2002, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry
by the Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
) is traveling aboard the luxury liner Drake off the coast of North Africa
, when he sees a wild black stallion being heavily restrained by ropes leading to his halter and forced into a makeshift stable on the ship. Captivated by the sight of the animal, he later returns and feeds it some sugar cubes, but is caught by the supposed owner, who shoves him away, telling him in Arabic to stay away from Shetan (Devil).
Later, in their stateroom, Alec's father shows him the objects he won in a card game. He gives him a pocket knife and a small statue of Bucephalus
, Alexander the Great's horse, from the loot and tells him the story of how Alexander became Bucephalus' master. Later that night, he is thrown from his bunk by the violent rocking of the ship. Emerging on deck, he finds that it has caught fire and is sinking. In the chaos, he sees the black stallion trapped and manages to free him with his knife. It then jumps overboard into the sea. Alec himself is thrown overboard. Trying to stay afloat in the water, he swims toward the horse and manages to grab hold of its restraints just as the ship explodes.
Alec awakens alone on the shore of an uninhabited island. At first he is sad and frightened. Exploring, he comes upon the stallion, trapped again by his ropes which have become caught in some rocks. Once more he manages to free it, which then runs away. He discovers means to survive by catching fish and gathering seaweed. One morning he awakens to find himself eye to eye with an angry cobra. He is paralyzed with fear. Suddenly the horse appears and tramples it, saving his life. It then runs off again.
Alec decides to try to get closer to the horse. He offers him some seaweed. It struggles with his distrust of humans, but the act of taking the food from the boy's hand seals the bond between them. They play together, running and swimming. Finally he mounts him, and after several attempts to stay on, he rides him and the two gallop together over the island, united as one.
One day a Portuguese fishing ship arrives. Several men row a small boat to the island, and Alec calls out to them. They try to take him forcibly off the island without the horse. But it swims out into the ocean and follows them, and so both of them are taken onto the ship and rescued.
Back home in America, Alec is given a hero's welcome. He keeps the horse, which he has named The Black, in his backyard, but one morning he runs out the gate which a garbage man has left open. Spooked by the traffic in the street, he flees through the town. Alec gives chase but finally loses track of him. The next day, he meets an elderly horse owner named Snoe (Clarence Muse
) who tells him where The Black is. He finds him in the barn of Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney
), a retired jockey. He vigorously asserts his ownership of him, but Henry attempts to claim him himself, having spent all night trying to catch him. But when he sees the bond between the two, he realizes that he really does belong to Alec. Eating breakfast in Henry's kitchen, Alec looks out the window to where The Black is standing and realizes that he is at home on the farm. Henry offers Alec the use of a stall in which to keep him.
Later Alec wonders how fast The Black might be, and he and Henry decide to train him for the racetrack. Henry teaches Alec to be a jockey. The Black surprises him with his speed. He conceives a plan to get him into a race involving the country's two current champions. He sets up a secret demonstration at night for a reporter to witness his speed, keeping the identity of him and Alec secret. The news about the mystery horse is spread, and he is allowed to enter the race. Alec's mother (Teri Garr
) at first refuses to let him ride in it but then relents, seeing how important it is to him.
The race is the most anticipated horse racing event of the year. Heading for the starting gate alongside the two champions, The Black gets into a fight with one of his opponents, sustaining a wound to his leg. Alec does not see it until he is in the gate. As he begins to dismount, the bell rings and the horses take off. He desperately tries to stay on The Black and stop him, but he keeps running. When Alec regains his balance, The Black is far behind his opponents. But he encourages him to run as fast as he can, and they are soon back in the race. As they head for the finish, he thinks back to the two of them galloping along the island's sandy beach, and The Black overtakes the other horses and wins by two lengths. Later, a veterinarian assures Alec that the horse will recover from his injury.
, a champion Arabian stallion, was featured in most of the movie's scenes, with Fae Jur, another black Arabian stallion, being his main double. Fae Jur's main scene is the one where Alec is trying to gain the trust of the Black on the beach. Two other stunt doubles were used for running, fighting and swimming scenes.
El Mokhtar
, an Egyptian Arabian racehorse, was the producers' first choice to portray the Black, but they were unable to secure his services for the film from his owners, who declined any offers. He does appear in The Black Stallion Returns
, alongside Cass Ole, by which time the studio bought out the syndicate of owners in order to secure El Mokhtar's services.
Napoleon was portrayed by Junior, who previously appeared in National Lampoon's Animal House
as Trooper, Niedermeyer's horse.
:
In addition, Alan Splet
was awarded with a Special Achievement Award
for sound editing.
by the Golden Globe Awards. He was nominated twice in this category but ended up winning the award for Apocalypse Now
instead.
Awards.
, which also starred Reno. There was also a television series called Adventures of the Black Stallion
which aired from 1990 to 1993 and starred Mickey Rooney and Richard Ian Cox
. In 2003, a 45-minute prequel called Young Black Stallion was shot and released for IMAX
theaters.
The Black Stallion
The Black Stallion, known as "the Black" or "Shêtân", is the title character from author Walter Farley's bestselling series about the stallion and his young owner, Alec Ramsay...
by Walter Farley
Walter Farley
Walter Farley was an American author, primarily of horse stories for children. Educated at Columbia, where he received a B.A. in 1941, his first and most famous work was The Black Stallion...
. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
stallion whom he befriends. After being rescued, they are set on entering a race challenging two champion horses.
The film is adapted by Melissa Mathison
Melissa Mathison
Melissa Mathison , sometimes credited as Josh Rogan, is an American film and television screenwriter.-Career:She is perhaps most notable for writing the screenplays for the films E.T...
, Jeanne Rosenberg and William D. Wittliff
William D. Wittliff
William D. Wittliff , sometimes credited as Bill Wittliff, is an award winning American screenwriter, author and photographer who wrote the screenplays for The Perfect Storm , Barbarosa , Raggedy Man and many others.Wittliff was born in Taft, Texas and moved to Blanco as a teenager...
. It is directed by Carroll Ballard
Carroll Ballard
-Biography:Carroll Ballard started out making documentaries for the U.S. Information Agency, Beyond This Winter's Wheat and Harvest ; the latter was nominated for an Academy Award...
. The movie stars Kelly Reno
Kelly Reno
Kelly Reno, born to cattle ranchers in Pueblo, Colorado is a former juvenile actor who was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with a horse, in The Black Stallion at age 13.Reno also appeared in the 1983 film adaptation of The Black Stallion...
, Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
, Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
, Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
, and the Arabian horse
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
Cass Ole
Cass Ole
Cass Ole was a Texas bred Arabian stallion. Originally bred to be a show horse, he was National Champion in Arabian Western Pleasure in 1975, National Reserve Champion Arabian Ladies Side Saddle in 1976, and U.S. Top Ten Arabian English Pleasure in both 1975 and 1976...
. The film features music by Carmine Coppola
Carmine Coppola
Carmine Coppola was an American composer, flautist, editor, musical director, and songwriter. Coppola was a composer and conductor who contributed to many of the musical scores in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Godfather Part III, and Apocalypse Now directed by his son Francis Ford...
, the father of Hollywood producer Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
, who was the executive producer of the film.
In 2002, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Plot
In the summer of 1946, Alec Ramsey (Kelly RenoKelly Reno
Kelly Reno, born to cattle ranchers in Pueblo, Colorado is a former juvenile actor who was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with a horse, in The Black Stallion at age 13.Reno also appeared in the 1983 film adaptation of The Black Stallion...
) is traveling aboard the luxury liner Drake off the coast of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, when he sees a wild black stallion being heavily restrained by ropes leading to his halter and forced into a makeshift stable on the ship. Captivated by the sight of the animal, he later returns and feeds it some sugar cubes, but is caught by the supposed owner, who shoves him away, telling him in Arabic to stay away from Shetan (Devil).
Later, in their stateroom, Alec's father shows him the objects he won in a card game. He gives him a pocket knife and a small statue of Bucephalus
Bucephalus
Bucephalus or Bucephalas was Alexander the Great's horse and one of the most famous actual horses of antiquity. Ancient accounts state that Bucephalus died after the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC, in what is now modern Pakistan, and is buried in Jalalpur Sharif outside of Jhelum, Pakistan...
, Alexander the Great's horse, from the loot and tells him the story of how Alexander became Bucephalus' master. Later that night, he is thrown from his bunk by the violent rocking of the ship. Emerging on deck, he finds that it has caught fire and is sinking. In the chaos, he sees the black stallion trapped and manages to free him with his knife. It then jumps overboard into the sea. Alec himself is thrown overboard. Trying to stay afloat in the water, he swims toward the horse and manages to grab hold of its restraints just as the ship explodes.
Alec awakens alone on the shore of an uninhabited island. At first he is sad and frightened. Exploring, he comes upon the stallion, trapped again by his ropes which have become caught in some rocks. Once more he manages to free it, which then runs away. He discovers means to survive by catching fish and gathering seaweed. One morning he awakens to find himself eye to eye with an angry cobra. He is paralyzed with fear. Suddenly the horse appears and tramples it, saving his life. It then runs off again.
Alec decides to try to get closer to the horse. He offers him some seaweed. It struggles with his distrust of humans, but the act of taking the food from the boy's hand seals the bond between them. They play together, running and swimming. Finally he mounts him, and after several attempts to stay on, he rides him and the two gallop together over the island, united as one.
One day a Portuguese fishing ship arrives. Several men row a small boat to the island, and Alec calls out to them. They try to take him forcibly off the island without the horse. But it swims out into the ocean and follows them, and so both of them are taken onto the ship and rescued.
Back home in America, Alec is given a hero's welcome. He keeps the horse, which he has named The Black, in his backyard, but one morning he runs out the gate which a garbage man has left open. Spooked by the traffic in the street, he flees through the town. Alec gives chase but finally loses track of him. The next day, he meets an elderly horse owner named Snoe (Clarence Muse
Clarence Muse
Clarence Muse was an actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first African American to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years, and appeared in more than 150 movies.-Life and career:Born in...
) who tells him where The Black is. He finds him in the barn of Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
), a retired jockey. He vigorously asserts his ownership of him, but Henry attempts to claim him himself, having spent all night trying to catch him. But when he sees the bond between the two, he realizes that he really does belong to Alec. Eating breakfast in Henry's kitchen, Alec looks out the window to where The Black is standing and realizes that he is at home on the farm. Henry offers Alec the use of a stall in which to keep him.
Later Alec wonders how fast The Black might be, and he and Henry decide to train him for the racetrack. Henry teaches Alec to be a jockey. The Black surprises him with his speed. He conceives a plan to get him into a race involving the country's two current champions. He sets up a secret demonstration at night for a reporter to witness his speed, keeping the identity of him and Alec secret. The news about the mystery horse is spread, and he is allowed to enter the race. Alec's mother (Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
) at first refuses to let him ride in it but then relents, seeing how important it is to him.
The race is the most anticipated horse racing event of the year. Heading for the starting gate alongside the two champions, The Black gets into a fight with one of his opponents, sustaining a wound to his leg. Alec does not see it until he is in the gate. As he begins to dismount, the bell rings and the horses take off. He desperately tries to stay on The Black and stop him, but he keeps running. When Alec regains his balance, The Black is far behind his opponents. But he encourages him to run as fast as he can, and they are soon back in the race. As they head for the finish, he thinks back to the two of them galloping along the island's sandy beach, and The Black overtakes the other horses and wins by two lengths. Later, a veterinarian assures Alec that the horse will recover from his injury.
Cast
- Kelly RenoKelly RenoKelly Reno, born to cattle ranchers in Pueblo, Colorado is a former juvenile actor who was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with a horse, in The Black Stallion at age 13.Reno also appeared in the 1983 film adaptation of The Black Stallion...
as Alec Ramsey - Mickey RooneyMickey RooneyMickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
as Henry Dailey - Teri GarrTeri Garr-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
as Mrs. Ramsey, Alec's mother - Hoyt AxtonHoyt AxtonHoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
as Mr. Ramsey, Alec's father - Clarence MuseClarence MuseClarence Muse was an actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first African American to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years, and appeared in more than 150 movies.-Life and career:Born in...
as Snoe - Michael HigginsMichael Higgins (actor)Michael Patrick Higgins was an American actor who appeared in film and on stage, and was best known for his role in the original Broadway production of Equus.-Early life:...
as Jim Neville - Ed McNamara as Jake
- Doghmi Larbi as Arab
- John BurtonJohn Burton (actor)John Burton is a British stage and television actor.John has appeared in numerous productions throughout the UK, including West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, An Inspector Calls, Outside Edge, They Don’t Grow on Trees, Confusions, Bells Are Ringing, Cabaret, Me and My Girl, How to...
as Jockey No. 1 - John Buchanan as Jockey No. 2
- Kristen Vigard as Becky
- Fausto Tozzi as Rescue Captain
- John Karlsen as Archeologist
- Leopoldo TriesteLeopoldo TriesteLeopoldo Trieste was an Italian actor, film director and script writer.Trieste was born in Reggio Calabria...
as Priest - Frank CousinsFrank CousinsFrank Cousins PC was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.He was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, and became a full-time official in the road transport section of the Transport and General Workers' Union in July 1938...
as African Chieftain - Don HudsonDon HudsonDonald Edward Hudson is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Macalester College from 1972 to 1975 and at Lincoln University of Missouri from 1976 to 1979, compiling a career college football record of 9–72–2...
as Zaurog - Marne MaitlandMarne MaitlandJames Marne Maitland was an Anglo-Indian character actor in British films and television programmes.He made his film debut in Cairo Road , and went onto be type cast as villains from the Far East, particularly for Hammer Film Productions...
as Drake Captain - Tom DahlgrenTom DahlgrenTom Dahlgren , is an American actor. His professional acting career spans four decades, beginning in 1972...
as Veterinarian
Horses
Cass OleCass Ole
Cass Ole was a Texas bred Arabian stallion. Originally bred to be a show horse, he was National Champion in Arabian Western Pleasure in 1975, National Reserve Champion Arabian Ladies Side Saddle in 1976, and U.S. Top Ten Arabian English Pleasure in both 1975 and 1976...
, a champion Arabian stallion, was featured in most of the movie's scenes, with Fae Jur, another black Arabian stallion, being his main double. Fae Jur's main scene is the one where Alec is trying to gain the trust of the Black on the beach. Two other stunt doubles were used for running, fighting and swimming scenes.
El Mokhtar
El Mokhtar
El Mokhtar was an Arabian horse, and one of three black Arabian stallions used to portray "The Black" in the second Black Stallion film, The Black Stallion Returns....
, an Egyptian Arabian racehorse, was the producers' first choice to portray the Black, but they were unable to secure his services for the film from his owners, who declined any offers. He does appear in The Black Stallion Returns
The Black Stallion Returns
The Black Stallion Returns is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to The Black Stallion. It is directed by Robert Dalva and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano and Teri Garr...
, alongside Cass Ole, by which time the studio bought out the syndicate of owners in order to secure El Mokhtar's services.
Napoleon was portrayed by Junior, who previously appeared in National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
as Trooper, Niedermeyer's horse.
Academy Awards
The film received two nominations for the Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
:
- Mickey Rooney was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
. - Robert Dalva was nominated for Best Film EditingAcademy Award for Best Art DirectionThe Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
.
In addition, Alan Splet
Alan Splet
Alan Splet was a sound designer and sound editor. He worked on numerous film projects throughout his career, including Eraserhead, Dune, Blue Velvet and The Black Stallion for which he won the Oscar. He had a long-lasting and fruitful working relationship with the director David Lynch, with whom...
was awarded with a Special Achievement Award
Academy Special Achievement Award
The Special Achievement Award is an Academy Award given for an achievement that makes an exceptional contribution to the motion picture for which it was created, but for which there is no annual award category...
for sound editing.
Golden Globe Awards
Carmine Coppola was nominated for Best Original ScoreGolden Globe Award for Best Original Score
The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , an organization of journalists who cover the United States film industry, but are affiliated with publications outside North America, since its institution in 1947...
by the Golden Globe Awards. He was nominated twice in this category but ended up winning the award for Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
instead.
British Academy Awards
Caleb Deschanel was nominated for Best Cinematography by the British Academy of Film and Television ArtsBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
Awards.
LA Film Critics Awards
The film received two awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for Best Cinematography (Caleb Deschanel) and Best Music (Carmine Coppola).Sequels
The movie was followed in 1983 by a sequel, The Black Stallion ReturnsThe Black Stallion Returns
The Black Stallion Returns is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to The Black Stallion. It is directed by Robert Dalva and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano and Teri Garr...
, which also starred Reno. There was also a television series called Adventures of the Black Stallion
Adventures of the Black Stallion
The Adventures of The Black Stallion is a television series that was loosely based on the movies The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns , which starred Mickey Rooney and Richard Ian Cox, as a trainer and a teenaged horse racer. The series originally ran on The Family Channel from...
which aired from 1990 to 1993 and starred Mickey Rooney and Richard Ian Cox
Richard Ian Cox
Richard Ian Cox is a Welsh-Canadian voice actor and online radio host best known for his voice acting for English language dubs of anime. Cox gained prominence for playing the character of Henry Dailey's teenaged traveler and horse rider, Alec Ramsay, in The Family Channel's Adventures of the...
. In 2003, a 45-minute prequel called Young Black Stallion was shot and released for IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theaters.