Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

Tagged: Black beauty

This topic has 11 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 9 months ago by Rachel White.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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August 13, 2013 at 1:55 am
andream
Participant
My 8 year old daughter and I are reading “Black Beauty.” I noticed Netflix has an older looking “Black Beauty” movie. Has anyone seen it? Do you know if its good? Scary? I also have a 5 and 3 year old boy that would likely be watching with us. Thank you
August 13, 2013 at 2:22 am
morgrace
Participant
I’m guessing it’s this one? If so, yes it’s good. The only potentially scary parts are the bridge/rainstorm and barn fire. I skipped ahead for my toddler during those, otherwise, it’s actually his favorite movie. (He called it “back booty” for the longest time, thank goodness he’s past that point now!). The beginning is very sweet, has scenes of the horse as a foal in the meadow. (FYI they do show the mare giving birth). The book is of course “richer” so you might want to finish it first. But the movie is well done, so have fun. It’s such a great story!!
August 13, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Alicia Hart
Participant
We have watched this movie several times. My kids really love it. I would definitely skip the bridge and the barn fire scenes for more sensitive ones. I do not know how well it follows the book because we have not read the book just yet. I am sure that it will be better than the movie.
August 15, 2013 at 12:30 am
Rachel White
Participant
I’m going to disagree with the others and recommend against this version for such young children. There are other areas in addition to those mentioned that were very disturbing to our animal loving household:
the treatment of the horses in Victorian England
Ginger’s death
I agree that this version is an excellent movie (we own it), just for older ones. IMO, your 8 yr. old is the youngest I’d go. So she could watch without the young ones there.
I’d recommend the 1971 version first, until the younger ones get older (your oldest could watch the ’94 now with your presence). It’s on Netflix and Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Beauty-Widescreen-Mark-Lester/dp/B0002JP5CM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1376526054&sr=1-1&keywords=black+beauty+1971
Having brutal scenes that have been read and cried over have a much stronger impression and impact once they become visualized by a movie.
August 15, 2013 at 1:22 am
2flowerboys
Participant
Yep agree w/ Rachel! I tried to show my, at that time 8ds, the movie, and he kept saying turn it off, turn it off! BTW, we have never finished it! He is 11 now, so I think he could handle it!
August 15, 2013 at 2:00 am
Carla
Participant
I also agree with Rachel. It is a great movie but definitely hard for sensitive children to see. I strongly regret showing it to my son when he was 9; seeing Ginger’s death depicted was heartbreaking for him.
August 15, 2013 at 11:27 am
jayslee16
Member
I did not yet watch it but i think it is fine for them as a long as the story have a moral lesson even though there is some scary stuff.
August 16, 2013 at 12:39 am
andream
Participant
Thanks so much for your input. Sounds like its best if I preview the movie. The version I see on Netflix is fro 1946. I’ll check it out, thanks!
August 16, 2013 at 1:22 am
Rachel White
Participant
The one from 1946 is very different from the book-they changed it to a female lead. It’s very loosely based on the book.
The one from ’71 is at Netflix.
August 16, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Angelina
Participant
Just wanted to say thank you to Rachel for the details on this. I’d seen this thread but hadn’t dug into read it yet. My older boys, 8.5 and 10 are doing Black Beauty for their independent read at the moment (I purposely didn’t choose it as our family lit read aloud because I knew my 6 yr old would have a hard time with some of the brutality…I have read the book myself). When I saw this thread I thought yay, a movie, what a great thing to celebrate my older boys’ finishing the book. But after seeing your details, Rachel, we will definitely wait. My 10 year old is still pretty sensitive… Will keep in mind that the ’71 version is the one that’s more true.
thanks again 🙂 Angie
August 16, 2013 at 6:44 pm
Melissa Nickel
Participant
There is a version of Black Beauty done in the 1990’s that is beautifully done. I love it! However, we made the terrible mistake of having our kids watch it while we were on a date. The oldest was babysitting, and the younger two (ages 7 & 9) at the time were newly adopted, maybe a year prior. Well, (I’m so stupid!) 9 yr. old daughter bawled all the way through it, as the horses kept getting moved from home to home, abandoned, abused, etc. Oldest didn’t connect with 9 yr. old’s history being awfully similar. 9 yr. old didn’t connect it either, but said it was just so sad. She later insisted on reading the book, cried all the way through, but loved it. Haven’t seen this other version you’re mentioning.
August 18, 2013 at 7:50 pm
Rachel White
Participant
Angelina, you’re so welsome and I’m glad I could help.