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Black Beauty (1994)

Director: Caroline Thompson

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From Time Out Film Guide

This version slow-burns with an old-fashioned sense of injustice. The story is told from Black Beauty's point of view (voice, Alan Cumming), and it's a Dickensian catalogue of conscience-pricking social and class conditions. Directing her first feature, screenwriter Caroline Thompson adopts a level-headed tone, avoiding the twin traps of sentimentality and sermonising. The film is shot with a good eye for scenery and composition, and Thompson shows total commitment to the story. But what can a horse do to engage the emotions? On the whole, it's just an undramatic working life, enlivened somewhat by David Thewlis' performance as a cabman, the most fully realised character among a gallery of quick-sketch ciphers.

Author: WH 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Caroline Thompson

Producer: Peter MacGregor-Scott, Robert Shapiro

Cast: Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Jim Carter, Peter Davison, Andrew Knott, Alun Armstrong, John McEnery, Eleanor Bron, Peter Cook full cast

Genre(s): Children's

Duration: 88 mins


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