The Black Stallion

From the moment he first saw the stallion, he knew it would either destroy him, or carry him where no one had ever been before…

1979 • 118 min • Family · Adventure

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Synopsis

While traveling with his father, young Alec becomes fascinated by a mysterious Arabian stallion that is brought on board and stabled in the ship he is sailing on. When it tragically sinks both he and the horse survive only to be stranded on a deserted island. He befriends it, so when finally rescued both return to his home where they soon meet Henry Dailey, a once successful trainer. Together they begin training the horse to race against the fastest ones in the world.

Our family guide

Best from age 7

Movie Knight Score

333 reviews

0 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
71 Audience · 332 · 49%

Young Alec survives a shipwreck with a wild Arabian horse and befriends it on a deserted island. Rescued, they return home and, with a former trainer, prepare the magnificent animal to race against the fastest horses in the world. This classic adventure celebrates an extraordinary bond.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

A ship sinks, with some peril
Horse racing involves competitive intensity
A character is seen smoking

What it models well

Compassion for animals
Perseverance and dedication
Unlikely friendships

Talk about it after

How Alec and the horse built trust
The importance of patience in training
Dealing with loss and starting anew

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Black Stallion. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Carroll Ballard • Crew: Jeanne Rosenberg, Melissa Mathison, Walter Murch, William D. Wittliff

Trailers & clips

Caleb Deschanel on Making The Black Stallion | AFI Movie Club

The Black Stallion (1979) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Caleb Deschanel on Filming THE BLACK STALLION

Reviewer notes

Not recommendedTrusted family reviewers
_**Aesthetically pleasing, but dramatically dull**_ A boy befriends a fiery Arabian stallion in the Mediterranean in 1946 and ends up hooking up with an ex-horse racing trainer (Mickey Rooney) back home in the northeast USA. Teri Garr plays the mother.…
Wuchak, TMDB Community