| Black Beauty | |
| Director: | David Smith |
| Producer: | Albert E. Smith |
| Cinematography: | Reginald Lyons |
| Studio: | Vitagraph Company of America |
| Distributor: | Vitagraph Company of America |
| Runtime: | 70 minutes; 7 reels |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Silent (English intertitles) |
Black Beauty is a 1921 American silent film version of Anna Sewell's 1877 novel of the same name. Black Beauty is an autobiography of a horse, who tells the story of his life and of the people surrounding it.[1] This film exists in an incomplete state with four of seven reels preserved at the Library of Congress.[2] [3] [4]
A competing/rival independent film of the same story was also released in early 1921 starring Claire Adams and Pat O'Malley. It was produced by Eskay Harris Feature Film Company.[5]
As summarized in a film publication,[6] a human love story was added to the horse story, which includes a fox hunt and race. At a house party given by Squire Gordon (Steppling), his daughter Jessie (Paige) and Harry Blomefield (Morrison) are playing games with the children, although they have reached the age where Harry realizes that he loves her. Among the guests is Jack Beckett (Webb), who lives by his wits and has gained entree as a favorite of the haughty Lady Wynsaring (Farrington). Squire Gordon gives Lord Wynwaring (Peacocke) £800 for his wife's charity, which Jack steals from the Wynwaring room. During a fox hunt the next morning, Jessie's brother George (Kenny) is killed in a fall from his horse. Jack puts the stolen money in the pocket of the dead man and tells Jessie that her brother was a thief. To prevent him from telling her mother, Jessie agrees to marry Jack when she comes of age. Jessie meanwhile realizes that she loves Harry, who cannot understand her wish to marry Jack. Several years pass and Harry tries to elope with Jessie, but is foiled. After a race sequence, Black Beauty carries Harry to victory and to Jessie, foiling the plans of the villain Jack.
For its 1929 re-release, the film was cut to 35 minutes.