ROCKING HORSE WINNER - #848
[ABC TV] [Anthony Pelisser 1950]
3/5
Synopsis
A struggling British family celebrate Christmas, where the young son receives a Rocking Horse as a gift. Upon riding it he discovers he can correctly predict the winning horse of future races. From a short story by D.H.Lawrence
Opinion:
Probably one of the most unique narratives I have seen on film. A little British film which lures you in with it's sexual undertones (a young kid flogging the Rocking Horse and riding faster and faster) and it's unpredicatable devastating ending.
Couple that with angled camera shots, abruptly edited close ups and shrieking music, and you have yourself a handy little British thriller.
Starring John Mills (Ryan's Daughter 1970) , who also produced the film, the young kid is played by John Howard Davies, whose gangly physique and unqiue look matches this slightly askew film.
It works on the level as a small time horror film, and as an exponent of a family torn apart from greed and ignorance. Mills is quite good as 'Bassett' (pictured) the stable hand who urges Davies on , and teaches him how to ride the Rocking Horse. But it is Davies who you will remember for a long time, a young innocent boy, gracefully unaware of the terror he causes and of the undertones he enacts. Not a film that will be considered a classic, but one which remains with you long after viewing it.
Also starring Valerie Hobson ('Bride of Frankenstein' 1935) who had made a good career choice two movies earlier by playing the lead female role in the brilliant British comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'
Film Fact: John Howard Davies would go on to direct Fawlty Towers and Mr Bean TV Series.
Film Title: Named for the fact that upon riding the Rocking Horse, Davies correctly predicts winning races.
3/5
Synopsis
A struggling British family celebrate Christmas, where the young son receives a Rocking Horse as a gift. Upon riding it he discovers he can correctly predict the winning horse of future races. From a short story by D.H.Lawrence
Opinion:
Probably one of the most unique narratives I have seen on film. A little British film which lures you in with it's sexual undertones (a young kid flogging the Rocking Horse and riding faster and faster) and it's unpredicatable devastating ending.
Couple that with angled camera shots, abruptly edited close ups and shrieking music, and you have yourself a handy little British thriller.
Starring John Mills (Ryan's Daughter 1970) , who also produced the film, the young kid is played by John Howard Davies, whose gangly physique and unqiue look matches this slightly askew film.
It works on the level as a small time horror film, and as an exponent of a family torn apart from greed and ignorance. Mills is quite good as 'Bassett' (pictured) the stable hand who urges Davies on , and teaches him how to ride the Rocking Horse. But it is Davies who you will remember for a long time, a young innocent boy, gracefully unaware of the terror he causes and of the undertones he enacts. Not a film that will be considered a classic, but one which remains with you long after viewing it.
Also starring Valerie Hobson ('Bride of Frankenstein' 1935) who had made a good career choice two movies earlier by playing the lead female role in the brilliant British comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'
Film Fact: John Howard Davies would go on to direct Fawlty Towers and Mr Bean TV Series.
Film Title: Named for the fact that upon riding the Rocking Horse, Davies correctly predicts winning races.
posted by Rhett (rhettrospective@hotmail.com) at 3:40 PM
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