 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
White Mane
- Review Date: October 26, 2011
- G
- Genre: Classic
- 1954
Common Sense Media says
A timeless boy and horse film with some tense chase scenes.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this classic short film is black and white, largely wordless, and though the limited dialogue is in French, the narration is in English. The film is filled with scenes of cowboys trying to tame a wild horse by chasing, lassoing, and corralling the beast. The cowboys set fire to a field to smoke out the horse, and a chase scene at the climax is fairly intense and ends ambiguously.
What's the story?
In the rural landscape of the Camargue region of the South of France, a pack of wild horses is led by a proud and stubborn white stallion who resists all attempts of being tamed by the local cowboys. Folco, a fisherman's son from the nearby village, grows fascinated by this horse and has dreams of riding him along the beach. Patiently and methodically, Folco earns the trust of WHITE MANE, and a deep bond develops, much to the chagrin of the cowboys.
Is it any good?
Filmed in stark black and white (and who knew the South of France could look so much like Arizona?), White Mane -- directed by The Red Balloon's Albert Lamorisse -- won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and with good reason. This deceptively simple story of a boy and his horse, told through sparse narration and dialogue, is a transcendent and powerful experience that should resonate with both kids and adults. For kids in particular, there is a touching appeal to the boy Folco's love and caring for the stubborn white horse who grows to trust him.
It's a thoroughly engaging folktale of sorts, and while it has intense action and not the happiest of endings, it's a timeless story of the relationships between animals and people, and the deep bonds that can form between the pure hearted.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the messages in this movie. What do you think the filmmaker was trying to say about the relationship between wild animals and people? Why did the horse respond differently to Folco as compared to the cowboys?
This film was set in the south of France, and yet in many ways it seems like a Western. What similarities and differences do you see in this movie compared to other movies with cowboys and horses?
Did the fact that the movie is in black and white affect your viewing experience? Did you miss color?
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| Topics: | horses and farm animals |
| Studio: | Criterion Collection |
| Director: | Albert Lamorisse |
| Cast: | Alain Emery, Laurent Roche, Peter Strauss |
| Genre: | Classic |
| Run time: | 40 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 13, 1954 |
| DVD release date: | April 29, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
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