Parents' Guide to

Misty

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Faithful, family-friendly adaptation of children's classic.

Movie NR 1961 91 minutes
Misty Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 4+

Based on 3 parent reviews

mskramer
mskramer Adult
January 12, 2016
age 5+

Lovely drama will entrance kids

When this movie begins, you will notice that it is different in style from today's films as it is from the early 1960's. But very quickly the characters and gorgeous scenery draw in both adults and children, making it a wonderful experience. When it ends you feel like you have visited another time and place with earnest , gentle people and a landscape that is both quiet (beautiful farm and beaches by the ocean) and exciting (wild horses). Perhaps best of all is the thoughtful, caring way both children and adults interact with one another: They may at times get angry, but there is always an element of love or respect as well. Highly recommend, and perfect if you like movies for children that are neither violent nor obnoxious.
2 people found this helpful.
mlinds
mlinds Parent of 5 and 9-year-old
June 21, 2022
age 5+

Sweet film shows hard-working, sincere kids & interesting tale of the wild ponies

This is a charming old film with lots of appeal for horse crazy kids. The pace is (of course) really slow compared with modern films, and it's definitely old-timey in terms of the quality of the picture (though the cinematography is pretty amazing for its time)... but my kids (5 and 9) and I loved this movie! The two kids starring in it are sincere and hard-working, doing everything they can to raise money to buy a pony. The outdated/sexist stuff is minimal (some movies from this era are really bad), and the sad part toward the end (mom and her foal are separated) is pretty manageable for tender-hearted kids. Nothing super sad or scary here, and it's a transporting film -- both to the island and to another time. If you like this, watch the original 'National Velvet' next.

This title has:

Great role models
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What's the Story?

MISTY is a faithful adaptation of the classic (and fact-based) children's book Misty of Chincoteague, by Marguerite Henry, about two children who fall in love with a wild horse that's descended from the Spanish ponies that escaped from a sinking ship and swam to Asateague, an island off the coast of Virginia. The children are Paul and Maureen, who live with their grandparents on Chincoteague, a neighboring island. Once a year, the residents of Chincoteague go to Asateague to capture ponies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):

MISTY does a great job of showing the challenge of teaching Misty independence -- how hard it is for her, but how much love it shows. When Paul has to let the Phantom go back to Assateague, he tells Misty to go, too, but Misty stays and runs after them. Her home is with them, now. Misty provides a good opportunity to talk about showing love by letting go. The brother and sister have a very good, supportive relationship. And their grandfather (Arthur O'Connell) is strict and proud but understanding, as shown by his reaction when Paul goes off to Assateague alone.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it's important for Misty to learn to be independent. What's the best way to teach her?

  • Why do you think horse stories in books and movies are popular with kids? What others have you read or seen?

  • Why does Misty want to stay with the children? Why doesn't the Phantom want to stay? How does Paul know?

Movie Details

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