The Black Stallion
Acceptable. Age: 8+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
A boy named Alec is on a ship that sinks in a storm. A wild black horse saves him, and the two become friends on an empty island. Back home, Alec and an old trainer get the horse ready for a big race. This is a quiet, beautiful film about courage and the bond between a boy and a horse. The opening shipwreck is frightening, and Alec loses his father when the ship goes down. After that the story is calm and kind.
For parents
Rated G, but Common Sense Media says eight and up because of the opening. Things to know: Common Sense Media calls the shipwreck intense and possibly upsetting, with panicking passengers, and a man cuts the boy's life jacket off with a knife. Wikipedia notes the ship burns and sinks. Common Sense Media says the shipwreck takes his father's life. Common Sense Media notes the father plays a high-stakes poker game, and it logs cigarettes and cigars. Much of the first half has almost no talking, so small children may get restless. Ask: how does Alec earn the horse's trust? How does he go on after the shipwreck? What does Henry the trainer give Alec, and what does Alec give him?