figure: Bucephalus

First published in 1941, Walter Farley's "The Black Stallion" quickly became a best-selling novel for young readers. It told the triumphant tale of a boy, Alec Ramsay, and a wild horse, Bucephalus. The pair met on an ill-fated ship, had adventures on a desert island, and were eventually rescued. In the 1970s, Carroll Ballard adapted the novel into a two-hour silent film. Critic Nick Schager noted that "it's one of the most beautiful children's films ever made, but more than that, it's an example of how deftly employed non-verbal cinematic techniques—patient and lucid visuals, nimble editing, emotive but never overly manipulative musical cues—can not only convey narrative (even to young audiences), but can in fact enhance the weight and meaning of the story."