The Black Stallion.

Name: The Black Stallion
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Released: 1979-10-17
Duration: 117 min
Cast: Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Axton

An island begins an extraordinary friendship.

A boy and a spirited horse survive a shipwreck and learn to trust each other on an isolated island. Back home, a retired trainer helps them explore what their partnership might accomplish on a racetrack.

90%Tomatometer30 critics · Rotten Tomatoes

Checked Oct 19, 2026. About these scores

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Why it’s a little special

Carroll Ballard lets landscape, movement and quiet observation carry much of this beautifully photographed adventure.

BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY

Know the story.
Know your little people.

General audiences

US film rating

A frightening shipwreck, a parent's death, isolation and horse-racing danger. Some scenes of animal distress and historical stereotypes.

Our notes are a starting point, not an age recommendation. G and PG films can still include intense moments. You know your family best.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The little details.

Directed by: Carroll Ballard
Starring: Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Axton, Michael Higgins, Ed McNamara, Doghmi Larbi, John Burton, John Buchanan, Kristen Vigard, Fausto Tozzi
Written by: Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, William D. Wittliff
Produced by: Francis Ford Coppola, Fred Roos, Tom Sternberg
Release date: October 17, 1979
Runtime: 117 minutes
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
Studio: MGM
Language: English

LIGHTS DOWN. SNACKS READY.

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United States · Checked Oct 19, 2026 via JustWatch. Availability and plans can change. Channels may require an extra subscription; ad-supported plans may have restrictions.