Original subtitles

(whimsical music plays)

(man laughing)

- Alley oop.

(circus music plays)

(boy laughing)

(eerie string music plays)

(theme music begins)

(gentle piano music plays)

- Good day Mr. Collins.

- Good day Vicky.

- I brought that colic medicine

you asked my father to make.

- Oh, thanks for bringing it over.

How much do I owe you?

- Nothing.

- Well, that's very kind.

- He just asked me to remind you that he's a doctor,

not a horse doctor.

- Well, he shouldn't be so good at it.

Dan. Dan! He's never here when you,

- Yes, dad?

Oh, hello Victoria.

- Hello

- The medicine for the old mare.

- Oh, good.

Do you want to come and hold her?

- Not now we'll give it later with her feed.

There's that new horse to break in first.

- [Dan] Steady boy.

Easy boy.

Steady. That's it.

Easy boy.

Steady boy, that's it.

- Thunder. That's his name, and deserves it.

It was weeks before he even got used to the halter.

He must have been badly treated.

- Can I help?

- Oh, wait til I get the bridle on him.

I know you got a way with horses, but it'd be safer.

- Remember what it was like Beauty?

(horse neighs)

- Steady thunder steady. Easy.

- You should have seen him.

It took down Dan And Mr. Collins nearly

an hour just to get the bridle on

- And there he was dancing all by himself.

- What? The horse?

- No, the clown

- Clown.

- It's more interesting than your old horse.

- At least I didn't make him up.

- I didn't.

- Oh, come along, it's not like you two to quarrel.

Look, if you say you saw this horse, I believe you.

And if Kevin says he saw a clown in the woods

I believe him too.

- So do .

- Well, I don't.

- You would, if you had seen him.

If I showed you his hat you'd believe me then.

- It was here.

I picked up his hat and put it on the stool.

But it was here.

He must have come back and taken them away.

It was a good story anyway.

(suspenseful music)

(mumbles)

- Hold him steady.

(horse whinnies)

- Stop him Dan, he'll break his neck.

- Go on Beauty, stop him.

- Well done Beauty. Well done.

- What are you doing?

- Nothing.

- Spying on me?

- You're too soft with him boy.

You gotta show him who's the master,

Good my lad, now you are for it.

Now. Hold him down.

Keep him steady.

(horse whinnies)

- I'm sorry I startled you,

but you shouldn't have been spying on me.

- We weren't.

- We've never seen you before.

- Yes, you have.

The other day when I was practicing

- Practicing what?

- To be a clown of course.

- Go on dad.

Hold him dad, stay on him.

Stay on him dad.

(horse whinnies)

- Are you all right, dad?

- No, thanks to him.

No more.

That's it, finished.

It's all over.

- I've been in circuses ever since I can remember.

Always looking after the animals,

dogs, elephants, even the lions.

I always wanted to do something more important

but it never worked out.

- Why?

Well, I tried the high wire,

but I can't stand Heights.

Then I tried the slack wire,

but I kept falling off.

Then they gave me a chance at being the strong man,

I was too skinny.

Didn't eat enough.

That's just it, everybody laughed at me.

So the ringmaster said

why don't I have a shot at being a clown?

- What happened?

- Oh it was a disaster.

It was the only time nobody laughed.

I just wasn't ready.

That's why I came here to work up an act

before the season starts.

- We'll help you if you like.

- Yes, we could be the audience

and you could try things out.

- An audience of two.

- I tell you one thing.

I'd like to get my hands on whoever

had that horse first.

They treated him so badly they ruined him.

- What do you mean dad?

- I mean, he's unmanageable.

He's a danger to everyone.

He's only fit for the slaughterers.

- [Vicky] You can't.

You must be able to do something.

- Oh, not anymore.

But if you think you can go ahead.

If you can break him in he's yours.

- Surely you're going to prevent

Vicky and Kevin from carrying on.

- With what?

- Well, you don't really believe that young man is a clown.

- Oh no, no.

- Or the Vicky contained a horse

that the experts have given up.

- Well, no, not really.

- Well then why aren't you going

to stop them before it's too late?

- Well, because I think it will be wrong to stop them.

They're both championing lost causes.

I think that's a good thing.

- Good morning, thunder.

There's a good boy.

(horse whinnies)

It's not going be easy

is it Beauty?

(horse snorts)

You're the only friend he's got left.

- Beauty could have been just like thunder

if he'd been badly treated at first.

- And he's really going to be yours if you break him in?

- It's going to be difficult.

Will you help me?

- We can't.

We promised to help Andy with his juggling.

He keeps dropping everything.

- Come on Robbie.

- Here you are.

(curious music)

(horse neighs)

(playful music begins)

- It never fails.

You just flick the tray and the teaspoons

fly up and land in the cups.

Stand back.

Here we go.

One, two,

Three.

(teacups crashing)

(sounds of frustration)

- And how are your projects going?

Oh, well, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Well never mind, there's a tea party on Saturday

- Tea party?

- Hmm, For the farm worker's children.

You'll enjoy that.

(horse whinnies)

(horse whinnies)

- What is it Beauty?

Do you wanna come in too?

- Of course.

Clever, clever Beauty.

Go on.

(happy orchestral music)

- Andy. Andy.

- We've got an idea Andy.

- What?

- Well children, they like clowns don't they?

Well, we've got a dozen

of them coming to a party on Saturday.

If you came, you'd have an audience,

a real audience and you could try everything out.

(happy orchestral music returns)

- I'd never have believed it.

I was coming to pick up the pieces.

How Did you do it Vicky?

- I should have realised it before.

Thunder was lonely.

Well Black Beauty made me let him in

and I just sat for a little while they became friends.

- Will he let you ride him now?

- I don't know, but it's time to find out.

- Whoa boy.

(horse whinnies crazily)

- Thunder!

- Are you all right Vicky?

-Yes

(horse whinnies)

- Look

-It's no use is it.

I'm just not funny.

- Perhaps if you'd been in a little quicker?

- No. The other clowns are all better.

I thought I could find something different.

I should have stuck to the animals.

(horse neighs)

- Whoa there boy, whoa there, whoa there.

Easy, easy, you stay here.

Whoa there boy, easy does it

easy boy, easy, easy.

- Is he alright?

Come on boy.

- Where are you going

- To free him, he'll hurt himself.

- No leave it to me.

You have to know how to talk to them.

Boy, yes good boy.

Easy boy, whoop, whoop, nice and easy there

Yeah, shh, shh, shh.

There we go, there we go boy, there, there.

What's his name?

- Thunder.

I better walk him back.

- Walk him?

He needs some exercise.

Don't you thunder?

- Hey, watch out.

(horse whinnies)

- That's Andy, do you think you'll be all right?

(horse whinnies)

(suspenseful music)

- He's gonna hurt himself.

I better get Mr. Collins.

- Better get to father.

Vicky look!

- There we are there Thunder, there we are.

Woo, there's a good boy.

Feeling better?

He was a bit skittish.

- You really do know about horses.

- Well I should do, I spent all my life with them.

Circus horses.

- I've just had a marvellous idea.

- All right, be quiet, please.

- Come on, the clown is ready children,

You can sit down now, quick, quick!

- And now the special attraction.

For the first time on any stage,

before your very eyes, Andy,

the clown on horseback.

(low tempo circus music)

- Look kids, no feet.

Anybody got any stirrups?

I really must get some stirrups.

Taking out my bicycle.

I think I'll ride this way around.

Ah, that's better.

Wait a moment, has anybody seen his head.

Where's his head gone?

I'm sure he had a head.

Oh.

Oh, help!

Help!

I think I'm slipping.

Somebody gimme a leg up.

Hey. Oh, oh.

Oh, wait for me.

Hey, wait for me.

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa there Thunder.

Wait for me.

Oh, oh this ground's hard.

I think I found a thistle.

Upsy daisy.

I'm the king of the castle.

(mumbles)

(applause and cheering)

(joyful orchestral music plays)

- Well, I'd never have known it was the same horse.

Well, I gotta admit it Vicky you've done what I couldn't do.

You Won him fair and square.

- [Vicki] It wasn't me Mr. Collins.

It was Andy.

- No, you can't say that.

Just as Kevin and Robbie gave

me the encouragement to keep on trying,

Black Beauty and you gave Thunder

the trust to accept me.

- Well, however it was it was a superb display of riding.

He's all yours Vicky.

- Well, go on Vicky.

- Well, we've been thinking about that.

Our Beauty might only get jealous

if Thunder was always here.

So we think Andy should have him.

If you want him.

- I, I want him all right,

but I'll pay you for him.

Out of my first week's wages.

There isn't a circus in the country

I couldn't go to now.

So just say the word and I'll get a job

for all three of you in the circus.

(Black Beauty snorts)

All right Beauty, You as well.

(laughing)

(theme music begins)