Original subtitles

The story of my life is the story of the people in it.

I haven't always been as lucky as I am now in this delicious place of water and

grass and sunlight.

Mine is a story of trust and betrayal and learning to trust again.

I remember everything.

I'm here, Duchess.

I'll help you.

Come on, I'm lost.

It was cold and too bright and strange out in the air.

But then my mother kissed me.

I wanted to be nearer to her.

Over here, little one.

All right.

In the beginning, I stayed as close to my mother as I possibly could.

As the weeks went by, I still stayed right beside her, but I began to have my

own ideas of what we should do.

So much of the time, she would just stand there.

Hurry up.

Let's go.

I don't like this. I do not like this. Hey, don't fight me now.

Everything's changing.

Even I'm changing.

Come on.

Black coats taking over my baby fur.

It's all happening too far.

When I turned three, my master sent me to spend the year with a gang of other

colts.

Now it was time.

Training.

The bit was the first thing.

Terrible bars of cold, hard steel between your teeth and over your tongue.

If you've never had one in your mouth, you can't imagine what a shock it is.

But thank heaven for

oats.

When you're eating them, you can forget the bit nasty coldness, the bitter

metallic taste.

Delicious oats, sweet oats, lovely crunchy oats,

beautiful oats, splendid oats.

Ow!

Ow! Here, just a straddle.

It's choking me.

You can still move, I promise.

Nobody could walk with this.

Come back here with those oats

At

first the iron shoes made my feet feel stiff and

heavy

I said no, but he said go.

Come on.

Once I discovered that he and I, that the two of us could become one, this

business turned out to be perfectly glorious.

It was now time for me to go to a new home.

My mother was proud of me and encouraged me.

She knew my master would only let me go to good people.

But I would miss her.

Before long, a man came to take me to Burtwick Park.

to live with Squire Gordon and his family.

Polly, come here with that pony.

Please stay inside,

my dear. You're still much too weak.

I won't break.

I want to see him. It's a horse. Nothing more, nothing less. I promise.

A beautiful horse.

Beauty is as beauty does.

How was he, John?

Perfect, sir.

They were shooting rabbits up near High Wood and the guns went off.

He pulled his hutch and he looked, but he didn't step off the path.

Did you, young fellow?

What shall we call him?

Decide over tea. Now you really must get out of his hair.

He that blacketh ebony.

Ebony?

Ebony.

Sounds like bones.

Settle him in the stables, would you, John? Pleasure, sir.

Let's make it simple. We'll call him Blackbird after your uncle's old horse.

But Blackbird was ugly and mean -tempered.

Wait. You've already named him. Pardon?

Beauty is as beauty does. That's not a name. Yes, it is.

Beauty.

Black Beauty.

A new name.

A new home.

And a stable full of new horses to meet.

She'll be all right.

She was ill -tempered. She was mean -spirited.

She was vicious.

She was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen.

I hate Alfred.

Me.

Mine too.

Open mine too.

Merry legs.

What a perfect name for the little fellow.

Let young Joe catch him, Master Alfred.

He needs the practice.

Go on now, round them up.

Thank you for offering to help, Master Alfred.

I expect it's time for your tea now, isn't it?

Yes, I expect it.

Tea time, girls.

Jessica, Molly, come along.

Joe had a good heart, but really not a clue.

Stand still, will you?

Stop running.

Come on, everybody. What a wonderful play.

I flew down to her.

I knew it would be magic between us.

Hey, wait a second.

What do you think you're doing?

What's the matter with her?

I must have battered her about.

If we treat her well and give her her head, she'll come round soon enough.

eh?

Back him on in.

Kind treatment makes good horses, Joe.

Bad treatment ruins them.

Go on, straighten him out. Go on.

I can't.

Yes, you can.

Was I ever going to win her affection?

When we came to the hill, instead of slowing down and leaving me to do the

she threw her weight into the collar and pulled away straight up.

Our paces matched perfectly.

I was sure that afterwards things would be different between us.

They were.

They were worse.

Now she ignored me completely.

I bounded. I leaped to the sky.

I tried everything to get her attention.

Fire and John trusted me to get them safely back from town, no matter how

terrible the storm.

The wild branches tried to grab me. The rain stung my eyes like a thousand bees.

flooded, but it looked safe.

As I reached the middle, I knew at once that something was wrong.

Beauty! Forward!

Go forward!

Everything inside me... screamed not to go any further.

Go forward!

I wanted to obey him, but he was wrong.

I know, son, I know.

No! How can I make you understand?

We can't...

Come on, beauty.

For me.

I stood fast.

I tried to tell him.

I didn't know how long I could hold on to him.

I had to hold on.

But Beauty needs looking after.

I'll look after him, Uncle John.

All right.

Do what I've shown you, Joe.

Not Joe.

He doesn't know what to do.

The drying sweat and rain sent a chill down to my bones.

You don't need that rug.

You're boiling hot.

I wanted my rug.

I wanted a heap of rugs.

Water hit my stomach like a kick in the gut.

But I was so thirsty.

By the next morning, I was sick.

Ginger stayed up all night with me.

Feeling sorry for me softened her.

It hurts.

No rug put on.

Stupid, stupid boy.

Joe! I expect the water was cold as well.

You run to the house and bring another blanket.

Now!

My poor beauty.

My good horse.

Let's hope it does them some good.

You go on to bed, Major.

I'll stay with him tonight.

We've done the best we can.

He may need some help.

Every little noise was torture.

That's enough.

I'm fine, dear.

Please get well.

Uncle John! Uncle John!

Come and save Aunt Beauty!

Ginger.

I was put into a paddock to recuperate.

Joe came to visit me every day.

Help me if you can, beauty.

What's wrong?

Can't you get up here?

All right, I'm coming.

What are you doing?

My mistress had become so ill that we had to take her to a doctor, a

to be led far away.

You'll not smoke that pipe in these stables? Yeah, yeah. Keep a shirt on,

skinny.

Evening.

Evening.

That idiot left a lamp up here.

Little know -it -all ought to mind his own business.

Joe! You complain about my pipe, you scrawny fool, but you leave a lamp near

hay. For you to see by.

Bring it down here, will you?

Lucky for you, I came up here.

What? What's that?

Beauty, it's only for tonight.

What are you afraid of? You'll be all right.

I'll be back for the horse in the morning.

I'm off to... Easy, beauty.

Be gentle.

Sounds and smells were so strange.

I didn't know what they were.

If you've never heard or smelled something, how can you understand it?

Bye.

Can't leave, Ginger.

I won't let it hurt you.

John, look at it.

I couldn't see anything. I had

to follow him.

Joe saved us.

The other horses were rescued too, but no one could help our mistress.

Her illness was so advanced that the doctor ordered her to move to a warmer

place.

The family would have to leave England.

And us.

Goodbye,

John. Bless you.

Please, God, we may see you back again soon, mistress.

Time to go, sisters.

I want to thank you, John, for your faithful service to my family.

Wish we'll never forget you, sir.

Never more were we to see our family.

Never more.

It was our last time together in the big pasture.

But it was something nobody could ever take away from us.

They were dancing.

The vicar came to take Merrylegs away.

He'd promised the squire he would never sell him.

I hated saying goodbye to that lucky little pony.

In no time, Ginger and Joe and I also found ourselves miles away from

dear and familiar.

Morse is to the back, boy. What do you think you're doing?

I swear to you, someday, somehow, I'll be with you again.

Take me with you now

Don't go.

But he was gone.

Lady Wexmere, Lord Wexmere, Lord George.

They stared, staring at us with their critical eyes.

To them, we were no more alive than the bits of harness on our backs.

Look at the long legs on the chestnut mare.

What a hunter she'd make.

She'd fly over the jumps.

You must put these horses' heads higher, York.

They're not accustomed to the bearing rain.

The groom said they'd never used a bearing rain on either one of them.

Didn't he, York? He did, my lord.

Be safer to bring them up by degrees.

Fish posh.

These animals are not fit to be seen.

One notch tighter won't kill them, will it?

York?

As you wish, my lady.

Reuben, attend to the mare.

When a bearing rein is tightened, it pulls back your head so that you have to

carry it uncomfortably high.

People think it makes a horse look fancy, but it made Ginger angry.

This was a very grand place we'd come to.

Three or four times the size of Burtwick Park, but not at all pleasant.

If a horse may have an opinion.

Ordinarily, we would have put our heads down and forward.

But not now.

Now we had to pull with our heads up.

Pain shot through our backs and legs.

For what?

For fashion.

Bring them tight, I know.

As you wish, my lady.

Ruben, shorten the bearing rein on the mare.

A bearing rein is well named, for it is unbearable.

It makes no sense, and nonsense can drive a horse mad.

Reign them tighter, York.

As you wish, my lady.

I didn't know how much longer Ginger could stand it.

For pity's sake, York, are you never going to get those horses' heads up?

Raise them at once!

As you wish, my lady.

Quickly!

And then it happened.

These horses have got more brains than you.

was deep.

Well, it's their own silly fault if she misses a tea party.

Not yours.

No, no, mine neither.

Enough to drive anybody back to drink.

They put wicked wooden contraptions around our necks so we couldn't even

our heads to lick our wounds.

After that, my lady never called for Ginger again.

I on the other hand continued to be subject to her every whim.

For us then, Ruben?

Yes, well, it stood out in all weathers.

Between that and the roads up there.

Plenty of rot here.

Aye, plenty of rot everywhere.

What do they want doing, then?

Well, me lady craves a new coat of paint.

I believe your lady could use a good deal more than a new coat of paint.

Amen.

Keep the horse for me, will you?

Let's leave it saddled.

I don't relate.

Where are you going then, Reuben?

I'll be back later.

Listen.

There's a loose shoe.

Yeah.

Where are you going?

You mustn't ride him, Mr. Smith.

Come around.

Now,

stand up, will you?

He's standing.

you dumb dad.

And pushed me. And pushed me.

What was the matter with him?

I was losing my shoe.

But he had lost his mind.

My body couldn't escape, but my thoughts could.

They took me away from that awful place.

Far away.

But there was Reuben, still lying where he'd fallen.

I stayed with him.

My mother had taught me to be loyal, no matter what.

Good Lord, what's happened here?

Right.

Roll him over.

See if we can get him to his feet.

I'll carry him.

Every step was agony.

I didn't know if my knees would ever heal.

We don't get to choose the people in our life.

For us, it's all chance.

bother to train her. I won the race.

You've broken her.

She can't breathe properly.

Ginger loved jumping.

Her heart leapt at every fence.

But they raced her before she was fit, and it shattered her.

They used to be such beautiful animals.

Now just look at them.

Ruined.

Well, a 12 -month run should bring back the mare's wind, my lord.

Yes, well, the black one will have to be sold.

Won't have knees like that in my stables. Sold?

Every horse knows that terrifying word.

When they came to take me away, it was so sudden that Ginger and I didn't even

get to say goodbye.

The terrible man who bought me kept horses for rent.

I was rented out to anyone who wanted to hire me.

I was glad my friends couldn't see me now.

They wouldn't even have known me.

We hated that man.

Ah, you missed me, you stupid beast!

That lively play lifted my spirits.

Wait.

I know who that is.

It's Joe.

Older.

Where'd he go?

What's happened to this one's knee? Stop it. He took the spill in his toes.

Spill in his toes. What are you doing?

Where's Joe?

There he is.

Let me go.

Come on, you devil, come here.

Lively one, isn't he?

15 for 18 16 18 17 not anymore

Done

How

are you supposed to get through

There were too many people.

There was too much noise.

The smell was awful.

Where was the grass?

Where were the trees?

And damp.

And dank.

And dark. And drear.

Jerry, what's wrong with him? He's frightened.

Step up there. Let him go. I want to go and pet him.

Give me a brush, Dolly.

Don't worry.

Harry, put some straw in that stool.

Dolly, no.

It's all right. It's all right.

Come on.

Just do it quietly.

Give him a chance.

Up we go.

There we are.

Thank you.

It's like baby fur here.

Eh?

He's so soft.

Yeah, he is.

Come on, Paul. Give us a hand.

How's it going with that straw, Harry?

Already dead.

Go and get yourself a brush, then.

Yeah. He's not so frightened now.

What about when he has to pull the cave?

Have faith.

I listened quietly.

What shall we call him?

Uh, Jack.

After the old one.

He's far blacker than Jack.

And he's cleaned. His color comes up lovely.

Seen something in him now, are you, Paul? I didn't say that.

All right.

We'll call you Black, because you are, and Jack, after the old one, and

altogether Black Jack, because the odds are stacked.

They're going to the boat.

Black Jack.

What have you got there, darling?

Black Jack wants to be pretty.

Good idea.

All at once I had hope.

It's good people that make good places.

Still, I wondered what tomorrow would bring.

Walker, come up. That's him.

Walker!

That problem's solved.

The station cleared.

No men exterminated.

Run!

Easy boy.

Easy.

on his mane and tail.

What? Are you going on a parade this afternoon, Jerry? He wanted to be pretty

for his first day.

Pretty for his first day?

Did you hear that, lad?

Yeah, he's a regular dandy.

Bit like me self.

Why shouldn't you be, eh?

Oh, I am.

Don't worry.

Don't worry, old black, old jack, old boy.

All right.

Jerry's hands, the quiet of them, gave me confidence.

We spent our days at one cab stand or another, collecting passengers.

It was a hard life.

The streets are hard on a horse's feet.

A cab is hard on a horse's back.

But I was lucky.

I had Jerry.

We were in it together.

Morning!

Morning, Donna.

Kevin!

Kevin! There you go, Jerry.

Kevin!

You all right, dear?

Yeah, Jerry.

Here, let's get these up quickly. I'm going to get run over.

Look, Charles!

Put on a steam, will you, and get us to Victoria for the ten o 'clock train.

We'll take you there, sir, but at a regular pace.

It'll mean a shilling extra. At the regular pace.

I'm your man, gentlemen.

I'll get to dinner in time.

It's against this conscience to work his horse into a sweat, and it ain't

against mine.

Make way.

Coming through.

Get up. Get up!

Easy, easy, easy, little Gigi.

You all right, Diana?

I'm still in one piece, Jerry.

Donkeys. All of them.

Coming through!

Dinah Brown's mother, Jerry.

Oh, she's in a bad way.

Oh?

Poor Dinah.

She can't even go to her.

Her place is in the country as well.

There aren't any trains on Sunday.

The horse is tired, Polly. I'm tired. It's only one day of rest.

But won't we treat folks the way we like to be treated? The way we like to be

treated, yes.

You're giving me my Sunday sermon early today, are you?

I know. If my mother was dying.

If I could get a lighter car, it would make a wonderful difference to the

Look, here comes Butcher Dawes now to lend you his light trap.

Mix me some bread and cheese and I'll get ready.

Feel free to tie your horse over with the cows.

The meadow belongs to us, not to the estate.

I'd rather set him loose. It'd be a real treat for him to have a bit of a

turnout. Kind to me, kind to the horse.

Go on, run inside and see your mother.

You're a tough one, Jerry.

How can a person ever repay you?

Here we go.

Here we go.

Grass! Not a cobblestone in sight.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Where's that biscuit?

Running made me very happy.

Why shouldn't Jerry be happy too?

Hey! Look!

What's that?

Give it me!

Give it here!

Thanks.

The visit to the country refreshed me.

But I found I couldn't stop thinking of her.

Then, as if by magic, there she was.

My... Beautiful Ginger.

Oh, God, she was skin and bones.

What had they done to her?

She was almost too weak to know who I was.

It's me, Ginger.

It's me.

The brightness was gone from her beautiful eyes.

Her face once so full of... My spirit was now full of suffering.

I tried to comfort her.

I wanted her to know she wasn't alone.

Don't give up, Ginger.

Get on!

Get on with you!

My precious friend.

That night I dreamed of her.

I dreamed of what was.

And I dreamed of what might have been.

And then I knew.

Goodbye, my sweet one.

Just be patient.

It's ladies and gents who pay our rent.

They'll be out any time now, you'll see.

Beg your pardon, sir. I was engaged to come round at nine o 'clock.

It's now after midnight.

I thought perhaps the gentleman wouldn't want the cab. Yes, he'll be wanted soon

enough. The party's nearly over.

We waited for our passengers.

And waited.

People aren't thoughtless just to horses.

They're also cruel to each other.

Bless your heart, old man.

Good night.

Good night.

Come on, get up and move on.

It's freezing.

Just in a moment, sir.

It'll be impertinent.

I've had two more drinks in a moment.

Something was the matter.

Jerry always looked after me.

But here was the boy instead.

Harry, I don't want to trouble him in the house.

How's he died?

He's in his lungs, Mr Crenshaw.

I'm very sorry, my boy.

Doctor says it'll turn one way or the other tonight.

He says Dad can't drive cabs no more.

Keep your chin up, Harry.

Help your mum.

Never drive a cab again?

How could that be?

It was good to be outside.

I wanted to go back to work.

Now, Blake, we're not going to the kids' thing.

You're just stretching your old legs, old Jack.

Even though cab work had taken its toll on me, I had hoped to spend the rest of

my days with Jerry.

Bye, beautiful black.

Daddy said to give you a kiss for him.

I was sent to a grain dealer where Jerry expected me to be treated fairly.

But what he expected and what was were as different as a kind word is from a

whiplash.

For two long years, I pulled the heavy cart until I could not pull any

more.

16 guinea for the pair.

Warranty to ride and drive. Warranty to ride and drive. 16 guineas. Who give me

16 guineas?

Anybody out there? 16 guineas for the pair.

Stop bothering about any of this, Lord.

Oh, there's nothing for them but their butchers, now.

I was too weak to care.

Was that one a carriage horse, Grandad?

Well, he might have been anything.

He's a fine of building the other horses, though.

Wouldn't you say, Joe?

That voice.

It woke me up.

I knew that voice.

It was Joe.

Not me.

Who is this now?

I have now lived in this happy place a whole year.

My strength and spirits are back.

Joe promises me I'll never be sold.

My troubles are over, and I am at home.

Often, I fancy I'm still in the big pasture at Burtwick Park.

I'm together with my old friends.

will ever separate us again.

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0