The Rocking Horse Winner (1950) On DVD

Actor:           Valerie Hobson, John Howard Davies, Ronald Squire, John Mills, Hugh Sinclair                                                                                                                
Director:      Anthony Pelissier
Genre:          Mystery
Year:             1950
Studio:          Home Vision
Length:         91
Released:    September 24, 2002
Rating:          Unrated (Video)
Format:         DVD
Misc:              NTSC, Black & White
Language:    English
Subtitles  :    N/A

DESCRIPTION:

Like the classic D.H. Lawrence story it's based upon, The Rocking Horse Winner is timeless and disturbingly effective. One of only seven films directed by Anthony Pelissier, this beautifully atmospheric British production ranks as the definitive filming of Lawrence's oft-adapted story, made shortly after David Lean's Oliver Twist and Great Expectations and featuring some of the same actors. John Howard Davies--excellent as Oliver in Lean's film--is equally fine as the young boy who obsessively rides his new rocking horse, mysteriously gaining the ability to predict winners of actual horse races. This rescues his profligate mother (Valerie Hobson) from financial ruin, but her reckless materialism is inevitably marred by tragedy. Although British censors slightly softened the tragic blow that ends Lawrence's story (included in its entirety in the DVD booklet), its impact is not diminished. With John Mills in a pivotal role as producer and costar, this is a masterful film not to be missed.

Special Features:

• New digital transfer
• Michael Almeryda's (HAMLET, NADJA) 20 min. short film staring Eric Stoltz based on 'Rocking Horse Winner'
• Audio track of actor John Shea reading the story 'Rocking Horse Winner' (20 min.)
• 3 audio excerpts from a chamber opera based on 'Rocking Horse Winner' (15 min.)
• 24 page booklet including the entire text of 'Rocking' story and libretto excerpts from the chamber opera