The Rocking Horse Winner
The Rocking Horse Winner (1949)
Tagline: "A young boy receives a rocking horse for Christmas and soon learns that he is able to pick the winning horse at the races."
Starring: Valerie Hobson, John Howard Davies, Ronald Squire, John Mills
Featured Racecourse: Goodwood
Director: Anthony Pelissier
Producer: John Mills
Writers: D. H. Lawrence, Anthony Pelissier
Release Date: June 1950
Runtime: 91 mins (B&W)
IMDB Synopsis: In London, the young Paul Grahame lives with his upper class but financially broken family. His wasteful mother is a compulsive buyer, his father is a gambler, losing money in the horse races and his uncle is permanently covering the family debts. When the servant Bassett is hired, Paul finds that he can predict the winner of the horse races by rocking his wooden horse. Paul asks Bassett to become his partner and the two of them bet their money on the races to try and save the whispering house from financial ruin.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Personal Review
A chilling D H Lawrence short story brought to life on the big screen by Anthony Pelissier with the legendary Sir John Mills both producing and starring in the film. Paul Grahame (John Howard Davies) is a young boy who befriends the family handyman Bassett (Sir John Mills), an ex stable lad who likes a flutter on the horses. Paul's family have hit hard financial times with his unemployed father Richard (Hugh Sinclair) gambling away money and his mother Hester (Valerie Hobson) spending far beyond her means and he wants to try and help them, Paul receives a rocking horse for Christmas and from then he starts hearing the house talk to him saying "There must be more money". Using the rocking horse Paul is able to predict the winners of races and he and Bassett start to amass a small fortune but once Uncle Oscar (Ronald Squire) gets involved where will it all lead?
This is a spine-tingling movie with creepy music throughout and a very scary looking rocking horse which all together makes it feel very much like a Hitchcock film. Young John Howard Davies acts superbly throughout as does Sir John Mills who is simply magnificent as the family handyman Bassett and the two of them have a great rapport - I especially love Bassett's catch phrase "Good old boy." Valerie Hobson is great as Paul's spend-happy mother Hester and I also like the part of Ronald Squire as Hester's brother Oscar, a no-nonsense articulate man who has splendid dialogue throughout.
I like the short scene where Oscar and Paul visit Goodwood races for the day to watch Paul's fancy Daffodil run in the 5F sprint - especially the opening shot from Trundle Hill looking down the racecourse towards the course and stands. The camera work showing the crowd, betting ring, paddock and racing precisely portray why a young boy would find his first day at the races so fascinating.
This is a very good thought-provoking eerie movie with splendid acting and dialogue throughout and some short but amazing scenes from Goodwood racecourse in the late 1940s. (Rating 8/10)
Favourite Quotes
Oscar Cresswell: "If you persist in gambling Richard it's only a question of time before you're a ruined man."
Richard Grahame: "I've been unlucky Oscar."
Oscar Cresswell: "It's not a question of luck my dear fellow, you're a bad card player and that's all there is to it."
MOVIE STILLS
