My Friend Flicka

A Western tale for younger viewers, this remains a classic thanks to some breathtaking scenery (mainly filmed in Utah) and a sweet central performance from a young Roddy McDowall.
He’s the son of a rancher who decides to train a colt named Flicka, much to his father’s disapproval, who believes Flicka may not be mentally well (Flicka’s mother was a rather temperamental mare, it seems). Of course, dad doesn’t count on a boy’s love for his horse, and eventually the stubborn colt becomes a great four-footed friend. A sincere little film based on the Mary O’Hara novel, this was followed by 1945’s Thunderhead – Son of Flicka (which also starred McDowall), 1948’s Green Grass of Wyoming (with a new cast) and a 1956 TV series.