MISTY

US, 1961, 92 minutes, Colour.
David Ladd, Arthur O'Connell, Pam Smith.
Directed by James B. Clark.

Misty is a pleasing family film, about ponies off the Virginia coast. It stars David Ladd, who appeared in The Proud Rebel and A Dog of Flanders. Anne Seymour and Arthur O'Connell are genial grandparents.

The film focuses on a young boy and a girl, their living with their grandparents, working and school, getting a sense of responsibility, their ambitions to buy a pony and their doing odd jobs to raise the money. Naturally, after some difficulties, there is a happy ending. The film was made in Cinemascope and colour and uses the Virginia coast locations very well indeed, especially the round-up of the ponies and their swimming to the mainland. The film was produced by Robert Radnitz, who specialised in this kind of family film during the '60s (My Side of the Mountain) and was directed by his regular director James B. Clark.

1.Entertaining family film? Families, children? Animals?

2.Cinemascope and colour photography, the Virginia coast? The town? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title and the focus on the young pony, Paul and Maureen and their working for the ponies?

4.Paul and Maureen, their age, relationship? With their grandparents? Their absent parents? Walking along the beach, talking? The ponies and their longing to have one? At home, learning responsibility, doing their jobs? Their love for their grandparents? The odd jobs, working hard and collecting the money, their secret? The reputation of grandfather in the town, their learning by their mistakes? The request? Gentling the ponies, going on the round-up, the chase, getting the Phantom, wanting Misty the foal? The fair and the races? Their hoping to buy the pony, its being bought already? The auctioneer and his kindness, getting the pony and the foal for Paul and Maureen? Their looking after them? Raising Misty, letting the Phantom go back to the wild ponies? The portrait of the children, characters well-drawn, sympathetic?

5.Clarence as a genial grandfather, his relationship with his wife, their care of the children? Kindly, training them? Their jobs? Paul lost on the island and having to be rescued? Strong with discipline but kindly? Allowing the children to train the ponies? Grandfather worried about people giving him credit, having to confront the children? The round-up, the happy ending?

6.The world of the ponies, the background story of the Spanish galleons, the round-ups? The in-breeding? But the buying of the ponies, training them? The children loving them? The pony seller and his kindness?

7.A pleasing portrait of children, of family, of love for animals, of growing up well? A piece of Americana - for all audiences?