History Literature / BlackBeauty

* AdaptationDistillation: While not getting ''everything'' right (and cutting the dialogue for all of the animals besides Beauty), the 1994 movie is considered the best of the film versions. (Not to mention that David Thewlis as [[FriendToAllLivingThings Jerry Barker]] is some of the best casting in film history.)

** He gets this, though to a significantly lesser degree, in the 1994 film as well, where his baseline personality seems to be generally unpleasant and surly even when he's sober. In the book, he's described as gentle and likeable for the most part, such that Beauty is [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness immediately taken aback]] by the way he behaves when drunk.

* AmbiguousSituation: Beauty isn't sure if the dead horse he sees is Ginger, he merely hopes it is her so he suffering would come to an end. For all the reader knows, and hopes, Ginger could have found a happy ending just like Beauty.

** Reuben Smith, a groom with a drinking problem, is warned that one of Beauty's shoes has come loose, but he rides him anyway. The shoe eventually comes off en route and Beauty's foot is consequently cut by sharp stones, causing him to injure himself and [[AccidentalMurder accidentally throw his rider to his death]] when the pain causes him to stumble and fall on his knees.

* WhiteAndGreyMorality: Averted for the most part with the animal abusers in the story usually portrayed as monsters viewing and treating horses as little more than machines to be used and disposed of. There is one instance, however, where Jerry scolds a fellow cab driver he sees with a malnourished horse, with the cab driver retorting that he'd love to feed his horse more if he could, but the cab driver wages are so bad he literally has to choose between either feeding his horse, or feeding his family. Sadly, his family has to come first, with both he and Jerry lamenting how unfair the state of things are that it's that way.

* AllGirlsLikePonies: Many of the film versions like to throw this in there

* AdaptationalVillainy: Rueben Smith in the 1978 cartoon. In the book and other adaptations, he's generally kind and only shows any ill behavior once while drunk (although it does cost him his life and leaves Beauty injured). In Creator/HannaBarbera's version, he's outright abusive, and survives to purchase Beauty later on for the sole purpose of overworking him.

* BilingualAnimal: Horses mainly talk, but they whinny when surprised.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Quite a few in fact. At least four movies.

* AllGirlsLikePonies: Many of the film versions like to throw this in there.

* AdaptedOut: Inevitable with a story with [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters so many characters]], so often only the most notable of Beauty's owners are given any attention while any others (if they are acknowledged at all) tend to be glossed over with some variant of "and then for several years I changed hands frequently." Beauty also meets a number of horses in the book, but generally only his mother, Ginger, and Merrylegs are named or get any real screentime (one cartoon kept Sir Oliver in, possibly the only time another horse is mentioned by name), and no adaptation has ever kept the brief scene of Rob Roy, Beauty's older brother.

--> '''Black Beauty:''' A bearing rein is well-named, for it is unbearable. It makes no sense, and nonsense can drive a horse ''mad.''

* WhiteAndGreyMorality: Averted for the most part with the animal abusers in the story usually portrayed as monsters viewing and treating horses as little more than machines to be used and disposed of. There is one instance, however, where Jerry scolds a fellow cab driver he sees with a malnourished horse, with the cab driver retorting that he'd love to feed his horse more if he could, but the cab driver wages are so bad he literally has to choose between either feeding his horse, or feeding his family. Naturally, his family has to come first, with both he and Jerry lamenting how unfair the state of things are that it's that way.

* MiniSeries

** Early in the novel a nobleman's son treats Ginger like a furry motorcycle to hop on, ride at top speed through long and rigorous race courses, then dump back in the stall. The strain on her body permanently damages her bronchial track to the point that she can never run or jump as well again. She is given a year of pasture rest to heal, but the damage is great and the breath problems eventually return. She's sold as a work horse, which strains her physical health more and more until [[spoiler: she's possibly driven to an early death (Beauty never knows if it is indeed her dead body that he sees)]].

--> '''Black Beauty:''' A bearing rein is well-named, for it is un''bearable''. It makes no sense, and nonsense can drive a horse ''mad.''

---> '''Black Beauty:''' A bearing rein is well-named, for it is un''bearable''. It makes no sense, and nonsense can drive a horse ''mad.''

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: See if you can read the words "bearing rein" without being thrown into a frothing rage.

-->"Oh, do not hurry yourself; [[FamousLastWords Lizzie and I shall not run away from you]]."