Lightning---The White Stallion Reviews

Rooney stars here in yet another horse-racing tale, this one the titular opposite of his 1979 film THE BLACK STALLION. Disgruntled over not having been paid for two months, a horse trainer steals his boss's favorite animal. Rooney is the boss, a breeder whose penchant for gambling has reduced him to penury. He is heartbroken over the loss of his stallion and spends his days brooding about it and avoiding his creditors. When the horse escapes, schoolgirl Lorca finds it and takes it home. Her mean stepfather won't let her keep the animal, however, so she takes "Lightning" to a nearby farm owned by George, arranging to work in the stables in return for the horse's board. She begins to ride and to jump, under the woman's tutelage, eventually winning a local show-jumping contest. Meanwhile, the girl learns that she is suffering from a degenerative eye disease and will, unless she has an expensive operation, become blind within a year. She goes on to win the state championship, finally gaining some measure of approval from her stepfather. Then, when Rooney's creditors steal the horse back, Lorca manages to rescue Lightning and ride him in the national championship--which, of course, she wins. Although not so good as THE BLACK STALLION, this is not a bad film, for the performances help keep the cliches from seeming too familiar. Heavy on sweet, family-style scenes and light on actual race footage.