Based on a short story by D.H. Lawrence, Pelissier's film makes a fantastic premise feel poignant and real, as Paul's concern for his distracted mother imbues him with powers beyond his understanding. Mills (who also produced the film) excels as the boy's working-class confidant, and the stunning Hobson delivers just the right mix of haughtiness and vulnerability to elicit a measure of sympathy. A cautionary tale about greed set against unselfish love, the unnerving "Horse" wins by a tidy margin.

The video helped me out in my English Comp II class in college. It was my research essay. Scored a B!

I am an English Teacher and this short story is one that my students regularly read. I had been looking for a high quality DVD or VHS version. This is great.

I agree with the other reviews here. This is an unusual but very effective little fantasy based on DH Lawrence's most famous short story. Apparently, this was a pet project of John Mills, who produced the film and appeared in a key supporting role. The child actor is suprisingly good, and the cinematography is creative and appropriately creepy.

This DVD has some of the most unique extras I've ever seen. Basically, Home Vision Entertainment has packaged it as a collection of different interpretations of Lawrence's story, and the entries are very interesting. Best of all are the Almereyda short film and a full copy of the original story in place of liner notes. HVM have teamed up with Criterion in the past, and they do not disappoint here. The transfer is fine.

The only thing that keeps me from giving this a full 5-star rating is that, unlike Criterion, HVM hasn't provided any substantial info on the feature film. This is an oversight in my opinion because this 1949 movie became a particularly strong influence on the next generation of British filmmakers who openly embraced fantasy (like Lindsay Anderson's "If..."). American audiences might not make that connection.

The rocking horse winner is a notable adaptation from a David H. Lawrence.
This movie is practically unknown by a large audience. If you watch it very carefully , you'll be rewarded, for several reasons.
The middle class family who slowly suffers a status fall; has a very intuitive and smart child capable of predicting the winner horse in the race horses. This child has a close friend (John Mills) who suddenly sees this gift and so he wins some money.
The close atmosphere in which this boy lives, makes that he reliefs in a wood horse , his mude friend and powerful device for his predictable visions.
Soon his greddy mother (the great actress and extremely beauty Valerie Hobson) will know about his special gift and the dramatis personae will run before the eyes of the viewer inmersed in a gothical hallucination with its undeniable tragic consequences.
This film, obviously was not the accostumed market product for that moment, specially three years after that awful Second World War, that destroyed physical and spiritually many people. That's why the film didn't get his deserved place in those years. The audience wanted a better and hopeful future and the menu cinema should offer comedies, romantic films and light drama.
That's precisely what it gives major value to that movie out of its time. Anthony Pellisier conducted his most intimate film with astonishing results.
A true cult movie of the british cinema.