User Reviews

"The Horse Without a Head" is an amusing but pretty standard Disney kids' film from the early 60's.

The plot: A sleepy French town catches the attention of a gang of sophisticated thieves because trains passing near the town have to slow down at a bend in the railroad tracks. This makes that town the perfect place to safely toss the ill-gotten proceeds of an ambitious train heist to waiting associates. However, the thieves led by "Schiapa" (Herbert Lom) make a mistake of relying upon a short-tempered and irresponsible small-time criminal, "Roublot" (Leo McKern), to be their "local" man who would assist in ensuring that their enterprise does not draw attention from the authorities especially the conscientious "Inspector Sinet" (Jean-Pierre Aumont). Roublot's obnoxiousness has caused him to be on very bad terms with the town's underprivileged children whose main source of entertainment is racing a wheeled, headless, hobby horse down a hilly street. Eventually, Roublot's conflict with the kids and their quick wits disrupt and frustrate what should have been an easy score.

A group of marginalized kids frustrating the nefarious schemes of adults was a very common plot for many of Disney's live-action films: "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," "Candleshoe," "Escape from Witch Mountain," etc. "The Horse Without a Head" is an OK version of this story-line. It's well acted, but several scenes appear to be padding to draw-out its thin story to cover two TV episodes of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. (A nearly 10 minute sequence when the kids stumble upon an abandoned harlequin factory is a prime example.) Besides the padding, the pace is still rather slow. It's not hard to understand why it has been forgotten despite its Disney roots.

It does have some interesting aspects. Despite its French setting, it was filmed in England with a mostly British cast with the big exception of Mr. Aumont. Further, it does make one wonder if the makers of the 2004 film "Millions" saw it as kids which led them to borrow plot elements from it for their film which also features a train heist being foiled by unwitting kids. Also, "Game of Thrones" fans may enjoy seeing a relatively young Peter Vaughn as a lazy police sergeant.

However, what really stuck-out for me was the performance of 12 or 13 yr old Pamela Franklin as "Marian," one of the de facto leaders of the kids. With her cropped hair and freckled nose, she's cute-as-a-button, but almost unrecognizable. Yet, it's still Pamela Franklin just a few short years away from 1967's "Our Mother's House" and 1969's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie." Here she is in this very lite, kiddie flick, but she'd soon be more than ably matching acting heavyweights such as Dirk Bogarde, Robert Stephens, and Maggie Smith in films with very adult themes. In some ways, she was Jodie Foster before anyone ever heard of Jodie Foster- a kid actor who was seamlessly transitioning into adult roles. But then her career died. By the mid-70's, she was doing TV guest spots on cheeseball programs like "Fantasy Island" and in the early 80's she stopped acting. What happened? She was very talented, but it appears that sometimes talent isn't enough. Sad.

Quite well-made family movie. I feel it is suitable for all ages.

It has good characterisations. I enjoyed the pompous constable who was at odds with the kids (good acting on his part also). And the girl with the dogs was my favourite of the kids. The conspirator, Reubleau (sp) was good as the bumbling bad guy also.

The story is certainly for kids (I believe there was a book from which this movie was made). But it isn't so juvenile that adults can't enjoy it.

The story revolves around a gang of thieves who steal French currency from a train. This loot is hidden in an abandoned building.

A group of French kids encounter one of the thieves when they collide with him while riding their "headless horse". (This is a tricycle affair with the body of a horse...minus the head.) The thief, fearing exposure from the constable investigating the collision, hides the key to the abandoned building in the body of the horse hoping to retrieve it later.

This turns out to be more complex than the thieves ever realised. They first try bribing the kids with an electric train to give them the horse. When this doesn't work they raid the kids' clubhouse, but the horse is away being repaired. Eventually the thieves manage to steal the horse (right in broad daylight) but the kids have already removed the key.

Several humorous mishaps (usually involving the bungler Reubleau) help move the story along. He has a car crash, gets chased by the girl's dogs, fights with the gypsies, and so on.

By this time the kids have gotten suspicious and start investigating. They eventually discover the key and what it belongs to.

The climax occurs in the abandoned building which turns out to have been a manufacturer of masks, costumes, Mardi gras favours and the like. The kids go wild in the place until the villains show up and try to capture the kids. During the mêlée the dogs are summoned and turn the tables on the thieves.

The stolen money is recovered much to the surprise of the local inspector and the kids become heroes for the day. They even have the stuffy constable ordered to stop traffic so the horse can roll on down the street.

A very engaging little story. I liked how the inspector treated the kids and how he cooperated with them.

The scenes were well done also. There was the dark, mysterious atmosphere when the thieves are prowling around the kids clubhouse. Then there was the festive, colourful mood in the old factory. I'm assuming most of this was shot in France somewhere. At least the train depicted was of French origin.

And for kids, I felt the acting was rather good.

This would make for a pleasant little diversion on a rainy day.