The Rocking Horse Winner (film)

The Rocking Horse Winner is a 1949 British drama film directed by Anthony Pelissier and starring John Howard Davies, Valerie Hobson, and Ronald Squire. It is an adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence short story of the same name. The film closely follows the plot of the original story, centering on a young boy, Paul, who is driven by his mother's desperate need for money and a pervading sense of unease and "whispers" about their financial state. Paul believes he can ride his rocking horse to predict the winners of horse races, hoping to alleviate his family's financial woes and earn his mother's love. The film explores themes of childhood innocence, the destructive nature of greed, and the psychological impact of parental anxieties on children. While considered a faithful adaptation, the film makes minor alterations to the source material, mainly concerning the characters and their motivations. The film was generally well-received upon its release and remains a notable cinematic interpretation of Lawrence's work.