The Rocking Horse Winner
Like the classic D.H. Lawrence story it's based upon,The Rocking  Horse Winneris timeless and disturbingly effective. One of only seven films  directed by Anthony Pelissier, this beautifully atmospheric British production  ranks as the definitive filming of Lawrence's oft-adapted story, made shortly  after David Lean'sOliver TwistandGreat Expectationsand  featuring some of the same actors. John Howard Davies--excellent as Oliver in  Lean's film--is equally fine as the young boy who obsessively rides his new  rocking horse, mysteriously gaining the ability to predict winners of actual  horse races. This rescues his profligate mother (Valerie Hobson) from financial  ruin, but her reckless materialism is inevitably marred by tragedy. Although  British censors slightly softened the tragic blow that ends Lawrence's story  (included in its entirety in the DVD booklet), its impact is not diminished.  With John Mills in a pivotal role as producer and costar, this is a masterful  film not to be missed.--Jeff Shannon