Misty (1961) 10 of 10

The classic and touching story about two children who adopt a wild pony mare and her foal. The movie is based on the novel Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, first published in 1947. It's set on Virginia's coastal island of Chincoteague and was largely filmed on location, featuring many of the locals in the actual film. The original Misty actually makes a cameo appearance in the film in a group of ponies. A herd of wild ponies living on nearby Assateague Island, marooned after a ship bringing horses to the New World was beached during a storm, is brought across the channel yearly to keep their numbers in check. The revenue from the resulting Pony Penning Day auction goes to support the local fire department. Ponies that are unsold are freed and returned to Assateague Island the following day.

Paul and Maureen Bebe see a wild mare, christened The Phantom for her great speed and the ability to disappear on Pony Penning Day. They decide to capture and adopt her. First, they need to raise the money to buy her and then they have to tame her. The Phantom is captured because she has a young foal that the children name Misty. The movie is really more about The Phantom than her baby but it's still a great movie. In the end, the children decide that The Phantom is only happy running free alongside the herd stallion, the Pied Piper, and return her to the wild, but baby Misty stays with the children. A subsequent novel was written in the wake of the success of the original: Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague was published in 1949.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• misty
• chincoteague
• pony
• horse
• movie

[battousaiblade]

great film

it was sad they let them go

but it was the right thing to do

[beckajf]

great film but should have been called phantom not misty !

[999fire1]

i wound off thort they would get the Pied Piper as well so they would ALL be happy- my favourite bit was when they were heading home and Misty came running in front of them. And the film should off been called The Pied Piper & The Phantom - not Misty because it wasnt really based on Misty.

[shaebaby1999]

Why didn't they buy the whole family in the first place?? Then Misty and the Phantom would all be happy!!:) The whole family as in The Pied Piper, The Phanton, and Misty.:)

[cowboytroop]

Thank you Crescent Moon Ranch for another trip down memory lane.

[LifeAintLittle]

I personally like the Pied Piper better than the Phantom. But eh, it's all just opinion. :)

[dodge96neon]

how did disney not make this movie ?

[gaiagale]

I found out...the boy is David Ladd and the girl is Pam Smith

[gaiagale]

thanks for sharing the movie ...I'm curious who are the children their real names

[pony0410]

i love the movie and the book. I love the stallion

[71sportschick]

in the book, they didnt realize they should let her go until after the race. even though the movie strays a bit from the book, i think this is a wonderful adaptation and really does it justice!! i cried in the end. happy tears though :')