James is a character featured in the 2020 Disney+ original film Black Beauty. He is a stable boy who works at the Birtwick Stables.
Background[]
James is a stable boy who works at the Birtwick Stables in New York. He is a young man who cares for the horses in their stables - often giving them food in their pen as well as introducing new horses that arrive at the Stables. However, in spite of this, James often shows a cowardly personality whenever Black Beauty (or any other horse) chases him, which Beauty thinks it is a game. In spite of tending to the horses, James often shows a sociable personality often talking with John Manly commenting about Beauty in her pen.
Role in the film[]
James is first seen preparing to give Black Beauty her food which she hostilely charges against him which she thinks James is a threat. The next day, James does the same but Beauty charges against him like he did before. He then approaches John Manly commenting about the horse's hostile behavior, discussing with John to know how he kept a horse in the pen. Throughout his duty, James would often be chased by Black Beauty, treating him as a target which they think it is a game whenever he enters Black Beauty's pen (occasionally, Beauty would have Ginger and Merrylegs accompanying her to chase James in the same pen). One day, James later noticed Jo Green entering the pen where Black Beauty lives but to an unexpected surprise, she makes a bond with the horse. James later became aware of Jo riding on Beauty which he reports to Henry Gordon, thinking that Beauty escaped, leading him, John, and Mr. Gordon to try to make sure Jo is safe which Jo and Beauty got the hang of their bond together.
As the summer ended, James brought more horses to the Stables, which reminded Black Beauty of her family in the wild. After a fire broke out, James became aware of the Birtwick Stables being shut down; however, after Jo reunites with Beauty and Birtwick Stables reopened, James continued resuming his duty as a stable boy at Birtwick where he is last seen taking care of Merrylegs who started a new family.
Trivia[]
- James' name was not mentioned in the film, although his name was seen in the end credits.
- In the original source material, James' full name was "James Howard" who is also a stable boy just like in the film. In the Disney adaptation of Black Beauty, he was simply credited under his first name.
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