The Littlest Horse Thieves

The Littlest Horse Thieves (British title: Escape from the Dark) is a 1976 family drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Charles Jarrott and starring Alastair Sim (in his final film role), Peter Barkworth and Maurice Colbourne. In the United States, it was released on a double bill with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on March 11, 1977. The film was released in the United Kingdom on May 26, 1976, under the title Escape from the Dark.

Plot
Set in 1909, a coal mine in Yorkshire, England, has used pit ponies to haul coal for many years. When they are to be replaced by machinery that will speed up production and increase profits, three children – Dave (Andrew Harrison), Tommy (Benjie Bolgar) and Alice (Chloe Franks) – learn the ponies are to be slaughtered so they team up in a scheme to steal the horses and give them their freedom.

Locations
Filming took place in 1975 around North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire such as Arkengarthdale, Langthwaite, Ripley Castle and Oakworth railway station, and also at Thorpe Hesley pit in South Yorkshire.

A day was also spent, on November 4, 1975, filming in Telford at Blists Hill Museum's restored pit winding-engine room.

Home media
The film was released on VHS as Escape from the Dark (UK) and The Littlest Horse Thieves (US) by Walt Disney Home Video in the 1980s.

In June 1999, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD for the first time in widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio and full-frame presentation without bonus features; Anchor Bay re-released the film on DVD on January 21, 2003, but only in full-frame presentation.

On July 28, 2009, The Littlest Horse Thieves was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment as a Disney Movie Club exclusive DVD, available only to club members for mail or online ordering.