Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron

By RICHARD SCHICKEL

He has a wild soul, a noble heart and a curious nose, which he keeps sticking into dangerous places. As a result, the eponymous mustang keeps getting captured (by the cavalry and railroad builders who use him as a draft horse). Only a Native American named Little Creek respects Spirit's spirit, helping him return to an untrammeled life on the range. It's a pretty, high-strung story, handsomely done in traditional animation (mostly by hand) that you can take the kids to without wincing. --By Richard Schickel