War Horse, written by Michael Morpurgo, has been produced for the stage in Britain and the U.S., and now Steven Spielberg brings the story to the big screen in time for Christmas. What began as a book for children eight years and older, is no longer suitable for that young age group because of the brutal battle scenes. However, if you enjoyed the novel as a child when it was first published in 1982, you are in luck. The film version of War Horse contains all the elements that are classic Spielberg—epic filmmaking, great cinematography, impressive special effects, attention to historical details, and, of course, a storyline that will tug at your heart. There are solid performances, but the horse (or make that “horses,” since more than a dozen were needed to play the main character), is the star.
Horses have long been a favorite subject for film makers, equine characters showing up in more than fifty films since the 1940s. (And that doesn’t count all those Westerns and TV shows that dominated programming in the 1950s). Perhaps the most beloved horse story ever is National Velvet (1944), which made a star out of a young Elizabeth Taylor. A few of the young actors in War Horse have enough screen time to make an impression, yet no one, young or old, dominates.
We first see the horse, Joey, as a foal shortly after his birth. Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine, a relatively unknown stage actor who won the role after dozens of auditions), falls in love with the horse. Albert lives with his parents on a farm, the family barely able to make ends meet. The father, Ted (Peter Mullan), attends a horse auction, but rather than bringing home a work horse, pays an exorbitant amount for Joey, a thoroughbred. Albert is thrilled and, over his mother’s objections, vows to train Joey to pull a plow. With the entire town watching, Albert urges Joey on, eventually succeeding in turning over the field and planting turnips. A monstrous rainstorm washes out the crop and any chance the family has to hold onto the farm.
With World War I now being fought, Ted decides that selling Joey to the British Army is the only route to survival. Albert rushes to town to stop the sale, but is too late. Captain Nicholls (Peter Hiddleston), promises Albert that he will take good care of Joey and, if possible, return him at the end of the war.
That’s a promise the captain won’t be able to keep. He is killed in a battle in France. When the camera pulls back after this particularly devastating battle, the scene is reminiscent of one in Gone with the Wind which showed hundreds of injured soldiers laid out side by side in a field. This time, however, the dead and injured are mostly the horses. (Cinematography by Academy Award-winner Janusz Kaminski is brilliant, whether capturing the horrors of war or the beauty of the English countryside).
Joey survives but ends up in German hands. Unlike humans, the animals have no say in choosing sides. Yet Joey seems to bring out the best in everyone. When the Germans select horses to pull a heavy canon, Joey edges out his companion, a beautiful black horse that is exhausted and wouldn’t survive the task. A German soldier notices Joey’s sacrifice, and, from that moment on, tries to protect both Joey and his friend.
Joey continues to ping-pong between owners. Two young German soldiers desert, riding Joey and his companion into the French countryside where they hide in a windmill. Later discovered, they are executed in front of a firing squad. Emile (Celine Buckens) the young girl who lives on the farm, discovers the horses and convinces her grandfather (Niels Arestrup), to keep them. When soldiers ravage the farm for food, Joey once again ends up in German hands.
Albert is now a British solder, huddled in the trenches while shells rain down. The soldiers bravely charge over the top, but most are cut down before they can take more than a few steps.
Joey escapes after the battle, wildly charging ahead, eventually becoming ensnared in barbed wire, unable to extricate himself. Both the British and German soldiers are in their respective trenches, a brief respite between battles, and cannot help but hear Joey’s whimpers. Two soldiers, one from each camp, come forward and work together to free the horse, carrying on a conversation that seems strangely normal. (The German soldier speaks English, even correcting the British soldier’s grammar). Given different circumstances, these two might be friends. War makes that impossible, but for a small moment, they are united by their concern for a horse. The British soldier wins the coin toss, allowing him to keep Joey.
Eventually, Joey finds his way back to Albert and the reunion does not disappoint. This is classic Spielberg, wringing every last emotional note out of the scene. (Much criticism has been leveled at the director from reviewers who have called these moments in War Horse smaltzy, maudlin, etc. True, Spielberg never shies away from playing on the viewer’s feelings, whether the focus is an extraterrestrial, a gremlin, a child, or a horse. Still, these emotional scenes eventually become fan favorites).
During a screening, a producer sitting behind me predicted that War Horse will win the Academy Award this year. The film has already been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Film, although Spielberg was snubbed for directing honors. Whether or not the film walks away with the Oscar, War Horse will certainly add to Spielberg’s legacy and, also, that growing list of movies about horses.
War Horse
Opens Christmas Day, 2012
Read Michall Jeffers review of the play, War Horse.
