Steven Spielberg is the award winning producer, director and writer of many films. He is among the most influential personalities in the recent history of film and quite possibly the wealthiest. He is sought after for many films. His latest directing endeavor is War Horse.
Storyline of War Horse
War Horse is the story of Joey, a young Thoroughbred, and his adventures during World War I. The movie opens with Joey's birth. After Joey grows up he is bought by a farm family to work for them. The son of the family, Albert, and Joey bond quickly. Albert teaches Joey to come when he whistles and shows Joey how easy it is to wear a horse collar by donning it himself.
After some failures on the farm, Joey is sold to Captain Nicholls, who promises to return him to Albert after the war. Joey meets another horse, Topthorn, and the two become friends. After their riders are killed by the Germans, Topthorn and Joey have to pull a ambulance. Topthorn is afraid until Joey shows him the lesson he learned from Albert.
After the German boys who care for the horses are killed for desertion, Topthorn and Joey are found by Emilie, a young French girl. She and her grandfather hide them from the Germans, until one day when Emilie is out for a ride on Joey and the Germans find her.
At this point the horses are to pull artillery. Topthorn is injured so he can't pull, but Joey takes his place. Thw two are reunited after the artillery reaches its destination. The German who is caring for them wants to keep them going because they are beautiful horses. Unfortunately Topthorn has been hurt and dies. Joey runs towards the British getting caught in barbed wire in No Man's land.
Meanwhile in an English foxhole, Albert and men from his village are preparing to attack. A fight ensues and Albert is blinded in an explosion. He is taken to a hospital.
The film shifts back to Joey and a German soldier and British soldier work together to free him. After freeing him, both can see how beautiful Joey is and want him. They flip a coin, and the British soldier wins. Because Joey was hurt by the barbed wire, he is taken by the soldier to the hospital where Albert is. Everyone calls him a miracle horse, but it appears to be too late for him when the doctor wants to put him down due to his injuries.
Cast of War Horse
The cast is largely comprised of British actors and actresses with a mix of known and unknown actors. A newcomer named Jeremy Irvine plays the part of Albert. Irvine plays the part of Albert with professionalism. He stands out even among the more known stars of the film. Albert's parents are played by Peter Mullan and Emily Watson. Both have many films to their credit. Their portrayals of Albert's mother and father are excellent and the onscreen chemistry the three share as a family is evident.
Finder's Key, or simply Finder, is the lead horse in War Horse. He does a majority of the close up acting for the part of Joey. Thirteen other horses share the part with him at various stages in the movie. Finder previously starred as Seabiscuit in the movie by the same name.
History of War Horse
War Horse began it's journey as an Spielberg Epic as a children's book written by Michael Morpurgo (Scholastic Press, 2007). This book for 5-8 graders presents the story in first person with the animal's adventures described by the human's around him. It was first published in 1982 in Great Britain. It's author, Michael Morpurgo was even shown briefly in Spielberg's movie during the auction scene at the beginning.
In 2007, Nick Stafford, a British playwright, adapted Morpugo's book for the stage. With puppets portraying the horses, the play opened to critical acclaim in London in 2008. It moved to Broadway to the Lincoln Center Theater in 2010. The play has earned many awards and received accolades from countless reviewers since it first opened.
Spielberg read Morpurgo's book and saw Stafford's play, and decided to adapt it to film. He shot the film entirely in Britain, even using an actual brilliant British sunset as the backdrop for the final scene when Albert and Joey return home to the family farm.
This is a fantastic movie. It touches everyone who sees it in the place where our humanity lives. It reinforces the ideal that animals and people share an unbreakable bond.
References:
www.imbd.com (movie database)
www.lct.org (Lincoln Center Theater)
Kelley Huston - A reader of all kinds of books, Kelley is an teacher who loves crafts and scrapbooking. She is a Disney fan who loves all things Disney.
