“War Horse” (2011)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: Lee Hall and Richard Curtis (screenplay), Michael Morpurgo (novel)
Release: 25 December 2011
Status: Complete
Genre: Drama | History | War

Also Starring: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch and David Kross

Movie Synopsis: Dartmoor,1914: To his wife’s dismay farmer Narracott buys a thoroughbred horse rather than a plough animal, but when his teenaged son Albert trains the horse and calls him Joey, the two becoming inseparable. When his harvest fails, the farmer has to sell Joey to the British cavalry and he is shipped to France where, after a disastrous offensive he is captured by the Germans and changes hands twice more before he is found, caught in the barbed wire in No Man’s Land four years later and freed. He is returned behind British lines where Albert, now a private, has been temporarily blinded by gas, but still recognizes his beloved Joey. However, as the Armistice is declared Joey is set to be auctioned off. After all they have been through will Albert and Joey return home together?

Gallery Images

Trivia

• Based on both a children’s novel of the same name set during World War I, by Michael Morpurgo, first published in the United Kingdom in 1982, and the 2007 stage adaptation, also of the same name.

• Specially designed mud was used to make the battle scenes look authentically filthy.

• Jeremy Irvine contracted trench foot when filming the war scenes of the movie.

• Jeremy auditioned for the role because he was so familiar with “War Horse” and claims it is one of his favourite books. He also cites that a big motivator towards auditioning for this film was to honour his great-grandfathers, both of whom served in WWI; one of the great-grandfathers served at Gallipolli and had his own service horse, just as Albert had.

• Although he grew up in the countryside, Jeremy had never ridden a horse before. Prior to filming he was subjected to up to 10-hour-a-day riding lessons, for two months, to get him into practice for filming.

• Jeremy learned that he had the part when he was asked to read a piece of “War Horse” script on camera in order to check his West Country accent, and the piece of mocked-up script that he read out was Albert telling Joey that Steven Spielberg wanted him to play the part.

Awards and Nominations

• Nominated for five BAFTAs, including: ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Film Music’, ‘Best Production Design’, ‘Best Sound’, and ‘Best Special Visual Effects’.

• Nominated for six Academy Awards, including: ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Art Direction’, ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Original Score’, ‘Best Sound Editing’, and ‘Best Sound Mixing’.

• Nominated for two London Critic’s Circle Awards, including: ‘British Actor of the Year’, and ‘Young British Performer of the Year’.