Having plumbed the depths of WWII era stories, I suppose
it was just a matter of time before Steven Spielberg worked his way to World
War I. The source material for War Horse
seems almost destined for Spielberg territory. Originally a 1982 children’s
novel by Michael Morpurgo its themes include childhood dreams and lost
innocence as seen through the prism of violence and the torment of war.
Interestingly, the central viewpoint is through the eyes
of a thoroughbred named Joey. There is a principal human character, a teenager
named Albert Narracott and played with unending earnestness and wonderment by
Jeremy Irvine. The early scenes are through Albert’s eyes as he sees the foal
born and follows him growing up until he’s brought to auction, where his father
(Peter Mullan), a veteran of the Boer War with a bum leg and a drinking
problem, overbids on him as a plough horse just to spite his wealthy landlord
(David Thewlis). Emily Watson is Albert’s stalwart and sensible mother. Their
livelihood in jeopardy if they can’t make their rent, Albert sets his sights on
breaking Joey and having him plough a new field. And goshdarnit, wouldn’t you
guess that he breaks that horse, and that horse defies the odds and
miraculously ploughs that field. But bad luck strikes again and Albert’s father
sells Joey to the army, readying themselves for war with Germany.
