War Horse (2011)

Young Albert enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. Albert's hopeful journey takes him out of England and to the front lines as the war rages on.

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Lee Hall (screenplay by), Richard Curtis (screenplay by)

Stars:

Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 71 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Irvine	...	Albert Narracott
Peter Mullan	...	Ted Narracott
Emily Watson	...	Rose Narracott
Niels Arestrup	...	Grandfather
David Thewlis	...	Lyons
Tom Hiddleston	...	Capt. Nicholls
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Maj. Jamie Stewart
Celine Buckens	...	Emilie
Toby Kebbell	...	Geordie Soldier
Patrick Kennedy	...	Lt. Charlie Waverly
Leonard Carow	...	Michael
David Kross	...	Gunther
Matt Milne	...	Andrew Easton
Robert Emms	...	David Lyons
Eddie Marsan	...	Sgt. Fry

Storyline

On the outbreak of the First World War, Albert's beloved horse 'Joey' is sold to the Cavalry by his Father. After being sent to France, in a bid to survive, Joey has an unexpected journey across war torn Europe. Albert enlists in the British Army, and is wounded during the Battle of the Somme. Whilst recovering in Hospital, he learns of a Horse, found in no mans land.

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Plot Keywords:

world war one | horse riding | equestrian | cavalryman | military uniform | 

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Taglines:

Separated by war. Tested by battle. Bound by friendship.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die," edited by Steven Schneider.

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Goofs

The early stages are set in Devon, UK but the village houses are all of Cotswold stone, not usually found in Devon.

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Quotes

Emilie: And you've never done a brave thing in your life?
Grandfather: Maybe there are different ways to be brave. Did you know the French have the best carrier pigeons? And this could be the difference in the war - our messages getting through.
Emilie: I don't want to hear about the birds.
Grandfather: They are released at the front and told to go home - this is all they know. But to get there they must fly over war. Can you imagine such a thing? Here you are flying over so much pain and terror - and you know you can never look down. You...

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #33.92 (2017)

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Soundtracks

Roses of Picardy
Written by Frederick Edward Weatherly (as Frederick E. Weatherly) and Haydn Wood
Performed by John McCormack
Courtesy of RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

With War Horse the usual bloodbath and gory murder scenes are ditched in favour of a genuine story that manages to provoke passion and deep emotion in the audience

When it was announced that Steven Spielberg was directing a film adaptation of War Horse, fans across the UK were a little apprehensive.

After all, the stage play and book were massive hits, so the film would have a lot to live up to. Early reviews are now saying that this film will be in the running for major Academy Awards — a statement that seems accurate after watching the film.

Based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, War Horsedepicts the story of Albert Narracott, played by Jeremy Irvine, and his treasured horse Joey in Britain where World War I is about to begin. Joey is sold to the cavalry by Albert's alcoholic father and finds himself trapped in the devastating fields of war while Albert is trying to find him.

Spielberg finds a balance between heartfelt emotion, especially from seeing the war through Joey's eyes and the people he meets along the way, and the tragic problems the main characters face, for example the separation between Joey and Albert after we have watched them bond and connect in the first part of the film. It is those emotional contrasts that Spielberg translates onto the screen well, perhaps the best one being the contrast between the overall setting of the devastation and trauma of World War I and the love between the main character and his horse portrayed throughout the film.

Although some of the cast are newcomers to cinema, they put on a stellar performance. Jeremy Irvine perfectly portrays on screen the character's determination and devotion to find his horse. Practically unknown before this film, his performance in War Horse has now made him one to watch. The rest of the cast include Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Tom Hiddleston, and Niels Arestrup.

War Horse is the perfect film to settle down with the family for Christmas. It is a touching, beautiful depiction of the relationship between a boy and his horse, and of life in the countryside during World War I. The usual bloodbath and gory murder scenes are ditched in favour of a genuine story that manages to provoke passion and deep emotion in the audience, and overall this fits into the beauty of the narrative.

Check more reviews from The Upcoming on http://www.theupcoming.co.uk/?cat=9

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA India

Language:

English German

Release Date:

25 December 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

War Horse

Filming Locations:

Ditsworthy Warren House, Sheepstor, Devon, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$66,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,515,402, 25 December 2011

Gross USA:

$79,884,879

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$177,584,879

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreamworks Pictures, Reliance Entertainment, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

146 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1