War Horse
Movie, 2011, The 2010s, Set in World War I
War Horse is #27 of 35 in release order and #27 of 35 in chronological order in the Steven Spielberg.
The story
On the brink of the First World War, Albert's beloved horse Joey is sold to the Cavalry by his father. Against the backdrop of the Great War, Joey begins an odyssey full of danger, joy, and sorrow, and he transforms everyone he meets along the way. Meanwhile, Albert, unable to forget his equine friend, searches the battlefields of France to find Joey and bring him home.
War Horse recap
War Horse (2011) follows Joey, a Devon farm horse sold to the British Army in 1914, through the First World War, and the young man who goes looking for him. Steven Spielberg directs this adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel, which had become a stage play. Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) raises and trains the colt after his father Ted (Peter Mullan) overspends to buy him at auction, and Joey saves the farm by ploughing a stony field. When rain ruins the crop, Ted sells Joey to Captain James Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston), who promises to look after him. Nicholls dies in a cavalry charge against German machine guns, and Joey and another horse, Topthorn, pass to the Germans, then to two young German deserters who are executed, then to a French girl, Emilie (Celine Buckens), and her grandfather (Niels Arestrup), then back to the German artillery. Albert enlists when he is old enough. War Horse came out days after The Adventures of Tintin and precedes Lincoln in Spielberg's career.
War Horse ending explained
War Horse ends with Albert riding Joey home to the farm at sunset. Topthorn dies of exhaustion, and Joey bolts across no man's land and is tangled in barbed wire, until a British and a German soldier cut him free together under a truce. Albert, temporarily blinded by gas, recognises Joey by his owl call just before an officer shoots the horse. At the war's end, Emilie's grandfather outbids Albert's comrades at auction, then gives Joey back to Albert along with his father's regimental pennant.
Post-credits scenes
No. War Horse has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch War Horse
War Horse isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 74%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Adventures of Tintin, before Lincoln.
- Chronological order: after The Adventures of Tintin, before Lincoln.
Cast
- Jeremy Irvine as Albert Narracott
- Peter Mullan as Ted Narracott
- Emily Watson as Rose Narracott
- Niels Arestrup as Grandfather
- David Thewlis as Lyons
- Tom Hiddleston as Capt. James Nicholls
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Maj. Jamie Stewart
- Céline Buckens as Emilie
- Toby Kebbell as Geordie Soldier
- Patrick Kennedy as Lt. Charlie Waverly
- Leonard Carow as Michael
- David Kross as Gunther
Directed by Steven Spielberg.