War Horse Michael Morpurgo. Film/Book.

 
I cheated, yes I did. I watched the film then I read the story. Isn't it supposed to be the other way round? Oh well. I loved both of them and admit to having a bit of a cry when it seemed that Joey wasn't going to pull through. This is the second Morpurgo story that I have reviewed and I am already searching for the next one in keen anticipation. He is a wonderful writer. In a tv interview he talked about his motivation in writing War Horse to show how the second world war has torn the world apart and this comes across poignantly in the film with the massacre of human as well as animal life.
Morpurgo was in the Duke of York. He was asked if he was writing anything at that time. He told the man he had come across an old painting of a cavalry charge during the first world war.One or two of the horses were caught up on the barbed wire. Morpurgo explained that he was trying to write a story about this war seen through the eyes of a horse.......
 
Albert works on a farm for his parents in Devon and when his father goes to market looking for a horse to plough the land he comes home with an expensive but remarkable horse, not exactly what he wanted. Albert forms an incredible and moving attachment with Joey, trains him and basically worships the ground he treads on. Interestingly in the story Joey narrates and shows how intelligent animals are by expressing his thoughts and feelings. I loved that.    
 
With the onset of war, Ted the father sells Joey to the army surreptitiously and when the son discovers this a tear-stained Albert parts from his best friend, tying his father's war ribbons around his harness vowing that they will find each other again and they will be reunited for ever.     
 
Inevitably, Joey becomes one of the hundreds of thousands of  war horses that became associated with the war effort, massacred during battle with their riders, those brave soldiers who fought for our freedom. Joey has a number of owners and we follow his traumatic journey constantly wondering whether Albert is able to keep his promise. Albert signs up hoping that if he goes to France he can find Joey. So does he? We do know that Joey becomes seriously injured and it looks as if he won't make it. The book is more graphic at this point than the film surprisingly and the prognosis doesn't look good. You will have to read it to find out whether Morpurgo opted for a happy or sad ending.
 
Steven Spielberg directed the film which stars Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Tom Hiddlestone and one of my favourites, Emily Watson. It was filmed in Castle Combe, Wiltshire and the writer took on a role as one of the extras-Captain Arthur Budgett. The original painting of Joey hangs proudly in Iddesleigh village hall in Devon. Once again, to serve as a reminder of all the horses whose lives were also torn apart because of the destructive forces of countries at war! This is where Joey's story starts and ends. Farm Boy is the "reluctant" sequel that followed the success for Morpurgo. The stage adaption is currently on at the New London Theatre in Drury Lane near Holborn tube station.
michaelmurpurgo.org
warhorselondon.com  
farmsforchildren.org
 
 
 
Joey on stage.
 
 
 
 
ISBN: 978-4052-26660 available from amazon.co.uk/es
 
Copyright.This review must not be published without the consent of the author. August 2012.

                                          
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Stranger From Lagos by Cyprian Ekwensi

Image
  image courtesy of Google images   Ekwensi was born in Nigeria in 1921. He wrote about the country and people of Nigeria-city life and life in the rural areas. Loko Towns and Other Stories was published in 1966. A Stranger From Lagos was one of the nine stories in that collection.   The writer explores the place of women in society. Lilian is trapped by social conventions. Her fiance treats her like a possession as if he owns her. It is written in third person to allow the writer's thoughts to merge with Lilian's. The protagonist is unable to speak to the stranger in public although it is obvious that there is a strong physical attraction between the two. If Lilian asserts herself she will go against social conventions (for females) and her reputation will be damaged through rife and unhealthy gossip. She will therefore be stigmatised as a loose woman. The story explores her inner conflicts in accepting these "conventions" or flaunting them as well ...
Read more

A Stranger From Lagos by Cyprian Ekwensi Final Part

Image
                                                                    courtesy of Google images Lilian uses her sexuality to liberate as well as attract the opposite sex. Ekwensi uses "wiggled." Lilian had just had her hair done and was wearing very large, loop earrings. This had been done for her lover's benefit. She was conscious of all the eyes watching the two of them. The writer uses the simile: she felt like something projected on a 3D screen for all Onitsha to view. We are told very little about the stranger other than that he was tall and good-looking. We are told he didn't feel embarrassed by all of the attention. He would ruin her reputation...
Read more

A Bit of Singing and Dancing by Susan Hill

Image
Here you'll find 11 varied but intense stories about emotional struggles of ordinary people trying to get to grips with life. For some unfortunates, the adjustment is too great and tragedy is inevitable, something very characteristic of Hill's writing as many of you will already know. A Bit of Singing and Dancing is less dramatic and not quite so tragic. I can stay out here just as long as I like, I can do anything I choose, anything at all, for now I am answerable only to myself. Esme is still coming to terms with her mother's death and her new-found freedom. She is over 50 years of age and has reluctantly been forced into caring for her forthright and domineering bedridden mother for 11 years prior to her death. She had been half-alive satisfying her mother's needs and repressing her own needs and desires. Her mother's death had given her a new lease of life, an unexpected freedom which also attracted fear and bewilderment to someone who had been so sheltered...
Read more