War Horse tells the tale of a friendship between a boy and horse separated by WW1 where Albert, Joey’s owner, goes looking for him.

Michael Morpurgo invented the tale and so far it has been a storming success. The story has been on our book shelves since 1982 as another one of his many brilliant books. It wasn’t until it was made into a tremendous play, though, that people really recognised it. Steven Spielberg, the director of the film, saw it and apparently cried. The play inspired him to put it onto our screens.

The play and the film are very different. The play has scenes the film doesn’t and vice versa. But both manage to make the audience cry with joy and sadness. The film is more based on the human tragedies in WW1 whereas the play is more focused on the horse.

I liked how the film used the Battle of the Somme as part of Albert’s story which was

not included in the book or the play and although the horses weren’t told how to express their emotions (they’re horses, it would be a challenge!) they seemed to be acting and washed with the story too.

Emma Dolan