WAR HORSE directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis from the book by Michael Morpurgo, with Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. A DreamWorks film. 146 minutes. Opens December 25. For venues and times, see Movies.
Although Jeremy Irvine had no film or TV experience before starring in War Horse, in some ways he was destined to play the part. When his great-grandfather fought in the First World War, he rode a horse that looks remarkably like Joey, the lead “character” in Steven Spielberg’s new epic.
“I’ve got photos: four white socks and a white cross across the nose,” says Irvine, who plays Albert, a country boy who raises Joey, loses him when he’s sold to the British cavalry and then tries to find him by enlisting in the army.
“What’s even more incredible is that at the end of the war, when the horses were auctioned off, mostly for meat, my great-grandfather bought the horse back, just as Albert tries to do. I’ve even got the receipt, and it’s nearly the same amount that Albert offers.”
None of this is a spoiler, of course. War Horse is a family-friendly story based on Michael Morpurgo’s book, and while North American theatre audiences might know it through the inventive stage play currently on Broadway and arriving in Toronto in February, in the UK it’s a cultural touchstone.
“I’d had the book read to me by my parents when I was eight or nine, like most kids, and I remember it having a big impact on me,” says Irvine. “There’s something we can all relate to in the story. We’ve all had that childhood best friend – be it a sister, brother or animal. And we can all imagine what it’s like to have that taken away.”
Unlike his ancestor, Irvine had little contact with horses before the film and had never once got in the saddle. But between auditions, he hung out at stables and consulted his younger brother, who’s training to be a vet, and studied how he related to animals.
The horses – several were used to play Joey – were real pros, too.
“It really did feel like you were acting with them,” says Irvine, who says he only got stepped on once, during the audition process.
“I remember putting my foot in the wrong place and the horse stamped on it. I was desperately trying to portray myself as this master horseman. The tears were real in that scene.”
You’re going to be seeing a lot of Irvine in the near future. He’s currently taping a new BBC version of Great Expectations, opposite Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter, and in 2012 begins filming the war drama The Railway Man with Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz.
He credits Spielberg with helping him feel comfortable in front of the camera.
“He’s incredibly paternal,” says Irvine. “On the back of his chair, instead of saying ‘Director,’ it said ‘Dad.’ And you really felt that sort of genuine care. One of his greatest skills is his ability to put you at ease. The set was massive – trailers, big pieces of machinery – but at the end of the day you got in front of the camera and it was just you, another actor or a horse, and Steven Spielberg.”
Oscar Odds
With its epic scale, heart-rending story and non-partisan look at the effects of war, War Horse should easily score major nominations for best picture, director (Steven Spielberg) and all the design categories. And if Spielberg wins for this and his Tintin picks up best animated feature, he will go down in Oscar history.
Interview Clips
Irvine on comparing the War Horse book, play and movie:
His take on his character, Albert:
On the realism of the war scenes:
glenns@nowtoronto.com
