A FOUR-FOOTED PERSPECTIVE ON THE HORRORS OF WAR: "WAR HORSE"

Ok, hand on heart. You have to admit it, in the scheme of things; these fellas often get missed out. Heck, they sometimes don’t even get a mention. Especially if we’re talking about war.  War is horrible, no one wants it, and no matter which way you look at things, a lot of people end up getting hurt and it is an absolute tragedy. Thing is, some of the “people” getting hurt are actually animals. I was on Facebook the other day and saw a very touching picture. A marine and his dog were standing in front of a memorial for all the marine dogs that had lost their lives in battle. The caption read “some heroes have four paws and fur”. I think it’s especially heroic, not least because these animals don’t actually understand what they are fighting for. They trust us. They go along with it. They do their best, sometimes to the bitter end. I think this is the reason films like War Horse is important. Let’s remember our animal friends. Let’s remember their sacrifices too…

Albert Naracott leads a tough life. He lives on a poor farm with his mother and his father, a rather embittered veteran of the Boer wars. His pride and joy is Joey, a beautiful thoroughbred horse his father purchased more on a whim than anything else. At the time, nobody thought anyone could get a day’s farm work out of Joey. But Albert knows he’s special, and so is their friendship. The couple are inseparable, that is, until the First World War Breaks out. The army needs everything, and “everything” includes horses. The family needs money. Albert is heartbroken but Joey is sold to the army. So begins the adventure of Joey. We follow him all through the horrors of the First World War, and thanks to him and the people whose lives he enters; we witness human stories on both sides of the trenches. The horror and fear in the Germans and the British as they prepare to fight each other to the death. The French civilians as they desperately try to survive the horrors ravaging their country. And the animals who are clinging on to dear life just as firmly as the humans…

Now, there are two ways of looking at this film. I could, potentially, be quite mean about it if I wanted to. I mean, this film is the latest incarnation of a genre that my generation has grown up with and lovingly giggled at later on in life. I am talking about films like Lassie, or Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Joey is wonderful, his antics, the way he interacts with other horses and his ever varying tirade of owners brings tears to the eyes… However… I mean I have never owned a horse but seriously… It gets to the point that you begin to expect him to rise up on his hind legs and speak English. Or eat his hay with a knife and fork. I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the film isn’t adorable. (I mean heck, I loved Skippy the bush kangaroo so much, I WANTED a pet kangaroo, just ask my mom if you don’t believe me). But realistic, it definitely ain’t… And I mean, while we’re on the subject of realism, every single filmic cliché is successfully crammed into one film through Joey’s constant changing of hands. I mean, again, since we are talking about a master like Spielberg here, it is all very tastefully done and very well blended but still… A touch of originality now and then would not have hurt. At all.

But, on the other hand, as I said at the beginning of this post, this film makes an excellent point. Animals fought – and still fight – just as much as humans in the wars. They suffered and they died. They changed hands as if they were furniture (which is another subtle point made in the story of Joey) without any consideration for their feelings at all. If nothing else, this story helps us remember them. So go ahead. Watch it. Add some chocolate. Or a glass of wine. And tissues. This film will probably not change your world, it is more goo than anything else, but as they say, a little goo now and then is cherished by the wisest men… I think that’s how that quote went anyway… J

AND A HEART-WARMER TO ROUND IT OFF : "DOLPHIN TALE"

Ok, so, this little lady, the hero of this real life story, is not really dangerous. She’s quite something though; she is a force to be reckoned with. Trouble is she is not actually human either. Some of you might remember the story of Winter, a dolphin in Florida. The film is inspired by her story, although I strongly suspect some of the characters are added on, the main bulk of the story – Winter’s story – is very much a reality. Sawyer is a bit of an oddball. He isn’t good at sport, he isn’t social, and he is kind of closed and quiet. He is nothing like his older cousin Kyle, a successful swimmer, now going into the army, social and outgoing. He is quite content living in a world of his own until coincidence means he runs into a dolphin, trust up in the ropes of a crab trap. She is badly injured, the rope has cut off most of the circulation to her tail and she seems to have lost the will to live. Luckily the marine hospital and aquarium are close by so the dolphin is delivered into safe hands. For Sawyer, this is a revelation. He literally cannot keep away from the marine hospital and in time becomes friends with Winter and the whole staff there including Dr. Clay and his daughter Hazel. The thing is, Winter’s injuries mean her tail has to be amputated. And with the marine hospital risking shutting down due to lack of funds, will anyone want to lend a helping hand /fin to an amputee dolphin? Now, any of you who have actually followed the story in the news pretty much knows what happens. But honestly this is not the main attraction of the film. The story itself, like I said is basically made up – not the winter bit, I strongly suspect the characters around it though. The “lost” boy finding himself through the company of an animal (Free Willy – anyone? And that’s only the latest incarnation) is by no means original. Hazel’s mother – Dr. Clay’s wife – is dead. Sawyer’s father left when he was five. Hint, hint. There is a goofy mascot running around the place (isn’t there always – a rogue pelican of all things). There is a wise grandfather, guiding the way. The two 11 year-olds – a girl and a boy – are clearly each other’s’ true love – they just don’t know it yet. The hospital WOULD be risking shutting down. And as you can probably imagine the cousin comes back from the front injured and depressed (rightly so I might add) but Winter “nurses” him back to life too. Which would be fine in itself if she already hadn’t nursed Sawyer back to life, i.e. they used the same trop twice. It works but I mean, still. Anyway, you get the picture, all the clichés of a feel good movie, and then a few. But it is a true story. The real Winter actually “acts” in it as herself so watching her is fun. And there are quite a few “aww” moments where I went a bit dewy eyed. Not least when Winter turns upside down to show the depressed and now disabled Kyle her amputated stump as if to say “Look, I’m like you”. I just welled up, I will not lie. It’s a good ‘un all in all. I mean it’s not high art. But who cares. Get a glass of wine, a box of chocolates, a couple of good friends and go “aaah” at it. It’ll go down a treat.