war-horse

InDevon,England,aboycalledAlbertNarracottwatchesthebirthofathoroughbredfoalandwatcheswithadmirationthegrowthoftheyounghorse,gallopingthroughthefieldsathismother'sside.Muchtothedismayofhismother,Rose,Albert'sfather,Ted,buysthecoltatauction,despiteafriendpointingoutamoresuitableploughhorseforhisfarm.Thedesiretospitehislandlord,Lyonsandthenretainhispride,beingtheapparentmotivationsforTedtomakehigherandhigherbidsforthecolt.ThehighcostofthehorsemeansheisunabletopayrenttoLyons,whothreatenstotakepossessionofthefarmifthemoneyisnotpaidbytheautumn.Tedpromisestomeetthedeadline,suggestinghecouldploughandplantalower,rock-filledfieldwithturnips.AlbertnamesthehorseJoeyanddevotesmuchtimetotraininghim.Albert'sbestfriend,AndrewEaston,watchesasAlbertteacheshiscoltmanythings,suchastocomewhenheimitatesthecallofanowlbyblowingthroughhiscuppedhands.Ted,whohasabadlegfromawarinjury,isfrequentlyshowndrinkingalcoholfromaflaskhecarries.RoseshowsAlberthisfather'smedalsfromtheSecondBoerWarinSouthAfrica,whereTedservedasasergeantwiththeImperialYeomanry.Tedwasseverelywoundedinaction,andreceivedtheDistinguishedConductMedalforbraveryunderfire.ShegivesAlberthisfather'sregimentalpennant,tellingAlbertthathisfatherisnotproudofwhathedidduringthewar,andthathehadthrowntheflagandmedalsaway,thoughRosesavedandkeptthemhidden.AlberttrainsJoeyfortheploughand,tohisneighbours'astonishment,preparesastonyhillsidefieldtoplantwithturnips.Howeverarainstormdestroystheturnipfield,sotopaytheoverduerent(andwithouttellingAlbert),TedsellsJoeytoCaptainNicholls,ayoungcavalryofficer,asWorldWarIbreaksout.WhenAlbertfindsoutheconfrontstheofficerandbegsforhimnottotakethehorse.NichollspromiseshewilltakecareofJoeyashisownhorseandhopefullywillreturnhimafterthewar.Alberttriestoenlistinthearmy,butistooyoung.BeforethecaptainleaveswithJoey,Alberttieshisfather'spennanttoJoey'sbridle.JoeyistrainedformilitaryoperationsanddeployedtoFrancewithaflyingcolumnunderthecommandofCaptainNicholls.Cavalrycharges–onceamajorformofwarfarearenowhopelesslyobsoletewhenfacedwithmachineguns,asCaptainNichollsandhisfellowcavalrymendiscoveraftertheychargethroughaGermanencampment.Nichollsiskilledalongwithmostofhisfellowcavalrymen,andtheGermanscapturethehorses.JoeybecomesattachedtoTopthorn,ablackhorsewithwhomhetrainedforhismilitaryrole.ThetwohorsesareusedtopullanambulancewagondrivenbytwoGermansoldiers,Gunther,andhis14-year-oldbrother,Michael.GunthergivesthepennanttoMichaelasagood-luckcharmwhenheisassignedtotheGermanfront,despitebeingtooyoungtofight.Guntherignoresanordertoremainbehindandawaitcalltoalaterposition.Unabletopersuadehisbrothertoremainbehind,GuntherridesJoeyandbringsTopthornalongonhisescapesoheandhisbrothercanridethemtoItaly,atthistimestillneutral.Onenight,Germansoldiersdiscovertheabsentwithoutleavebrothershidinginawindmillandexecutethembyfiringsquadfordesertion.AfterthetwoyoungGermansareshot,Emilie,ayoungFrenchgirlwholivesatthefarmwithhergrandfather,findsthetwohorsesinsidethewindmill.Emiliesuffersfrombrittlebones,andisnotallowedtoridethehorsesforfearoffalling.Later,Germansoldiersarriveandconfiscateallfoodandsuppliesfromtheproperty;EmiliehidesthehorsesinherbedroomtoavoidthembeingtakenbytheGermanstofight.Emilie'sgrandfatherallowshertorideJoeyonherbirthday,andshegallopsthehorseupahill,adjacenttothefarm.WhenEmiliedoesnotcomeimmediatelyback,theGrandfatherworriedlyrunsupthehill.Ontheothersideofthehill,theGrandfatherdiscoversthatEmiliehasrunintothegraspoftheGermansoldierswhowereatthefarmearlier.TheGermansoldierstakethehorses,butthegrandfatherkeepsthepennant.JoeyandTopthornareputtothetaskofpullingGermanheavyartillery,anexhaustingtaskwhichkillshorsesquickly.Thetwohorsesare,however,putinthecareofaGermansoldierwholoveshorsesandwhotriestohelpthemsurvive.Thestorymovesforwardto1918,whereAlberthasenlistedandisfightingalongsideAndrewintheSecondBattleoftheSomme,underthecommandofLyons'sson,David.AfteraBritishchargeintono-man'sland,Albert,Andrew,andotherBritishsoldiersmiraculouslymakeitacrossintoadesertedGermantrench,whereagasbombexplodes,fillingthetrenchwiththewhitechemicalfumesofmustardgas.Meanwhile,JoeyandTopthornhavesurvivedyearsofhardserviceintheGermanarmy–muchlongerthanmosthorseslast–butTopthornfinallysuccumbsanddiesfromexhaustion,whileJoeyandtheGermanprivatecomforthim,pleadingwithhimtonotliedownwherehe'llbeseenandsubsequentlyshot.CorneredbyanadvancingtankJoeyescapesandrunsintono-man'slandwherehegallopsthroughthedevastatingdestructionoftheSommeandgetsentangledinbarbedwire.FromtheirrespectivetrenchesbothBritishandGermansoldiersspotJoeyinthemist,althoughdisbelievingatfirstthatahorsecouldhavesurvivedthebattle.Colin,aBritishGeordiesoldierwavingawhiteflag,crossesNoMan'sLandatJoey'ssidetotryandcoaxhimtotheBritishside.Peter,aGermansoldierfromDüsseldorf,comesoverwithwirecutters,andtogethertheyfreeJoeyfromthebarbedwire.Theyflipacointodecidewhoshouldtakepossessionofthehorse;Colinwins,guidingJoeybacktotheBritishtrench,havingformedastrangefriendshipwiththesoldieronthesidehehasbeeninstructedtokill.ThefilmshiftsbacktoAlbert'