Inspired by His Equestrian Daughter, Legendary American Director Made This 2011 Film to Pay Tribute to Fallen Horses in World War I

In 1982, a novel by Michael Morpurgo recounted the story of Joey, a horse brought by the British Army for service in World War I, and 15-year-old owner Albert, who was trying to bring Joey home safely. In 2011, the novel was made into a motion picture by the legendary Steven Spielberg. Spielberg had two inspirations for making this film – his daughter Destry Spielberg’s love for horses as an equestrian, and Spielberg’s attempts to pay tribute to the millions of horses that perished during World War I.

In 2011, Steven Spielberg made and released the film War Horse. The movie starred Jeremy Irvine in his debut performance and also had Loki-fame Tom Hiddleston and Doctor Strange-fame Benedict Cumberbatch in supporting roles. The movie was born after Spielberg wanted to fulfill his daughter’s wish.

How Steven Spielberg’s daughter was at the root of this film?

Destry Spielberg, now 26 years old, has been a horse rider from a young age. And a horse lover from an even younger age. Among many competitions, she participated in the Kentucky Summer Horse Show in 2010 and the Longines Masters in Los Angeles among others. Many years ago, when she was a little child, Destry Spielberg watched a movie called ‘Black Stallion’ with her father. Ever since that, she had one constant request for her father – to make a movie about horses.

Steven Spielberg recounted that experience to People magazine in 2011. “I made this movie with her in mind”, said Spielberg to People magazine. Recalling her request to her, Spielberg continued, “‘You’ve got to make a movie with a horse in it,’ so I did”. However, that wasn’t the sole inspiration for the movie. Spielberg, who has humbled the likes of Dwayne Johnson, wanted to put all the effort into making this movie.

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Although Spielberg had grown to love horses due to his daughter, also a showjumper, his interest in history, and especially World Wars had always been a presence in many of his movies. Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, 1941, are just to name a few. However, he was fascinated with the idea of the sheer number of horses that were sacrificed in just World War I.

The film was a way for Spielberg to pay tribute to all the fallen horses

In 2011, Steven Spielberg recounted to The Hollywood Reporter, “I was not prepared for how many millions of horses perished during the Great War — it was over a million. And it wasn’t all in close combat; a lot was just through malnutrition and mistreatment”. Although the movie doesn’t explicitly depict the ordeal of those horses during the Great War, it is Spielberg’s attempt to show the humane side of things, even during a time as devastating as the War.

In the movie, the connection between Albert Narracott aka Jeremy Irvine, and his horse Joey is especially heartwarming. Steven Speilberg paid tribute to all the horses who perished in the Great War from the lens of a teenage boy and the lengths he would go to save his horse. It was his way of showing how detrimental a war can be in more ways than one. And it wouldn’t have been possible if not for his daughter.

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