Update: Watch an exclusive clip of Emily Watson in War Horse. This clip conveys one facet of what Emily is talking about when she said this is an anti-war movie -- not because it has some obvious agenda, but because it does not glorify the harsh realities of war. This scene offers a thought-provoking exchange that would be great for teachers or homeschoolers to use for an essay question or discussion point with kids grades 8-12.
At a roundtable interview in New York City, we sat down with Emily Watson to talk War Horse, motherhood and more. Of course, since I write about kids' movies I was very interested to hear what Emily, a mother herself, had to say about the PG-13 film based on the children's novel (the book is recommended for kids about eight and up). In the movie, Emily plays Rosie Narracott, a devoted mother who suffers poverty and the hardships of war but remains strong and steadfast as she holds her family together.
Emily related that while her own children are too young to attend the film, she sees it as something older kids can relate to in that it's about a boy and his love for his horse. More than that, she says, "It's kind of an anti-war film for kids as well...in a very simple way. War is inhumane. And, the way we treat animals reveals our humanity. You know, it's a very simple thing."
If you're wondering how this movie about war is an anti-war movie, it's all in the treatment of the subject matter. The war is seen through the eyes of a horse, so it doesn't matter to him who is on which side, it's about the way different people treat him and the bonds he forms with kind hearts along the way. Seen through the eyes of a strong and brave horse suffering because of the decisions of humans who control his fate, war seems even more tragic.
When asked which is her favorite scene in the movie, Emily replied, "I think, the no-man's land sequence...that sequence is so powerful. The film, to me, then suddenly elevates into something else." In that particular sequence she was speaking of, after we've seen the horrors of the war from inside the trenches, we see a moment of spontaneous cooperation and friendship between the two opposing sides. The scene really reminds me of the famous Christmas Truce that actually occurred during the war, and it leaves you wondering how the two sides could possibly resume killing each other, which is the same way I felt when I first heard the story of the Christmas Truce. Both in the book and the movie, that scene is a poignant point. Emily went on to say about the scene, "It is so horrific and so pointless, that war. And the real film really gets that I think."
When asked what was the most memorable thing about doing War Horse, however, Emily reminisced about the beautiful location. "I don't know if any of you know Dartmoor," she said, "It's the most beautiful part of the country [England]. It's in the southwest, in the county of Devon, which is very fecund and rich. And it's real, you know, food producing, very traditional, cream and honey and eggs. But in the middle of it is this moorland called Dartmoor. You can stand on it and not be able to see any sign of human habitation whatsoever, with these ancient outcrops of rock. So that, that was pretty special to be there." Thinking of her favorite part of shooting the film, she then added, "But, getting a call from Steven Spielberg is not a bad day. It's not a bad day."
Since the movie is based on a famous book, it's interesting to note Emily's answer to the question, what is your greatest accomplishment as a mother? She related, "...There are things that you don't realize that you're doing that are good. And, I went in to school a few weeks ago and had a meeting with the teacher, and she said, 'You have a lot of books in your house, don't you?...Juliet is just absorbing stories and literature from you having a lot of books and reading a lot in the house.'" Emily went on, "It had never really occurred to me that that was in any way unusual... I guess that's something we're doing right."
If you plan to take your older kids to see the film, you can find printable materials and lesson guides for kids in grades 8-12 on Scholastic.com. Since the movie opens on Christmas, it's a great time to teach kids about the Christmas Truce as well. You can find more info on that on the site Social Studies for Kids. Parents should know, however, that the movie contains intense war violence that could be very frightening or disturbing to kids. And well, it depicts the horrors of war, so it can be disturbing for adults as well. I strongly advise previewing the film if you have any concerns about whether or not it may be appropriate for your child -- it's definitely a lot more intense and graphic than the book. I will be posting a review for parents as well when we get closer to opening day.
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(Photo Courtesy DreamWorks )