Spent a wonderfully satisfying afternoon yesterday viewing Stephen Spielberg's recently released film "War Horse"(2011). Based on a children's book by Michael Morpurgo (which I haven't read), the story follows an intelligent and loyal horse from Devon, England, as he passes through the lives of several people during the World War I era. From the opening sequence, depicting the colt's birth, young Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) feels an attachment for the animal.When the horse, still young and untrained, is put up for auction in the village, Albert's father stubbornly wins the bid against his landlord and brings him home, much to the disgust of his wife Rose, who expected him to bring home a horse for the farm work. Albert, thrilled, names him Joey, and faithfully trains him. When war comes, Albert's father (in need of money for the rent due on the family farm) sells Joey to the British army and a new master. With Ted Narracott's Boer War pennant tied to his bridle, thus begins the Joey's journey into the hell of war-torn Europe. Spielberg has done a wonderful job in relating the story of this magnificent horse and the friends he makes through the years, set against the backdrop of war with all its horrors and miseries for both humans and animals. The horse is the major star in this story, and Spielberg made the right decision to do the film that way. The other characters are important to the story, but the audience is swept along and views the horse's experience through his viewpoint. Even though you do root for Albert, once he is in France as a soldier, to finally locate his horse, it is the horse you wish to see triumph even more. And all along the adventure, the audience is treated to some marvelous setpieces: Joey's birth in a Devon pasture; his first battle in France against the Germans; the awful suffering in pulling the German guns across the land; the death of Joey's friend, the big black horse Topthorn; the beauty of the Devon farmlands and villages; the terrors of being gassed in the trenches. John Williams' wonderful score is so appropriate and moving. Most of the human roles (with the exception of Albert) are small but well cast: Emily Watson and Peter Mullen as the Narracotts are fine; Benedict Cumberbatch as Major Stewart; Tom Hiddleston as Captain Nicholls; Patrick Kennedy (from "Bleak House") Eddie Marsan, and Toby Kebbell as British soldiers, and Celine Buckens as a young French girl all add richness to the storyline in their parts. Spielberg didn't skimp on accurate details concerning the use of horses during World War I and should be commended for this. Hundreds of thousands of horses and mules died on the battlefields in Europe, many were sent from the United States and Canada.Those left alive at the end of the war were auctioned off. Yes, at times the film maker is a bit sentimental and sappy and does his best to tug the viewer's heartstrings, but why not? With its universal themes of friendship, separation, longing for home, unexpected kindness, and heroism, Spielberg has created a beautiful and moving saga that is definitely easy on the eyes and will linger on in the memory long afterward. I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen; for my time and money, it was totally worthwhile.