War Horse (2011) - Joey saves his friend

This is a Steven Spielberg's movie. Thus, the quality of production and cinematography is as good as it gets.
If Steven wanted, he could have made this as gory and horrific as "Saving Private Ryan", but he opted out to go more "family film" movie way to reach more audiences. Normally, I would mind this (romanticizing war), but since this story is about a horse rather than people in the trenches, I get it.
Still, there are scenes that are particularly hard to watch because it is so sad. Yeah, mostly because it shows the suffering of animals, specifically horses in the Great War.
I can take and tolerate a lot when it comes to peoples' suffering in movies, its movie after all. But animal suffering is whole another thing, movie or not, can't help it.
The scene I really wanted to show you guys, is the one where Joe - the "Warhorse" desperately tried to come back to the British lines across the "No mans land" after finally losing his friend (the black horse that he saves in this clip), but no matter what editing I tried, YT wouldn't allow it.
It wouldn't let me to show you full extent of this scene either (pulling of the cannon).
Either way, this is another memorable scene of many in this great movie for another reason too.
I particularly liked the detail when all of the horses although "beaten" up to the point of collapsing due to exhaustion, all noticed when the officer killed the one that just couldn't continue on. Sure adds to the atmosphere where you can see they are scared and exhausted and know what will happen to them if they can't go on anymore.
I actually missed it the first time, so I made sure you wouldn't.
This movie is definitely "Don't miss out" material!

[@darkmatters3821]

Joey should've won an Oscar for his amazing performance on this movie

[@pibmovieclips]

All nine horses they used as Joe ;)

[@darkmatters3821]

I’m sure they wouldn’t mind to share :)

[@ayoubmonno9662]

Respect for all animals who gave their lives for the war.

[@pibmovieclips]

Often neglected subject. Thousands of pigeons were killed or injured whilst delivering messages, dogs looking for the living in the no mans land or delivering health kits, horses worked to their deaths in logistics and other animals on a smaller scale. Add Human suffering to this and it was true Hell on Earth. Unimaginable.

[@lukewarmfacts5107]

They didn't really give their lives they didn't have a say in what happened to them... But still rip🙏

[@rovelynpagaduan1800]

They did not gave their lives in the war. They were forced.

[@AmericanMilitaryHistory]

Yep let's just ignore the actual human being's.

[@pibmovieclips]

@@AmericanMilitaryHistory I don't think he meant no disrespect to the soldiers, simply paying respects to often forgotten animals. But I see your point though.

[@erinbuchanan3909]

This was a very hard scene to watch and I learnt something when I did. This is the reality of War, we see the pain on both sides and the phrase "The war has taken everything" defines it perfectly. When the man placed his gun to the horse's head, it would have been a much kinder death than what it probably would have had. A swift and painless relief from the pain and loss war creates. The horses didn't ask to be placed in cavalry, but neither did the soldiers who were drafted up that day and taken from their lives and family only to lose it in the middle of nowhere. Lets hope that in the world we live in now, we never have to come to such a decision so evil as to tear worlds and lives apart.

[@pibmovieclips]

Well said Erin. Horrific looking, but Mercy indeed. His friend collapsed exhausted with his torn and aching body not long after anyway. Too bad in such a horrific times, suffering of animals were second to their purpose in war, but its understandable. If you can't do what you're supposed to, putting you down is the only option, there wasn't enough care available for the men in the trenches, nevermind a Will to help (and spent resources) on animals. It was easier to replace them with the horses stolen from the conquered territory and use them until they die with minimal calculated care to prolong their usefulness and that's it. I think that the WW1 trenches specifically were the most horrific place ever to be at in our whole history to date.

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@pibmovieclips This is what caused my breakdown in History and I was shaking too much that I wanted to be sick. I hated my friends for being disrespectful

[@nicolelawless3199]

I got cold for a minute and that’s how my breakdown over the war was caused

[@pibmovieclips]

@@nicolelawless3199 It's good to see that at least some young (i presume) people take interest in history and can shown compassion and respect even to people long gone.

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@pibmovieclips Yes, I’m only almost 19 and I’m very sensitive with the war. A month from today, I’ll be marking 4 years with the First World War and I’m surprised it’s lasted this long

[@kevinadamson6830]

Horses Never has there been a more faithful and intuitive creature. Better than man

[@LoudaroundLincoln]

And we trained them to ride into shield walls, and infantry squares and eventually machine guns.

[@rafehaslam5380]

This scene was absolutely legendary

[@pibmovieclips]

The whole movie is pretty epic

[@rafehaslam5380]

@@pibmovieclips lol yr

[@rafehaslam5380]

@@pibmovieclips ye*

[@nicolelawless3199]

It was but by June 2017 the emotions on the First World War really started to stress me out and it started in History Year 9

[@nicolelawless3199]

I was only starting to understand the affects of the war and it pushed me to far

[@Littlebigwolfie24]

My respect for the animals who gave their lives for each other and the soldiers of the two world wars. Even though this is only a film but War Horse does highlight the reality of war, pain and stuffing that the real animals went through especially war horses. I honestly cannot imagine how they would have been feeling during this time period of the 20th century. Huge amount of respect for Joey to "sacrifice" himself for Topthorn in this scene before Topthorn sadly passed away due to the heavy work loads that the soldiers forced on the war horses without allowing the horses a proper break (rest) for food and water.

[@joewhitehead3]

Joey was a true soldier & a good friend to Topthorn

[@samosullivan1744]

Topthorn’s reaction at 0:57 just breaks my heart!

[@flaafeon]

The beginning of this scene is so similar to Spirit.

[@pibmovieclips]

I think I did come across that one - could you remind me the Year and full name? I couldn't find it to check it, since the Comics Spirit version is what always comes up. But as far as I remember, it was too much of a "family movie" for me to watch the whole thing - but it was good, just no for me.

[@malena5026]

@@pibmovieclips its really good you should watch it really „Spirit- Stallion of the Cimmaron (2002)Hans zimmer did great soundtacks the opening Scene alone is just beautiful

[@pibmovieclips]

@@malena5026 Oh, Hans Zimmer? No one better, he's guarantee of epic soundtrack. Thanks for the tip!

[@cha_hoe]

the train scene from spirit stallion of the cimarron? that movie was epic

[@Averdult]

I like how you let us break it down at the end and slow down the scene crazy how they filmed this

[@pibmovieclips]

It's really easy to miss, but very touching detail. I didn't want you guys to miss it.

[@nicolelawless3199]

Even I would manage it because I love the First World War in a bad way

[@mack495]

Joey willingly sacrificed his own life to potentially save a horse that he was first rivaling against.

[@pibmovieclips]

I didn't know that! Was that actually in the movie or you know that from the book?

[@irayulianasimatupang]

But both the horses and the soldiers that rides them are a good friends. When I watch the movie, I think those soldiers that play by Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch was friends but in a healthy rivalry friendship. Joey and Topthorn was matched immediately when they met.

[@Zenith7jpg]

Pretty sure they were like best friends

[@nicolelawless9942]

@@irayulianasimatupang Exactly what happened between me and the war almost 12 years ago, I was only turning 10 when we met and our bond has grown stronger over the last 13 years

[@danielleharrison5765]

I know this is just a movie but someone tell me why the horses have more common sense than people

[@pibmovieclips]

I'm human so I am biased - just to put it out there. But, the WW1 was truly more horrific experience and real "Hell on Earth", even more so than average WW2 battle. (there were some "Hell on Earth" battles too in WW2, but not as often as in WW1) With prospects of surviving the war even lower than in WW2, or ever for that matter, one could easily imagine that you will fall into one of three categories if you took part. 1st - you're dead - problems solved. 2cnd - you're scarred for life (shell shock, actual injuries), and 3rd - you have somehow managed to go through it all uninjured (physically) without sustaining mental breakdown (shell-shock, or instant mental trauma of other nature) there and then, but not one person went through it without developing some form of PTSD down the line that usually haunted them into their grave. Unimaginable things they saw and endured. How? Because most have "adjusted", became "numb" to it all. It became "normal" to them, so that they can fight a think straight in the most horrific situation that would render "normal" none-combat experienced person "frozen in shock" and got them killed or their friends faster. It wasn't a luxury they had. We can't even imagine what those guys went through on daily basis for years. Our present day problems wouldn't even show on their "radar" to pay any attention to them, or take any of it seriously, or experience any sort of stress or sense of urgent remedy in comparison to it. It would be like living in heaven - careless - to them. Well, that finally brings me into my answer to your question. At that stage in war, it is quite likely that they would be "numb" already. Most likely have seen countless friends die in most horrific ways to the point of when they stopped to even learn names of new "replacements". Refused to. Didn't want to know anything about them to make them care, knowing it will just cause them more pain down the line seeing them dying - of that, they were certain unless they would go "first". Thus, paying attention to animal suffering in those circumstances would be too much to ask for (as cruel and insensitive as it sounds). Everything and everybody including themselves turned into a cog in one massive machine, performing a specific task that they were being assigned to. If they can't perform the task, well, time to replace the "faulty" cog. Just another accurate detail that people like me notice and appreciate in such movies as this, adding to the sadness of the situation - but that is what it was, and is totally understandable. No-one in WW1 after his first month thought that he could survive the whole thing. Death was everywhere and so random, that to everyone involved (on both sides) it was just a question of time when they would be "next", hoping that they get lucky and it would be quick. Perhaps being blown into smithereens by a shell, instead of blown intestines at the hands of machine-guns, or bayonet. So how come horses have more common sense? Well, no matter how much they had suffer as a logistical "tool" - they didn't experience the true horror of a man in the trenches. Even if some got shot or blown by artillery here and there, or collapsed out of exhaustion, or wounds sustained that didn't get tended to - it was still a far cry from what Humans did go trough. Sadly, many mental breakdowns were considered cowardice - and instead of compassion and understanding they got bullet (shot court martial-ed) - 346 to be precise. Which doesn't seem that high - but considered that 200 000 were initially sentenced to dead, but thankfully the sentence got never carried out due to new "medical" condition called shell shock - as confirmed by the medical staff. I dare anyone to put "shell shock" into KZbin and learn about it, finding out that what you see cannot be explained due to any physical injury (they had none), thus - must have been related to other kind of trauma - where psychology began and got taken more seriously. Look at those poor souls, and try to imagine what had mentally "torn" them so much - that they are like that. "Unimaginable" - 20 000 in total turned into what you see and never truly recovered. That is why horses might have more common sense, humans couldn't or were not capable of caring anymore. Else they couldn't do a one more minute in there without a "breakdown". Sorry for the essay :D, I'm very passionate about history, and I do appreciate what those boys went through. Hopefully, so that we will never have to again. Sadly, as of 2009, we got no more veterans of WW1 left. May they all rest in peace.

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@pibmovieclips I’ve not seen their graves in over a year and that affect med me a lot in the first lockdown

[@nicolelawless3199]

Really want to go back and see them and tell them all where I was all this time

[@pibmovieclips]

@@nicolelawless3199 Not to worry, you should be able to soon enough. What is even a Year in comparison to eternity?

[@austinporter6701]

@@pibmovieclips it always amazes me the stories from.combat that you couldnt even possibly think of untill it happens from ww1 stories to today like the terroists putting anti aircraft guns in basements waiting for marines to kick in the door

[@Zenith7jpg]

Joey and Topthorn will always be the best duo

[@Steve-oh9tu]

Made a grown man cry.

[@pibmovieclips]

You should see the part where Joe's friend die of exhaustion and wounds, and then Joe tries to storm back to his own side (he was captured by the Germans) at all cost, only to get stuck (by barbed wire) in the no mans land. That was really hard to watch even for someone like me.

[@Steve-oh9tu]

@@pibmovieclips , I did last night when I watched the whole movie. I just happen to be on KZbin looking around because it was such a good movie. I almost wanted to turn it off it was heart wrenching.

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@Steve-oh9tu This was my very first war movie I loved. But my friends were so disrespectful while watching in History and I said ‘don’t listen to them war, you’re with me now’

[@nicolelawless3199]

I’ve had an amazing almost 4 years with the First World War and it’s still going

[@shawnofdanaukota3843]

Not to me, it’s war people die.

[@shibasishbiswas3855]

Another masterpiece by steven spielberg. I have original DVD of this Film.

[@AceThyme]

Me and my cousin went to that hill and it is surprisingly steep

[@pibmovieclips]

Oh, it looked like it must have been an absolute b*tch to climb, let alone to pull heavy artillery.

[@pibmovieclips]

@@splashyt2986 I would love to know myself. Are you thinking about visiting?

[@pibmovieclips]

@@splashyt2986 I would go visit for a weekend trip, it shouldn't be that far away for me TBH. I'm in UK so 2 hours flight will get me pretty much anywhere within France. But not possible right now anyway, never ending lockdowns everywhere.

[@pibmovieclips]

@Kylie Dalton He survived the movie :), that actual war horses are of course all long gone.

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@pibmovieclips I hate seeing horses die because I’ve seen my friends horse lame in December 2019

[@annamcdonald1243]

How TF did the horse get to be such a good actor

[@pibmovieclips]

“The horses were amazing, Spielberg told Harris. “Joey had a sense of what was happening in the scene. Joey added things, as the cameras were rolling, that none of us ever asked for, that brought a performance to [the audience] that we didn’t expect when we made the movie.” Actually, “Joey” was performed by a company of 14 equine actors, among the over 100 horses used in the film." [Explore Entertainment Article 2011] - They were cast just like humans, to see whether they can perform :)

[@Wickedreptiles]

Poor horses

[@pibmovieclips]

The scene I described in the description was one of the hardest ever to watch. Sadly, during such a times animal cruelty wasn't even a thing. But then again, it was hell on earth for the humans too. We better never forget.

[@AmericanMilitaryHistory]

Good God can we please not forget the human being's who are getting shelled constantly and forced to carry huge artillery's pieces over hill's? It feels like people have more sympathy for an animal than a man.

[@Wickedreptiles]

@@AmericanMilitaryHistory I feel bad for the ones that were forced to fight in a war they didn’t want to but reserve no sympathy for people who willing volunteer to go, they new it wasn’t going to be easy and they went anyway and that’s why I don’t feel sympathy for them on the contrary I have tremendous respect for the men and women that fight our battles. Men were also not being beat to death just to get some ammo up a hill.

[@TheDanks]

@@AmericanMilitaryHistoryI’m sure everyone in their lives has paid respect to veterans and mourned people who lost their lives during wars at least once. But guess what, not everyone thinks about animals, and when people start having a chat about them in a comment section of a video clipping a scene from a literal movie about horses in war, you start acting like humankind is oppressed. You need to read the room, nobody in their right mind would cry during a wedding, and nobody, at least normal behaving citizens, would dance during somebody’s funeral, yes?

[@kelseylewnes9179]

Its do cute how joey goes and stands there so his friend will be safe

[@nicolelawless3199]

That’s me and I’m very protective over the war and if anyone says anything about it, I start lashing out at them. No one understands these days

[@nicolelawless9942]

6 years later and I’m still very protective over the First World War, nothing has changed since

[@jjrj8568]

Man, Spielberg knows how to direct animals.

[@murdoch691]

The horse joey is the only reason I love this film he's such a brave boy

[@jjs1300000]

My heart goes out to the animals and people who died in this war.

[@johnbemery7922]

This movie starts out depressing and goes downhill from there.

[@nicolelawless9942]

Saving private Ryan is way better and nerve wrackingly intense

[@TheDanks]

@@nicolelawless9942Different movies, different perspectives. You could call SPR a better movie if this movie was even anything related to it. One was about human struggle, and one was about animal struggle.

[@nicolelawless9942]

@@TheDanks Come and See tops it though, I love it so much but I was traumatised by how the lead character Floyra aged throughout

[@albertluspe2936]

The horse joey love his friend he sacrifices

[@pibmovieclips]

It was the most heartbreaking scene later in the movie when his friend finally collapsed and died, and then watch Joey's sorrow. He did his best to protect him, but his friend couldn't carry on no more.

[@nicolelawless3199]

I remember when the First World War protected me from going on a full meltdown which I ended up almost hurting myself. Good thing the First World War is still here

[@zeuovelightning3510]

Wdym Nicole?

[@SamhainBe]

They too served - so many noble animals wasted...

[@christopherrobin8101]

Still my favorite movie😢😢

[@jonathanabeles3772]

0:53 German officer: NO NO! THE BIG BLACK ONE! Topthorn: me?

[@Hehehehhehehehehehehehhe78]

I love horses

[@rune.theocracy]

Just wanna point out this scene isn't accurate or realistic but it's counterintuitive to place the howitzers on top of the hill rather than behind or beside them because putting them on top of the hill gives it no advantages, rather it makes it an even easier target for enemy artillery to hit them rather than using the hill as cover thus it makes more sense to just keep the howitzers behind the hill rather than taking it up with the horses. Yes, the horses died for no other good reason but to make the scene more dramatic. I know I'm nitpicking but I just wanted to point this out.

[@pibmovieclips]

You will definitely loose concealment but gain range in exchange. You might end up in position that you can shoot at enemy and he can't reach you even if he sees you.

[@Gkm-]

Epic scene

[@geovannomozes7010]

bro they act really well

[@jimmccormack7507]

Best of the best.

[@WQuantrill]

Hitler apparently hated to see cruelty towards animals in movies and would close his eyes and have an aid inform him when such scenes were over. I wonder if his experiences in WWI were the origin of this.

[@dotfern3010]

Great... Movie...! Brave and courageous horse: Joey... 🐴❤

[@EvoPulpPatriot]

Sacrifice is everything

[@pibmovieclips]

for the right thing though.

[@liamholmes9169]

Joey reminds me of Jeremy Simms.

[@allerickcold715]

This is just a movie but I have a feeling animals do this in real life.

[@jimmccormack7507]

Exactly.

[@jimmccormack7507]

Strong.

[@xoxomaya8370]

I cried when Topthorn dies I felt so bad for Joey

[@adelenasha4608]

Am I the only one that notices but the horses are being treated like slaves

[@pibmovieclips]

Well they are, to us humans - war or not. Not like they have a free will to leave at any point or get paid for their "servitude" to us. That goes for all animals, pets included - but at least they're considered family member for the most part. But if that is any consolidation to you, objectively, they do live better and happier lives in our care for the most part - during a peace time. In war, such luxury - to "care" - is not extended upon humans, nevermind towards animals. War is hell, pray we will never see one again.

[@adelenasha4608]

@@pibmovieclips true and yeah hope no more wars happend.

[@drakocapone2741]

Am I the only one noticing you feeling more compassionate towards the animals that are being treated like slaves rather than being heartbroken don’t the fact that you can even compare the treatment of an ANIMAL TO THAT OF AN ENTIRE RACE OF HUMAN BEINGS HOW CAN WE COMFORTABLY NOTICE AN ANIMALS CRUELTY OR MISTREATMENT BUT NOT THAT OF ANOTHER HUMAN I THINK US AND THE HORSES SHOULD HAVE ALL ENSLAVED AND FUCKED OVER YALL THROUGHOUT HISTORY YALL LITERALLY DESTROY EVERYTHING AND ARE NOTHING BUT DEATH ON EARTH

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@adelenasha4608 What about the conflict in Israel and Gaza? It’s haunting me

[@nicolelawless3199]

I’m really stressed out about being at war or something or is it me just over reacting? My emotional issues have got bad over time

[@jimmccormack7507]

Exactly

[@hollynagy8078]

If only joey knew....

[@jimmccormack7507]

The strongest.

[@Yartrax-930]

British Horse : have a anti-bullet effect that allow cavalry to get 0 dead and 0 wounded after charging a MG nest. German Horse : normal. -fuck this shit...

[@spiridoulaathanasopoulou9244]

Huge bits😢

[@valiantzildjian1021]

And I am watching this video because i played Red Dead Redemption 2

[@siddhantburathoki2131]

What movie man👌👌👌

[@HuntersStation]

my great grandfather got shot in ww2

[@Incorruptus1]

Humans...ufff.

[@minarii-chan2685]

Why Werner Ziegler is the officer?

[@St4r.bubblezh34rt]

What if Joey never saved Zoey-

[@memphisnodestine8872]

He saved tophorn or topthrone

[@pibmovieclips]

Was that his name? I totally forgot and couldn't find it no more. His Death (later) was one of the saddest things I saw on the silver screen.

[@memphisnodestine8872]

@@pibmovieclips yeah it was. My teacher was sad. We did a book comparison

[@pibmovieclips]

@@memphisnodestine8872 That is awesome!

[@nicolelawless3199]

@@pibmovieclips And me. That’s when my love on the First World War went down the hill. I even kept getting cuts from stress and scratched them viciously

[@nicolelawless3199]

It felt the First World War was controlling me but it’s not now

[@kelseylewnes9179]

Oops i meant to say "so"

[@cazador7131]

Are they shooting the horses?

[@pibmovieclips]

Once they can't go on, they do.

[@nicolelawless9942]

@@pibmovieclipsIt’s better than seeing them suffer because i had seen one of my friends horses die at horse riding 3 years ago and I’m still not over that hell. I stopped going after Tasmin one of the horses who died in a painful way; I’ll never forget my friends text messages about the horse that night

[@pibmovieclips]

@@nicolelawless9942 Sorry to hear that, but yeah, it's our duty to end their suffering for them when necessary, since they cannot do it themselves. Any other option would be inhuman.

[@aluben7116]

sick as fuck outro

[@shobhithkumar5378]

Aadmi naam se nahi kaam se jaana jaata hai.

[@pibmovieclips]

mujhe dar hai ki main aapakee tippanee ka paalan nahin karata, haalaanki apane aap mein kaaphee sahee hai

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

animals should not be involved in human politics or war.

[@pibmovieclips]

Is like saying: Humans shouldn't be included in animal politics of food chain. It's inevitable based on position of power. It is what it is. In war and love, anything goes. You go to real (untouched) nature and meet a tiger (any predator), you better be packing or count your blessings. That being said, it is truly heart breaking.

[@joewhitehead3]

& that’s why stories like this are created

[@mayvalateri]

Honestly enjoyed the book better but the movie is okay

[@pibmovieclips]

Didn't know there was a book, but I shouldn't be surprised, there usually is, or at least vaguely based on. Which is by no means a bad thing.

[@nicolelawless3199]

When joey was sent to the war, that’s where I stopped reading it

[@mayvalateri]

@@pibmovieclips movie is really fast paced compared to the book

[@bishnukarki7010]

Horse

[@ВашместныйагентКГБ]

For some reason some of these Germans to me have American accents.

[@AmericanMilitaryHistory]

Ah yet another terribly inaccurate movie that demonizes humans and play's on old tropes of the "evil dumb officer".

[@anothernpc4943]

Demonizes germans as always even in a ww1 movie

[@AmericanMilitaryHistory]

@@anothernpc4943 I don't get why movies feel the need to make German soldiers out to be evil, and uncompassionate. Yes we all know what happened in WW2 and nobody is excusing it however not ever single German solider was involved. WW1 is even worse though, most German soldier's were fighting for the same reason's that the French, British and Russians where fighting. country, family, conscripted, ect. I had a family member who fought for the Germans in WW1, I think it's wrong to just demonize them because they weren't on our side. My great grandfather served in the U.S. Army in WW2 his son my grandfather would always say to me "not all German soldier's were evil". My great grandfather, who fought them said the same thing's.

[@abeddomaine700]

الفلم كامل من فضلك

[@luisxd8288]

This is way to fake for me

[@pibmovieclips]

Which aspect?

[@danielepilypaviciute588]

@this esme

[@pibmovieclips]

you're Joey?

[@danielepilypaviciute588]

@@pibmovieclips this esme has a horse named joey

[@pibmovieclips]

@@danielepilypaviciute588 XD, well that makes more sense now :)

[@anothernpc4943]

Anti german propaganda

[@pibmovieclips]

Eh? Did you even see the movie?

[@ЛуизаТокторалиева]

З

[@romperstomper9113]

I own a war horse

[@pibmovieclips]

?

[@romperstomper9113]

@@pibmovieclips my horse doc holiday has the family tree of a quarter war horse

[@pibmovieclips]

@@romperstomper9113 Lucky you then.

[@catlikepizzagaming8280]

You would be hard pressed to find a less shit movie