War Horse Trivia Quiz

Answer: Michael Morpurgo

Morpurgo's children's novel 'War Horse' was first published in 1982. Prior to becoming the basis for the movie it was adapted for the stage, with a play of the same name first performed in 2007 at the National Theatre in London. It has since been on tour in several countries, including the USA, Canada and Australia. Unlike the film, which uses a combination of real horses and CGI, the play is noted for its use of life-size mechanical horse puppets. These puppets have made special guest appearances at several other events, including the equestrian events of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee celebrations in the same year.

Morpurgo was awarded the title of UK Children's Laureate from 2003 to 2005, a position that has also been held by all of the incorrect options.

Answer: Ploughing

The farmer, Ted Narracott, is not a wealthy man and really needs to buy a good plough horse at the local auction. Joey is not at all suitable for this task (plough horses being generally very large, strong breeds compared to lithe and elegant thoroughbreds) but Ted, in a rash act of one-upmanship, outbids his landlord and purchases the horse for 30 guineas. Unfortunately he can't really afford it and is subsequently unable to pay the rent on his farm.

Ted's son Albert amazingly manages to train Joey as a plough horse in an attempt to pay off the debt and in the process builds up a deep and unbreakable friendship with the horse. However, in the end Joey has to be sold - his new owner being Captain Nicholls, a British army officer about to set off for the war.

Answer: His father's regimental pennant from the Boer War

Albert's father, Ted, is depicted as an unreliable alcoholic at the start of the film, but it soon becomes clear that he is still suffering from both the physical and mental scars of serving with the British army in the Second Boer War - when the British fought against Afrikaans speaking South African settlers (or 'Boers') from 1899 to 1902.

Ted's wife had kept the medals he won during the conflict along with his old regimental pennant, which she gives to Albert in an attempt to explain to him the reasons behind his father's behaviour. Albert in turn passes the small flag on to his beloved Joey.

Answer: Captain Nicholls is killed during a cavalry charge and riderless Joey is captured

Joey and Captain Nicholls' first experience of battle is when they take part in a cavalry charge against a German camp. The British army have the advantage of surprise and initially the plan seems to have been a success. However, the German machine guns soon get going and it quickly becomes clear that virtually unprotected men and horses stand no chance against such concentrated firepower. Captain Nicholls is killed and Joey is captured along with his friend Topthorn.

Given the nature of the British defeat, unsurprisingly the German army have little use for captured cavalry horses, which they believe would be unsuitable for the heavy work of pulling equipment. Joey and Topthorn are on the verge of being shot when Joey (a trained plough horse) proves the Germans wrong and allows himself to be harnessed up to an ambulance. Topthorn follows Joey's example and the lives of both horses are therefore saved.

Answer: A windmill

Brothers Michael and Gunther Schroeder are young soldiers assigned to working with the German army's horses. When Michael is assigned to the front line, Gunther gives him Joey's pennant "for luck" but is actually giving himself a means of identifying Michael from the hundreds of other soldiers. Later, he saddles Topthorn and Joey and gallops off after the marching army; he spots Michael, snatches him out of the line and together they make a hasty escape - as deserters. They intend to head for Italy, but stop for the night at a deserted windmill. Unfortunately they are caught hiding there by German soldiers. Sadly, the punishment dished out to deserters (on both sides) in the First World War was death by firing squad.

About 600 French and 300 British and Commonwealth soldiers were executed by their own country during the First World War. This compares to around 50 Germans.

Answer: Emilie

Joey and Topthorn are discovered inside the deserted farm windmill (where they had been left after the Schroeder brothers were captured) by the young granddaughter of the farmer. The girl, whose name is Emilie, brings them water and names them François and Claude after two boys who have 'broken her heart'. Emilie suffers from a disease which causes brittle bones so her grandfather bans her from riding either horse. She eventually wears him down though and sets off on Joey. When they fail to return, both Topthorn and Emilie's grandfather rush to investigate and discover that she and Joey have run into a group of German soldiers. Both horses are quickly confiscated and Emilie is returned to her grandfather in tears. She is left with just the red pennant as her only memento of 'François'.

Celine Buckens is the actress who portrayed Emilie; Rose was the name of Albert Narracott's mother; and Kathleen Kennedy was a producer of the film.

Answer: On the flip of a coin, which the British soldier wins

On being recaptured by the German army, Joey and Topthorn are soon put to work pulling heavy artillery - a task that quickly exhausted horses and led to many of them suffering agonising deaths. It soon becomes clear that Topthorn is now too tired and weak to work further and Joey touchingly takes Topthorn's place in the harness. Despite this reprieve, Topthorn is too ill and soon collapses and dies. Joey desperately attempts to revive him by tugging his reins and nuzzling his head and in his grief-stricken state does not notice the approaching tank until it is almost too late.

Joey is nearly mown down by the tank but escapes by jumping over it (a move taught to him by Emilie, the farmer's granddaughter) and bolts away - only to find himself amongst the trenches of the front line and eventually stuck in No Man's Land with serious injuries.

The next morning soldiers on both sides are amazed to see Joey stuck out amongst the barbed wire. A British soldier ties a white handkerchief to his gun, waves it at the opposing Germans and sets out to rescue the horse. He is soon joined by a German soldier (who has sensibly brought some wire cutters) and the two quickly develop a rapport and work together to save Joey's life. Although the German soldier suggests a boxing match to determine who gets to keep Joey, they soon settle on the flip of a coin.

Answer: Temporary blindness

'Going over the top' is a phrase that refers to the military tactic of climbing out of the trenches and rushing across No Man's Land in the hope of taking the enemy line.

After the gas attack, Albert is next seen in the field hospital, with bandages covering his injured eyes. While lying in bed he hears the story of a horse miraculously found alive in No Man's Land who has been brought to the hospital as the soldiers are unable to find a vet to treat him. He calls to the horse using the special owl-like whistle he trained him to respond to years ago in Devon, and Joey trots over to greet him.

Once the doctor hears Albert and Joey's story (and Joey is cleaned up so the soldiers can see that he matches Albert's description of him), he agrees to treat Joey "like the soldier he is".

Answer: False

It is true that the British army only repatriated horses belonging to officers and, as Albert was only a private, Joey was not included. However, the soldiers club together to collect money to buy Joey for Albert at the auction. Sadly the soldiers are outbid by a French butcher before an old man steps in to buy Joey for 100 pounds.

The old man turns out to be Emilie's grandfather. Emilie has died and he has bought Joey because the horse is his only remaining connection to her. Albert appeals to him, explaining his and Joey's story but the farmer refuses to change his mind. However, when Joey tries to follow Albert and Albert identifies the red pennant as belonging to his father, the grandfather realises that Joey's place is with Albert and hands the horse over. The film ends with Albert and Joey returning together to the Devon farm where the story started over four years earlier.

Answer: Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is one of the most famous and celebrated film directors in the world, responsible for classics such as 'Jaws' (1975), 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982), 'Jurassic Park' (1993), 'Lincoln' (2012) and the 'Indiana Jones' series. Spielberg's films have been nominated for over 100 Academy Awards, including numerous nominations for Spielberg as Best Director. Notably his two successes in this category were both films about the Second World War.

'War Horse' gained six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Score for John Williams.

The other directors listed as incorrect options also won the Academy Award for Best Director during the 1990s.