Taking the Michael

More than 20 years after they last turned a book by prolific children's author Michael Morpurgo into a film (When the Whales Came in 1989), there are now two currently either in production or on the verge of release.

Huge excitement awaits the imminent arrival of War Horse (pictured below), which Steven Spielberg has directed straight without the benefit of the amazing equine puppetry which has so distinguished the hit stage show.

However, its setting of The Great War is shared with the latest Morpurgo book-to-screen transfer, Private Peaceful, which has now started shooting in Ipswich and around Suffolk. The youthful case includes George Mackay, Alexandra Roach and ubiquitous former Skins actor Jack O'Connell, 21, already on at least his third film this year.