1917 (2019) is a glorious visual treat and a very exciting, daring and moving story of two men, Blake and Schofield. These young men are sent on a journey through no-man’s land to deliver a letter containing orders that will, if they succeed, stop a battle and save thousands of lives. Blake was chosen, cynically perhaps—this is the first world war, ‘lions led by donkeys’, after all—because his brother is one of the potential lives.
It is very cleverly shot, much of the camera work being at eye level and seeming to flow alongside the characters as they move through trenches, or through tunnels or even strolling across beautiful countryside. There is much said about it being shot in one continuous take. It wasn’t. It was shot to look like one continuous take. But, whatever, it is a fabulous achievement in artistry and editing. James Bond fans may remember that Sam Mendes, the director, pulled off a similar effect in the opening scene of Spectre (2015) with a continuously shot stroll through the streets, into a hotel room, out of the hotel window and along the rooftops during Mexico City’s day of the dead festival.
There are disturbing juxtapositions in the film between the apocalyptic wasteland of no-mans land with it’s mud, filth, rats, craters and dismembered body parts, and the open, green, beautiful French countryside and downland. At one point Blake and Schofield quite literally walk from the edge of filth into the greenest of grass. There is also a quite beautiful scene of actor and singer Jos Slovick performing a solo of ‘Wayfaring Stranger’, a very moving piece of cinema in the midst of carnage. I defy anyone not to get goose bumps!
George MacKay, Schofield, gives a excellent and energetic performance, with his wide, endlessly watchful eyes, and certainly towards the end of the film, a world-weariness that belied his young years.
One scene in particular I found amusing. Benedict Cumberbatch makes a cameo appearance, as did a few big names; Colin Firth, Richard Madden and Andrew Scott. When Benedict first appears he has his back to the camera and then turns. And my first thought was ‘Sherlock? What’s Sherlock doing in 1917’.
I would like to see more films with this eye level camerawork, it creates a quite intimate setting, as if we are tagging along with the characters for the ride. One could argue that this type of camera work is at the expense of story—the plot is a fairly thin one, just a single journey. However, if we are to follow characters so closely there can be no room for backstory or sub-plot, to jump locations would ruin the flow.
1917 is a bold piece of cinema, and very deserving of it’s awards and accolades. And, I believe, a film that everyone should watch. Humans should use and remember history in order to understand their gravest of mistakes.
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