One of the most unique theatrical viewings I experienced was 2019’s 1917 (trailer). It was not until about 15-ish minutes in did I realize that Skyfall director, Sam Mendes, was attempting to deliver what would be a film perceived as one non-stop (minus one clear cut), continuous real-time take! Dean Charles-Chapman and George MacKay portray Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield, respectively. They are retrieved from their midday nap at the film’s beginning and tasked with delivering a message to General Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch) to immediately halt launching an offensive that will certainly lead 1,600 troops marching into guaranteed death.
After they received their orders and worked their way through their base’s trenches and into No Man’s Land, I realized this was being done without any obvious camera cuts and presented in real-time. Another reason why so long went by without noticing this feat was from being swept up in the cinematic presentation of World War I. Since first seeing this in the theaters upon its release and this 4K UHD Re-watch, I have since viewed Peter Jackson’s documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, which is all about the WWI lifestyle and colorizes lost/discovered WWI footage. It made so many shots come across differently on this second viewing.
Watching Blake and Schofield tiptoe and stealth their way across No Man’s Land and the enemy’s maze of trenches was a gripping experience. Seeing this in 4K made the queezy visuals of death pop off the screen as they worked their way past fallen soldiers and horses strewn about the middle ground. Things take a sudden turn when just under halfway through the film when Blake is slain by an enemy, and now Schofield, who until this point was portrayed as meek and reluctant, must deliver the orders on his own. That scene is tremendous; seeing the instant wave of emotions that rush across Schofield’s face in mere seconds and realizing how the mission parameters have drastically changed is one of many powerful moments in the film.
Following Schofield’s newfound determination to make haste to his destination is a deceptively long journey as he, shortly after that, tags along with a squadron of soldiers. Blake then makes his way across a series of ruins while being pursued by the enemy before ultimately making it to his final destination at the last possible moment in a heroic dash across the battlefield that leaps to life with an uplifting score. MacKay’s facials from beginning to end are in a class of their own that puts the exclamation point on pivotal scenes like Blake’s aforementioned demise, especially the frenzied look on his face when barreling through allied ranks to deliver the orders to General MacKenzie in time. In the closing moments, Schofield tracks down Blake’s brother to relay the heartbreaking news of his sibling’s death and then briefly walks off to sit down and take in his trek while reflecting on his family photos. It is a goosebump-inducing scene I found myself rewinding to take in repeatedly and serve as a superbly produced endpoint to an outstanding film from beginning to end.
The 4K and BluRay discs in this combo pack have the same extra features. There are two commentary tracks: one with the director, Sam Mendes, and the other with the director of photography, Roger Deckins. I took in the Mendes commentary, and while soft-spoken, he has an abundance of production stories, insights, and reflections with few, if any, noticeable lulls in his track. Some commentary moments that stood out were putting his 007 production knowledge to good use here. Mendes has plenty to say about all the performances in the film and was respectfully introspective on the movie’s closing moments. There are five behind-the-scenes extras totaling around 40 minutes in length. Two are must-watches: Allied Forces: Making 1917 elucidates the state-of-the-art camera work that made the “one-take film” possible, and In the Trenches details MacKay and Chapman immersing themselves in their roles and looking back at their time on set.
Looking over at my real-time notes for the film, I wrote down in all caps, with multiple exclamation points, “FUCK YEAH!!” at the end of my notes. Let that speak for itself! If it was not apparent by now, 1917 held up marvelously from the couple of years I held off on its rewatch. Watching this again in 4K is the way to go, and I can see how the film won its Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Sound Mixing, and Cinematography. If you have held off this long on 1917, do not dismiss its “one-take” nature as a cheap trick to lure people in; it is a work-of-art through-and-through and not just a good war film, but an undeniable instant classic.
