The Art of War: The Mastery That is "1917"

The horrifying reality of war can be hard to comprehend and even harder to capture on film. One wrong decision can glorify the idea of war or give audiences false ideas of what war is actually like. To be able to fully describe the harsh reality soldiers live through is a rare gift and should be fully celebrated when actualized. “1917,” the 2019 World War I movie directed by Sam Mendes, deserves this kind of praise and more. The movie centers on Lance Corporals Schofield (George Mackay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) as they rush to deliver a message in order to stop an attack on the German front line that would result in a massacre of an entire unit, including Blake’s brother. From the very beginning, you are made to feel like the events unfolding before your eyes are reality, not merely some actors performing a script. This act of sucking the audience into the action was created by the masterful cinematography of Roger Deakins. Through clever editing techniques, it appears as if the movie never has any cuts, giving the audience the illusion that they are living through the events of the movie in real time. The only visible cut in the entire movie happens when Schofield is knocked out by a German soldier and loses precious time on his journey. Instead of showing the audience Schofield knocked out, the screen quickly shifts to black, as if we were knocked out as well. It created the feeling that we are on this journey with Schofield instead of just watching him. Another thing I adored about this movie was the use of symbolism in the writing. A big theme of the movie is the circular nature of war and how no matter how hard the soldiers fight, the war seems never ending. This message is really brought home by the first and last shots of the movie. In the first shot, Blake is lying down in the grass sleeping while Schofield leans against a tree sitting with his eyes closed. In the final shot, Schofield finds himself in a similar position, only against a different tree. Despite having been through a life altering journey, it appears as though nothing has changed and that the cycle will once again continue. This gives the audience a similar feeling of temporary satisfaction to what Schofield must have felt. Sure, he was successful in his mission, but this victory was short-lived. The next day he would be back to his unit and the cycle of war would continue as if the mission had never happened. This message is brought home by Colonel Mackenzie after the message is delivered stopping his attack: “I hoped today might be a good day. Hope is a dangerous thing. That’s it for now, then next week, Command will send a different message. Attack at dawn.” It’s hard to believe that after Schofield’s harrowing journey that his mission was considered a minor thing in the scheme of the overall war. The mission didn’t stop the cycle. As depressing as that might sound, that is another thing I loved about this movie. Most war movies, especially movies about either of the World Wars, focus on the big events and figures that shape the future of the war as history knows it. Most war movies give us a definitive answer about how the events of the movie effected the outcome of the war, but not “1917.” In this movie, we are left completely in the dark, just like Schofield. After all, there’s no way Schofield would know how his actions would affect the future, so why should we? We have no clue if this message shifted the tide of the war to the Allies favor or not. In addition to that, our protagonist is not a person of note, Most war movies focus on an influential figure in history, like a general or world leader, but “1917” focuses on two lowly Lance Corporals. They are young and low in rank. This movie gives a clear view about what war is like for the often overlooked everyday solider. They’re starving and somewhat bitter and just trying to follow orders as best they can. This anonymous feeling was cleverly driven home by the fact that we don’t learn Schofield or Blake’s first names until the end of the film. Despite this lack of knowledge, we still sympathize with them and root for their success. The casting of the film also drive home the anonymity of our protagonists. While the high ranked officers of this movie are played by very famous and well-known actors (Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Richard Madden, etc.), the two journeying soldiers are played by lessen known actors whose reputations pale with comparison. These unknown faces make it easier to view them as soldiers, not actors. Don’t be deceived though. These boys acted their faces off. One moment I was particularly impressed with was when Blake is stabbed by a German solider and starts to die in Schofield’s arms. His screams of pain and pleas to Schofield to make it to his brother on time moved me to tears and made me forget that the actor was not actually dying. This fact was hard to grasp especially since Dean-Charles Chapman was growing paler as the scene went on, appearing as if he was truly dying of blood loss. I originally thought this was a clever editing trick or practical effect, but I discovered upon looking it up that Chapman grew that pale all on his own. Goes to show that the right type of acting can have a magic of its own. Speaking of magic, I must also discuss the absolutely enchanting score this movie has. It was epic and inspiring yet haunting and tense. It helped pull together my two favorite scenes of the movie. The first to come to mind is when Schofield finally reaches the Devons, exhausted and weary. He has just pulled himself from a river littered with bodies, when he hears a haunting song. The source of the singing is a solider singing to a group of soldiers preparing to go fight. Schofield collapses against a tree and simply listens to the soldier’s song. Surrounded by trees and cherry blossom petals, it almost appears like Schofield is in heaven. He looks at peace for the first time since he started his journey. I get chills every time in think of this scene. The second scene that is brought to the next level by the score is when Schofield runs across No Man’s Land to reach Colonel Mackenzie. He runs through clouds of gunfire and waves of soldiers, all to the a building score that leaves the audience in suspense and has them rooting for Schofield’s success. He doesn’t stop for any reason, not even when he runs into other soldiers charging into battle. This scene really summarizes Schofield’s entire journey. Despite the obstacles and hardships, he trudges on. The image is inspiring and that’s what this movie is all about: how one man can beat the odds and do what needs to be done, even in a time with no hope. “1917” is truly a gift of perspective. It shows you a view of war that is usually glossed over in history. I cannot recommend a movie more. This is truly a work of art that I think every person should see in their lifetime. It’s a feast for the eyes and the soul.