This archive report was first published on 25 December 2019.
Sam Mendes' latest film, '1917,' is a World War I epic that tells the story of two British lance corporals on a mission to deliver a message that could save 1,600 soldiers from a massacre. The film, which was released on Christmas Day, was shot in one take and is a testament to Mendes' dedication to bringing his grandfather's stories to life.
When Mendes was a young boy, he and his father would travel to the West Indies to visit his grandfather, Alfred Mendes, a novelist. Alfred was a World War I veteran who would sing opera in a booming Trinidadian accent and tell stories of his time in the trenches. One of the stories that stuck with Mendes was about a wounded soldier his grandfather carried back to the trench under enemy fire, only to discover that the man was dead.
Another story that had a lasting impact on Mendes was about a German soldier whose head was lost in an explosion, but whose body somehow continued to run. These stories, along with many others, inspired Mendes to create '1917,' a film that would take audiences on a journey through the chaos and devastation of World War I.
According to Mendes, the idea for '1917' came about after he was struggling to find a new project. His agent, Beth Swofford, suggested that he explore the World War I stories he had once told her. In 2017, a year after the Brexit vote, Mendes found further inspiration. 'I'm afraid that the winds that were blowing before the First World War are blowing again,' he said. 'There was this generation of men fighting then for a free and unified Europe, which we would do well to remember.'
Once Mendes began working on the screenplay with co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns, he laid down three rules. The story would take place in the spring of 1917, when the Germans retreated to the Hindenburg Line and left a trail of devastation and traps in their wake. The film would be presented as if it were all shot in one take, and the story would follow two relatively anonymous soldiers whose heroism would be accidental.
Despite the challenges of filming '1917,' Mendes was determined to bring his vision to life. He rehearsed the film extensively with his cast and assembled an Oscar-winning team of behind-the-scenes collaborators, including the cinematographer Roger Deakins and the editor Lee Smith. The film was shot in April of this year at Bovingdon Airfield in England, and Mendes finished it a few days before Thanksgiving.
Since the film's release, Mendes has been on a whirlwind media tour, giving '1917' a late award-season push. The Golden Globes nominated Mendes for best director and the film for best drama. As Mendes reflects on the film and its inspiration, he is reminded of the contract his grandfather wrote out by hand when he was 12. 'He told me, 'You're going to tell stories. This is what you have to do,''
