Journey’s End — directed by Saul Dibb. Drama. 104 minutes Color 2018
★★★★★
The Story: Soldiers entrenched in C Company headquarters await a German attack whose exact hour they know. They respond accordingly.
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Of course, Journey’s End is the most renown work of art emerging from WWI.
Since its first success, the play has been done continually, particularly in all-male schools. A number of movies have been made of it. Its great virtue, in its time and still, is its power as stark reportage. The man who wrote it, R.C. Sherriff, had lived it.
I do not apologize for not telling plots or story lines. The material is famously strong, so I relate no more about it than I would about Hamlet.
The role of Stanhope, company commander, embodies the insanity that it is impossible for a human not to internalize in a situation of perpetual, unavoidable peril to himself and those he is responsible for.
I recommend Sam Claflin’s performances above all others.
Every other performance is on his level, summa cum laude.
It is perfectly filmed by Laurie Rose and edited by Tania Reddin.
Director Saul Dibb has the ability to capture performance. Directors who can do it are rare — Jean Renoir, George Stevens — at least on this level of tension, which is as high as Greek Drama.
I like ruthless truth.
It is a necessary film.