1917 (1970 film)
| 1917 | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Stephen Weeks |
| Written by | Stephen Weeks |
| Based on | play The Gap by Derek Barnham |
| Produced by | Tony Tenser |
| Starring | Timothy Bateson David Leland Geoffrey Davies |
| Music by | David Lee |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 34 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £20,000[1] |
1917 is a 1970 British short dramatic film directed by Stephen Weeks and starring Timothy Bateson, David Leland, and Geoffrey Davies.[2][1] It was written by Weeks based on the play The Gap by Derek Barnham, and produced by Tony Tenser.
Plot
Two trenches, one British, one German, are located very near to each other in Northern France. There has recently been no firing by either side, and the British can often clearly see the head of a German solider – Willi Falk – as he moves around in his trench. Frustrated that his senior officers appear to tolerate this visible enemy, young British recruit Colman rebels and shoots Falk. His action triggers a bombardment.
Cast
- Timothy Bateson as Willi Falk
- Anthony Trent as Colman
- Nel Brennen as farmgirl
- Edward Caddick as Whittaker
- Geoffrey Davies as Gessel
- Christopher Hancock as Cox
- David Leland as Felix
- Jane Lewis as Willi's wife
- Richardson Morgan as Penfold
- Reg Solley as Herr Stross
- Joss Ackland as narrator
- Harriette Johns as narrator
Production
The film was shot on location at a former zinc works site in the Lower Swansea Valley.[3]
Reception
In Sight and Sound, David Pirie called 1917 "a very ambitious short film about the First World War, which, although slightly theatrical, had some dazzling things in it."[4]
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A not very original comment on the futility of war whose slightly stylised dialogue too obviously derives from the play on which the film is based. There is some flair in the photography and the editing, but a didactic piece like this essentially needs conviction, and here, unfortunately, only Timothy Bateson's Willi carries the necessary authority."[5]
References
- ^ a b John Hamilton, Beasts in the Cellar: The Exploitation Film Career of Tony Tenser, Fab Press, 2005 p 128-129
- ^ "1917". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ Howarth, Troy (15 July 2014). "Interview with Stephen Weeks". Peter Cushing Appreciation Society. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "1917". Sight and Sound. 40 (2): 73. Spring 1971. ProQuest 1305507976.
- ^ "1917". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 37 (432): 61. 1 January 1970. ProQuest 1305828134.