DUNKIRK

UK, 2017, 106 minutes, Colour.
Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Keoghan, Harry styles, Aneurin Barnard, Tom Glynn- Carney, Jack Lowdon.
Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Yes, writer-director Christopher Nolan immerses his audience in the experience of Dunkirk.

By filming in 70 mm and so much available for IMAX screen format, this is a particularly vivid recounting of that fateful week in 1940 when an invasion of Britain seemed not only possible but imminent. The rescue of the British soldiers stranded on the beach in Dunkirk, across the English Channel, has become part of British history, World War II history, and part of a proud British heritage. It is almost 80 years since these events and younger and many older audiences will be not so familiar with them. Here is an opportunity to experience and learn.

While Christopher Nolan began his career with rather short and small-budget films, he is now best known for his more spectacular films, The Dark Knight series of Batman films, his most tantalising cinema exercise on dreams, Inception, and his exploration of space in the future in interstellar. In these latter films he has experimented with time and shifts in time (and, after all, his second film, Memento, had a trajectory which went from and to beginning).

Here are events with time and intercutting here. We are informed at the beginning of the film that the soldiers waiting on the beach at Dunkirk, the ships on the Mole, the authorities supervising while waiting and becoming more and more desperate, takes place over a week. Then there is a civilian boat leaving Dorset for Dunkirk experiencing the drama of war in the channel, which takes place over a day. And then there are battles in the air, two RAF planes countering the German attack, their bombardments and strafing, which takes place over an hour. This is demanding of the audience to appreciate the events of the week, of the day, of the hour.

The screenplay also uses the device of focusing on four particular characters who symbolise the numerous stranded Armed Forces as well as the civilians who, in the famous flotilla of private boats to the rescue, played such a heroic part.

The central character in the film is a very average and ordinary young British soldier, Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), seen trapped in the streets of Dunkirk, leaflets pouring from the sky, pursued by German guns (no German soldier is ever seen, rather heard with shooting), surviving, jumping over a wall, running towards the beach and finding the thousands there, lined up in files waiting for the boats. By concentrating on Tommy, the audience is able to appreciate the vast numbers, the fears, temptations to run away, devices to survive, like carrying a wounded soldier to a ship but being ousted, finding the hulk of an abandoned craft and a group hiding there, fired at by the Germans for target practice, stranded in the sea and swimming for life.

Kenneth Branagh is the naval commander, standing on the Mole, who represents the high command, concerned about the men, uncertainties about the rescue, thankful for the coming of the flotilla.

Tom Hardy is one of the pilots, in the fragile planes yet with their manoeuvrability, the limits on fuel, the flight tactics of the Germans, the pursuits, communication with authorities and fellow pilot, seeing the downing of planes – and his own decision not to return home but to continue defending the ships and flotilla from attack.

There is a substantial role from Mark Rylance as a veteran seaman whose son has been killed already in aerial warfare, has his younger son on board along with local lad later symbolises the heroism of ordinary citizens, rescuing a shellshocked soldier from an upturned vessel, Cillian Murphy, coping with the rescued man’s fears of returning to war and wanting to turn back, some violence on his boat, yet his perseverance in effecting substantial rescues.

The cumulative effect of the film, the vastness of the cinematography, the extraordinarily insistent musical score with its range of instruments, pounding and pace, variations on themes by Edward Elgar, all make the film a substantial experience.

Dunkirk will probably take its place amongst the classic war films – and it is almost 20 years since Saving Private Ryan and the Normandy landings. The American film is a reminder that the British treat matters with a very stiff upper lip, which, though emotional, is not nearly as demonstrative, which means that in many ways Dunkirk seems a rather objective, while emotional, look at the events.

Yes, Churchill’s famous speech does come at the end – but, interestingly, is spoken by Tommy, representing the younger generation who are about to go through the Blitz and the Battle of Britain.

1. The status of Dunkirk in World War II history, in the British memory and imagination? The heritage of Dunkirk? The British response, Churchill’s speech and its inspiration? Morale boosting?

2. The various documentary versions, the movie versions? Audience expectations?

3. Christopher Nolan, as writer, director? The experience of his other films? Effects and action? The cinematography, for IMAX format, 70 mm? The effect?

4. The times for the action in the screenplay? The Mole and a week? The sea and one day, the air and one hour? The combination of the stories, indicating them in a non-linear way? The insertion of the flashback? The effect of the multiple times and piecing them together?

5. The period, costumes and decor, the Army, Navy, air force, civilians?

6. The effect of the musical score, the range of instruments, the steady beats, strident, increasing in volume, instruments and orchestration? The variations on Elgar themes?

7. Audience knowledge of Dunkirk? Almost 80 years earlier? British history, World War II, the Nazi attack, the invasion of France, the pushing back of the troops, stranded on Dunkirk on the beach, the English Channel, the bombardment from the air and the British resistance? The sea and the navy? The stranded army? The story of the flotilla, the small ships and the civilian sailors?

8. The defeat in France, the military disaster, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers stranded, attacked on the beaches, surviving, for the defence of Britain for the future?

9. The choice of significant characters, Army, Navy, air, civilian? The focus for the storytelling and audience concentration and emotion?

10. The emotional impact of the film – but the presentation of the British with the stiff upper lip, a stiff upper lip situations and responses in war?

11. The character of Tommy, his age, in the streets of Dunkirk, the leaflets falling from the sky, in the town, the streets, the group fleeing the shooting, the dead men, Tommy going over the wall, getting the rifle, shooting, running, arriving at the beach? The vista of so many men on the beach? The orderly queues to be rescued? Tommy being moved on by different regiments? The toilet situation, seeing the Frenchman burying his companion? Joining him, finding the injured man, carrying him, running, to the beat of the music, leaping on the wharf, getting the wounded man inside, the commander’s comment that one injured man took up space for six men standing, Tommy and the others being told to get off, the hiding on the mole, the bombardments, getting into the destroyer, bread and jam and tea, getting near the door for escape, the attack, in the water, swimming, surviving? The average ordinary young British soldier?

12. Mr Dawson, his age, his boat, his son dead in the war as a pilot, Peter and his work with his father? The Navy, commandeering the boats, the lifejackets? Going to sea? Taking George, sailing into danger? Mr Dawson and his experience, Peter learning? George and his inexperience, his saying that he was not known for anything? The rescue of the stranded soldier, the argument with him, his wanting to turn back, not become involved in the war anymore, shellshocked? The tea, locking him in the room, letting him out? His attack on the men, hitting George? George and the injuries, Peter caring for him, his blindness, his regrets? His death? Peter and his not telling the soldier that George was dead? Later, Mr Dawson checking with the school album and the photo, the article in the paper, the tribute to young men like George who gave their lives?

13. The commander, the navy background, in charge, making the decisions, watching, his relationship with the men, with the colonel and their discussions, communications, the big ships unable to get onto the beach, the colonel and his doubts, being reassured? The bombardment of the ships, the men in the water? The news about the flotilla, the ship sailing, the commander watching the flotilla, the end and his staying to help the French?

14. The battle in the air, German skills and plans, the bombing, the strafing? The response of the RAF, their skills, limits, manoeuvres, its, fuel and timing? Collins and his being hit, going down to the sea, preserving the plane, his inability to open the turret, the water rising? Mr Dawson, his deciding to go to the rescue, Peter’s hesitation? Breaking the turret, getting him out?, Sharing in the activities on the boat? Farrier, his skills, means of communication, orders, issues of fuel, watching the attacks, the hits, his returning to save the men on the boats, on the beach and landing, burning the plane? Being taken as a prisoner of war?

15. The ordinary men, the lines, their struggles, surviving, the hardships, not wanting the French to be saved before them? The range of boats, the rescue, the hits, in the sea, oil on fire? On the shore, their numbers?

16. Tommy, with the Frenchman, seeing the group on the beach, joining in, going to the old boat, taking shelter, the issue of the tides, their waiting, the target practice from the Germans, accosting the Frenchman, Tommy standing up for him, the fears, sailing, the vessel becoming waterlogged, the Dutchman, the rescue, Tommy and his being rescued in Mr Dawson’s boat? The men and their wanting to see the cliffs – and landing in Dorset?

17. The range of boats, the sailors, private boats and ships, the details of the rescue?

18. Landing in Dorset, the train ride, fear that they would be considered cowards, their being considered heroes, the newspapers?

19. Mr Dawson, at home, getting the tribute to George?

20. Tommy, Churchill’s famous speech and his announcing it?

21. The history of war films and this film as a cinematic achievement?