Journey's End (2017)

Set in a dugout in Aisne in 1918, it is the story of a group of British officers, led by the mentally disintegrating young officer Stanhope, as they await their fate.

Director:

Saul Dibb

Writers:

Simon Reade (screenplay), R.C. Sherriff (novel)

Stars:

Paul Bettany, Sam Claflin, Stephen Graham

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Bettany	...	Lieutenant Osborne
Sam Claflin	...	Captain Stanhope
Stephen Graham	...	2nd Lt. Trotter
Tom Sturridge	...	2nd Lt. Hibbert
Alaïs Lawson	...	Angele
Andy Gathergood	...	Sergeant-Major
Jack Riddiford	...	Pvt. Evans
Adam Colborne	...	Private Graham
Elliot Balchin	...	Private Peters
Theo Barklem-Biggs	...	Private Watson
Asa Butterfield	...	Second Lieutenant Raleigh
Derek Barr	...	Captain Reid
Nicholas Agnew	...	Corporal Pincher
Rupert Wickham	...	General Raleigh
Miles Jupp	...	Captain Hardy

Storyline

Set in a dugout in Aisne in 1918, it is the story of a group of British officers, led by the mentally disintegrating young officer Stanhope, as they await their fate.

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Plot Keywords:

mentally unstable | trench warfare | world war one | alcoholic | fear | 

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Taglines:

In the face of fear they found strength in each other.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and war images

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

2 February 2018 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Última Jornada

Filming Locations:

Wales, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,798, 18 March 2018

Gross USA:

$161,796

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$970,809

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fluidity Films, British Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Playwright R.C. Sherriff had seen first-hand the effect of years of war on his friends and knew the fear and terror of waiting for an impending attack, waiting for his journey's end. The characters in the play are a reflection of the men Sherriff had served with in the 9th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment.

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Connections

Version of Journey's End (1988)

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Soundtracks

We're Here Because We're Here
(uncredited)
Scottish folk tune (" Auld Lang Syne")

User Reviews

Benchmark by which to judge others

What a contrast to so much mediocrity and worse eg. Dunkirk. Set in the trenches in March 1918 but not really about the trenches or March 1918 at all.

Superbly cast and acted, a beautifully written reflection of a junior officer's view of the penultimate stages of WW1. Even more, this is a beautifully written reflection on the human spirit in adversity. Of course some of the senior officers are somewhat caricatured - that is what happens in real life. Of course it becomes more and more difficult with the passage of time for people to understand the mentality of empire, the public schoolboy ethos embodied by Raliegh, Maybe the same bravado and fear affects people joining violent gangs - I know not - but Raleigh is about the same age as some gang members - 18/19. Stanhope at 21/22 is a veteran of war, Uncle (Osborne - quite possibly early 30s) almost a veteran of life in their eyes.

Of course such characters have been used in films since - but this was written in 1928. It cut the new ground - others have followed.

The Roman Horace said "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." and it took until WW2 for Patton to say "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." But what about sending your friends, your very best friends, your nearest and dearest to near certain death. What does that "do" to a man. Stanhope knows and through this film we can maybe glimpse that horror. What happens when there is no "cunning plan" left. Uncle knew.

Hold them off for as long as you can. In 1914, in 1918 when Journey's End is set, and again at Dunkirk ordinary men really did. No doubt there are countless other examples both before and in the last 70 years.

This film is a fitting tribute to those men.