| It is a place 8ft wide, 600 miles long, man-made and God-forsaken. Director: William Boyd Writer: William Boyd Daniel Craig, by contrast, dominates every scene he appears in, with an intense presence which overshadows anyone else in sight. The scene which will probably stick in my mind most from this movie is one where he is eating a jar of strawberry jam made by his wife, and tries to share some with young Billy, who repeatedly refuses because he doesn't like jam and doesn't want to get the seeds between his teeth. Craig stays very quiet, but the expression of bewilderment and loneliness in his eyes, as his efforts at kindness are politely rebuffed, says a lot. For most of the film, the very young men are cooped up together in the trench, waiting for something to happen, and increasingly getting irritated with one another over minor things.There's a huge and pointless row over who stole a "naughty" postcard from a collection hoarded by one unpopular boy, who flies into an almost murderous rage over the affair. The atmosphere feels almost like my memories of boarding school, but of course with the difference that these boys won't be going home soon, or in many cases at all. Adding to the mix of emotions is a strong element of class conflict, with the officers being shown as isolated and insistent on their status. Julian Rhind-Tutt is good as the despairing Second Lieutenant Ellis Harte, who seems to long for the friendship of his sergeant but to be held back by a feeling ... |
