With They Shall Not Grow Old, Peter Jackson accomplished for World War I veterans what Christopher Nolan failed to do for World War II veterans in Dunkirk. Using archival footage shot from 1914 through 1918 provided by The Imperial War Museum, Jackson manages to convey the scope, mass and anonymity of the vast number of men at war while simultaneously bringing them to life as real individuals. The documentary focuses on the average British soldier’s experience on the Western front using their own words. The combination of archival audio recorded after the soldiers returned with the footage shot while they were on the continent makes the viewer feel as if the audio and film match as if it was always a cohesive product, but it is completely possible that no one whom we see is actually heard and vice versa.
More importantly, while focusing specifically on the British soldier’s experience on the Western Front, Jackson never diminishes or neglects the experience of Indian and West Indian soldiers among many others by briefly including footage of them fighting then addressing the other possible aspects of World War I that he could have told in a documentary that appears immediately after the film. Remember that Jackson is a New Zealander so while he is personally invested in the story because of his grandfather’s involvement, seeing the British story as a universal one isn’t an act of patriotism or exclusion, but correctly or not, he sees it as one of inclusion that could represent both sides of the war. They Shall Not Grow Old may focus on the experience of war, but it is a labor of love, not a jingoistic assault to redefine who is a Britisher.
I actually saw They Shall Not Grow Old two times in the theater: the 3D version and the theatrical version. I plan to see it again when it is available for home viewing because I would love to glean every word that the veterans said and use closed captioning. I actually fell asleep the first time that I watched it because I was tired, not properly caffeinated and the voices are so soothing. It is a dissonant experience to find a movie about one of the worst wars of the twentieth century so relaxing, but it is. I would recommend that you get popcorn and eat while watching the entire movie because while I never found it boring, the movie has a lulling rhythm that is easy to get swept away by.
If I had one criticism of They Shall Not Grow Old, I think that it should start with the documentary about the making of the film, then theaters should show the film. I’m a film lover who is actually interested in not taking for granted what is on screen. They reviewed 600 hours of interviews from 200 veterans and 100 hours of original film footage to make the ninety-nine minute film. Then they had to restore the film quality by making it darker or lighter, deal with the fact that the film shrunk so the sprockets didn’t fit the feeder, determine and correct the speed of the film so it seemed natural and not sped up like a Charlie Chaplin film, colorized and added sound effects, including using forensic lip readers to figure out what the soldiers were saying then hired voice actors to record the dialogue. Because there are no talking heads or explanation by historians of what we were watching, I didn’t find out until after the film that one shot showed men only moments before they marched to a certain death. It took four years to make this film, and Jackson did it for free, including restoring all the original film footage, not just what he used. He and his team of film experts basically did the equivalent of recreating the Library of Alexandria for World War I. From now on, I’ll resume calling Jackson the director of The Lord of the Rings, not The Hobbit.
I’ve met veterans of World War II in real life, including those who stayed at home and fought in the resistance against the Nazis, but World War I gets lost in the wash because it feels more distant than it is. Movies are better than time machines because they help us to get immersed in the past without experiencing any of its perils. They Shall Not Grow Old gives us a broad spectrum of the thoughts and sensibilities of men from that time. They’re lack of cynicism and fulfillment through obedience and service reflects a world that is unimaginable for us. They are not harmless like doves and wise like serpents. They are harmless like doves and wise like lambs. “In those days a man didn’t think for himself. He was told what to do and did it.” There is a lack of questioning regarding why they were fighting.
They Shall Not Grow Old surprised me when I saw teams of men transfixed by the novelty of the camera and not self-conscious about their appearance even though (at least compared to the Germans, whom we also see in the film) their teeth were in poor condition (fluoride in the water is a relatively recent asset in daily life). Their sense of humor (one man plays a bottle as if it were a ukulele), joy and gentleness around children and animals and openness is a complete contrast to the average more media savvy post-modern boy or man today. Even though they were men at war, it appeared as if going to war was sufficient to make them men otherwise they didn’t think to care about nakedly looking terrified right before a battle. (Random side note: one man looked like Seth Meyers.) There is one exception when one guy nakedly shows a personal animosity to a captured soldier. Considering how happy both sides seemed to be seated next to each other instead of fighting each other, it seems impossible another World War would erupt. The whole viewing experience is rather eerie, especially when scenes get a bit graphic and death suddenly appears on screen for animals (specifically horses) and men. It is amazing how different and similar war is. Even though it is a completely different region and film style, it reminded me that no matter how many ways things change, they stay the same because these men’s astonishment that war is impersonal, brutal and not glorious echoes the words of the men who fought in the Civil War. The methods and weapons may change, but the shock at the reality versus the image of war is eternal.
I’m hoping that there is a resurgence of interest in World War I as a result of the popularity of Wonder Woman and more people see They Shall Not Grow Old in theaters. Even if you don’t have an interest in that era, it is easy to empathize with these men’s experiences as they discuss and Jackson shows us what it was like for a person to transform from a civilian who is part of a community to a soldier who must become a cog in a war machine with no thought devoted to care or comfort.
