Our World War

Our World War
GenreFactual
Historical drama
Written byJoe Barton
Directed by
  • Bruce Goodison
  • Ben Chanan
StarringJefferson Hall
Dominic Thorburn
Theo Barklem-Biggs
Calum Callaghan
Luke Tittensor
Paul Popplewell
Michael Socha
Lewis Reeves
Stuart Graham
Hannah Britland
Gerard Kearns
Luke Norris
Chris Reilly
Shaun Dooley
Danny Walters
Theme music composerJon Opstad
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerColin Barr
ProducerSusan Horth
Running time60 minutes
Production companyBBC Documentaries
Original release
NetworkBBC Three
Release7 August (2014-08-07) –
21 August 2014 (2014-08-21)

Our World War is a 2014 British television drama mini-series based on first hand accounts of the soldiers who served in the First World War and how it affected people on the battlefield. The show was created by Joe Barton and directed by Bruce Goodison and Ben Chanan and was inspired by the 2012 BAFTA-winning series Our War. Episodes first aired on BBC Three on 7 August 2014 and concluded on 21 August, the release show was released as part of the 100 year commemoration of the beginning of the First World War.

The series featured three hour-long episodes featuring different accounts and stories and starring a new cast per each episode. The series starred such actors as Luke Tittensor, Jefferson Hall, Gerard Kearns, Michael Socha, Danny Walters, Dominic Thorburn and Theo Barklem-Biggs.

Production

The series makes use of modern film techniques like fixed, body-mounted cameras and overhead battle scene animations, alongside a modern soundtrack featuring artists such as PJ Harvey, to attract a new audience. Parts of episode one were filmed at The Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent which doubled as the British HQ in Mons.[1]

Cast

The First Day

Pals

  • Luke Tittensor as Paddy Kennedy
  • Stuart Graham as Father Brookes
  • Michael Socha as Private Andy Andrews
  • Lewis Reeves as Henry Delaney
  • Paul Popplewell as Sergeant Mitchell
  • Hannah Britland as Lizzie
  • Bobby Schofield as Tom Andrews
  • Chris Mason as William Hunt
  • Sandy Batchelor as Angus Crombie
  • Andrew MacBean as Regimental Sergeant Major
  • Steven F Thompson as German Lieutenant
  • Matthew Brett as Murphy
  • Rory Trainor as Bromage
  • Michael Peavoy as Private Wiltshire
  • Laurie Kynaston as Young British soldier
  • Bradley Gray as 16th Manc Pals soldier
  • Jason Bilston as Background Doctor

War Machine

Episode list

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The First Day"Bruce GoodisonJoe Barton7 August 2014 (2014-08-07)
Two weeks after war is declared, the 4th Battalion of The Royal Fusiliers set up defences around the Belgian town of Mons. They expect to march beyond the town's bridges the next morning. Little do they know, however, the German army has already reached the other side of the canal.
2"Pals"Ben ChananJoe Barton14 August 2014 (2014-08-14)
A group of office workers from Levenshulme, Manchester join a local Pals battalion, the 18th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. They soon find themselves facing the Germans at the Somme. Months later, Paddy Kennedy pleads with the battalion chaplain to let him off the firing squad duty that will see him killing one of the friends he made on his journey.
3"War Machine"Bruce GoodisonJoe Barton21 August 2014 (2014-08-21)
Four years into the war, the British deploy tanks along the German border, to break the stalemate. A young Chas Rowland joins the crew of one of these tanks, the Niveleur, as it prepares for the Battle of Amiens. But the coming days will take their toll on the crew, and Chas must brave fumes, a temperamental engine, and cramped conditions to deliver a message home.

Reception

While some reviewers described the soundtrack choice as "powerful"[2] and "beautiful",[3] others felt it trivialised the subject matter[4] and would quickly date.[5]

References

  1. ^ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Our World War Article".
  2. ^ Paul Reed. "BBC Our World War: Review of Ep1 – Mons".
  3. ^ Wollaston, Sam. "Our World War review – excellent, innovative and moving television". The Guardian.
  4. ^ Jones, Ellen E. "One World War, TV review: Jarring modern touches mean Great War story badly misfires". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Our World War, BBC Three, review: 'a whiff of spoof'". Telegraph.