I studied this play many years ago and I was rather surprised to discover that a film had been made about it in the last few years. This is a brilliant War film that feel much more authentic than the gong-ho type films that film the genre. The reality of war is hours boredom followed by minutes of horror and that's what we get in this film. Here we see the Great War through the eyes of the Officer class who are a micro-cosum of upper class society. We have the 'perfect' school principle type who is now cracking under the pressure of leadership, the kindly teacher type brought out of retirement for the war, a man of lower class brought through the ranks from long service, the broken spirit of youth and a fresh eyed junior officer who naively sees war as a game. They are all thrown together in the claustrophobic horror of the trenches and the stresses they undergo are synonymous with that of so many in that war. A worthy watch I believe.