All 34 Hidden Cuts We Spotted In The Movie

Summary Hidden camera cuts in 1917 create seamless transitions, cleverly obscured by soldiers passing, explosions, and objects in the environment.

Director Sam Mendes and the production team meticulously planned the intricate choreography and timing to pull off the one-shot illusion flawlessly.

1917, inspired by real WWI stories, showcases the incredible talent of the cast and crew in delivering a harrowing yet visually stunning cinematic experience.

Sam Mendes' epic WWI movie 1917 is presented as a one-shot feature film, but there are actually 34 cleverly hidden cuts throughout the course of the movie. 1917's harrowing depiction of two soldiers on a mission to stop an impending battle between British and German forces during World War I is riveting in itself, but the camera and editing work required to give the impression that the entire movie was done in one shot is a true cinematic feat. 1917 is not an entirely true story, but it's inspired by the real experiences of soldiers and battles of WWI.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins and the rest of the production crew incorporated similar elements to what director Alejandro González Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki did for their movie, Birdman. Filming one long take is an extremely difficult process that requires extensive rehearsing from all parties involved. There have been several famous one-shot scenes including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the first season of True Detective, but to convince audiences that an entire movie has been filmed in one-shot required another level of planning and execution from both the director and 1917's talented cast.

All Cuts In 1917 Blake and Schofield exit Erinmore's bunker 8:17 Soldiers pass in front of the camera 9:03 Camera spin as Blake and Schofield walk 9:43 More soldiers pass in front of the camera 12:32 Burned tree trunk obscures the camera 21:12 A mound in No Man's Land obscures the camera 23:05 Blake and Schofield enter the German bunker 25:42 Rat triggers an explosion that fills the screen 28:02 The wreckage of a tank obscures the camera 33:42 A half-demolished brick wall obscures the camera 38:04 Schofield obscures the camera after the plane crash 43:49 The camera pans outside a house with Schofield not visible 53:26 A solider obscures the camera as Schofield gets in the truck 54:54 Another solider obscures the camera as Schofield exits the truck 56:53 Schofield blacks out after a bullet glances off his helmet 1:06:18 The camera goes out a window and loses track of Schofield 1:08:15 The screen goes dark as the flares fade 1:09:07 Schofield goes through a basement window 1:12:02 Schofield exits the basement 1:19:45 A brick wall obscures the camera as Schofield flees the Germans 1:22:24 Schofield jumps in the river 1:23:00 Schofield goes over a waterfall 1:24:30 A tree trunk obscures the camera as Schofield exits the river 1:28:13 More soldiers pass in front of the camera 1:33:30 An artillery shell explodes while Schofield searches for Mackenzie 1:35:50 Camera spin in the trench as Schofield continues his search 1:36:29 An explosion obscures the screen as Schofield runs across the line 1:37:40 Another explosion when Schofield reenters the trench 1:38:10 Schofield enters Colonel Mackenzie's bunker 1:38:38 Camera spin in Colonel Mackenzie's bunker 1:39:52 A tree trunk obscures the camera before Schofield rests against it 1:48:24

1 Schofield And Blake Come Out Of The Bunker After Receiving Their Orders

Cut occurs at the 8:17 mark

The first hidden cut in 1917 comes right after the two soldiers are tasked with their mission. Lance Corporals William Schofield and Tom Blake, played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, are summoned into the bunker of their commanding officer, and given orders to deliver a message to stop another British battalion's coming battle with German forces, a mission they must carry out on foot due to communication lines being cut. As Schofield and Blake leave the bunker, the screen momentarily goes black before they re-emerge into the trench, and it's here that the first camera cut of 1917 takes place.

2 Soldiers Passing In Front Of The Camera In The Trench

Cut occurs at the 9:03 mark

As Schofield and Blake walk through the trench to deliver the orders they've received, some other soldiers also pass in front of the camera, walking in the opposite direction. This obscures Schofield and Blake from the audience's view for a split second and allows for 1917's next hidden cut. While the screen doesn't go black, allowing for an obvious moment of transition, one soldier covers the entire screen for a brief moment as he passes the camera, which is where the cut occurs.

3 Camera Spins As Schofield And Blake March Through The Trench

Cut occurs at the 9:43 mark

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As Schofield and Blake continue through the trench to communicate their orders, there is a camera spin as part of an ongoing dialogue exchange. This also serves to facilitate the movie's next cut, which is barely detectable. The frenetic movement of the trenches, through which hundreds of soldiers are passing while still dozens more stand in place, allows for Mendes and his crew to further draw the audience's eye away from the hidden cuts.

4 Repeat of Soldiers Passing In Front Of The Camera In The Trench

Cut occurs at the 12:32 mark

The same trick that was used to set up 1917's second hidden cut is repeated one more time in the trench, with some other soldiers once again passing in front of the camera to momentarily obscure the main action from the audience's view. As before, this allows for the movie's next camera cut. This time there are only a few soldiers as opposed to an entire group, which makes the transition even more difficult to catch. Once again, Mendes uses motion to distract the viewer's eye from the transition, to even greater effect this time.

5 A Burned Tree Trunk Covers The Screen In No Man's Land

Cut occurs at the 21:12 mark

In much the same style as the soldiers passing the camera in the trenches, Mendes and his crew used objects in No Man's Land to obscure Blake and Schofield and allow for a transition. At one point as the two soldiers make their way across the eerily quiet devastation of No Man's Land, the camera finds itself close against a burned-out tree trunk, and the tree covers almost the entire screen as Blake passes behind it. This allows for a very quick and clever hidden cut that can be viewed on any of the VOD platforms 1917 is streaming on.

6 The Hill That Passes In Front Of Schofield And Blake Further Into No Man's Land

Cut occurs at the 23:05 mark

Schofield and Blake's trek across No Man's Land is one of the most harrowing scenes in 1917 simply due to how unsettling the atmosphere is. The ground is strewn with dead and rotting bodies, and what were once fertile green fields have been transformed into a hellscape of craters and mounds. One such mound that Schofield and Blake pass behind obscures the camera entirely for a second, and eagle-eyed viewers will notice it as one of the more easy-to-spot moments of transition. While not every object that obscures the camera hides a cut, many do.

1917 is streaming on Netflix as of June 1st, 2024.

7 Schofield And Blake Walk Into The German Bunker After Crossing No Man's Land

Cut occurs at the 25:42 mark

After Schofield and Blake make their way across the mud-soaked wasteland, they find the deserted German trench on the other side of No Man's Land. The two young soldiers seek to enter the bunker cut into the trench, which will provide them some temporary cover from being spotted by any planes flying overhead as they attempt to continue their mission. As they enter, the screen once again briefly goes black and hides a cut in a similar manner to the one that occurred when they left General Erinmore's bunker.

8 A Rat Triggers An Explosion In The Bunker

Cut occurs at the 28:02 mark

Schofield and Blake's brief respite from the threats they face outside is ended thanks to a massive rat. As the rat drags its food away from the two soldiers, it triggers a trip wire and sets off a bomb, which leaves Schofield buried under a pile of rubble until Blake digs him out. The explosion puts a big flash onscreen to hide the characters and setting from view. This easy tactic for disguising camera cuts was repeated numerous times throughout 1917, but this is the most easy-to-spot example of it.

9 The Wreckage Of A Tank Passes In Front Of The Camera

Cut occurs at the 33:42 mark

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1917's next cut comes as Schofield and Blake continue their trek after leaving the bunker. They're greeted by the deserted German fortified position, which is little more than a massive hollowed out space loaded with spent artillery shells and defunct military equipment. The scene provides some much-needed perspective on the sheer volume of artillery that was used in WWI, and how No Man's Land came to look so decimated. As they cross the area, a demolished tank passes in front of the camera, blocking them from the audience's view, and hiding another easy-to-spot transition.

10 A Half-Demolished Brick Wall Obscures Blake As He Passes Through It

Cut occurs at the 38:04 mark

As Schofield and Blake continue onward, the two soldiers encounter the remnants of a French farmhouse, which stands deserted. There is a small orchard of cherry trees in the front of the farmhouse, surrounded by a tall brick wall. The wall is crumbling everywhere and the cherry trees are destroyed, surely due to artillery or small arms fire from a recent skirmish. Blake and Schofield approach the door in the wall, and as Blake passes through it the camera moves simultaneously behind the brick wall, hiding the transition.

11 Schofield Hides A Cut After The Plane Crashes

Cut occurs at the 43:49 mark

As Schofield and Blake explore the deserted farm, they see three planes in a dogfight off in the distance. They find themselves forced to flee when one of them is shot down and crashes right in the middle of the barn they were watching from. As the two soldiers hurriedly get up to help the pilot, the camera passes behind Schofield, who obscures the entire scene for a split second. It's not immediately obvious, but that brief block of the action is hiding a quick transition, and allows the action to refocus on the plane crash.

12 Camera Passes The Back Of The House As Schofield Joins The New Battalion

Cut occurs at the 53:26 mark

As Schofield mourns Blake's death, another British battalion arrives at the farm, with the commanding officer Captain Smith, played by Mark Strong, offering Schofield a ride to his destination. As Schofield departs the farm for the battalion's truck, he and Smith are blocked from view for a moment as they walk through the house on the farm, with the camera panning across the outside of the house. This cut is more difficult to identify as there are still soldiers moving around in the scene outside the house, but the fact that Schofield and Smith are not visible is a giveaway.

13 Camera Passes The Back Of Another Soldier As They Board The Truck

Cut occurs at the 54:54 mark

The next cut utilizes a trick already seen multiple times in the movie. After Captain Smith wishes him well, Schofield is sent to get on the truck that will help him get some of the way to his ultimate destination of Ecoust. As Schofield boards the truck, the camera passes the back of another soldier on board, hiding Schofield from view while allowing for the camera to cut. It's the same camera-blocking technique that Mendes and his team used multiple times in the trench scene, as the movement and presence of other bodies distracts the eye.

14 Camera Passes The Backs Of Soldiers On The Truck Again

Cut occurs at the 56:53 mark

Here, Mendes manages to squeeze in a few more cuts in relatively quick succession after the truck gets caught in the mud. As Schofield and the other soldiers get off to free the truck and then re-board the truck, the same trick is applied as before to hide camera cuts. When the battalion then comes to a destroyed bridge, Schofield is forced to depart and continue on foot, with the same technique applied one more time as he departs the truck for the final time.

15 Schofield Blacks Out After Getting Shot In The Helmet

Cut occurs at the 1:06:18 mark

This is by far the most easily spotted cut in 1917. As Schofield continues onward, he finds himself trading fire with a lone German sniper inside an abandoned house. As Schofield manages to make his way into the building, he ascends the staircase and finds the door to the room the other soldier is firing from shut. Schofield opens the door and both men get one shot off. Schofield kills the sniper, but his bullet glances off Schofield's helmet, sending him tumbling down the staircase and knocking him out cold.

From here, the screen goes completely black for a few seconds, allowing for the one cut in the whole movie that can be pinpointed by the naked eye. By the time Schofield wakes up, it's nighttime, indicating he was unconscious for at least a few hours. The time jump that occurs with the obvious camera cut is important in elevating the urgency of the back half of the movie, as the clock is now ticking on Schofield to deliver the message.

16 The Camera Goes Out The Window When Schofield Wakes

Cut occurs at the 1:08:15 mark

The next 1917 cut is seen after Schofield regains consciousness. As he prepares to head back down the staircase and exit the building, the camera moves ahead through the room where his now dead enemy lies and exits through the window. The camera doesn't find Schofield again for around 30 seconds, finally rejoining him on the ground outside the building he had just exited. While there is no obvious break in what the camera sees, the fact that Schofield is not in the frame at any point is the key indicator that there is a cut hidden.

17 Screen Goes Black As Schofield Runs While Flares Are Being Fired

Cut occurs at the 1:09:07 mark

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One of the most hauntingly beautiful scenes of the movie hides at least one major cut. As Schofield continues out of the building still recovering from being knocked out, he walks through the ruins of an old city before being forced to run by pursuing German soldiers. The scene is lit by a combination of distant fire and flares being shot into the air by German soldiers, creating a chilling effect that includes moments of complete darkness. It's in one of those moments of pitch black that the transition is hidden.

1917 Main Character Actor Lance Corporal William "Will" Schofield George MacKay Lance Corporal Thomas "Tom" Blake Dean-Charles Chapman Captain Smith Mark Strong Lieutenant Leslie Andrew Scott Lieutenant Joseph Blake Richard Madden Lauri Claire Duburcq General Erinmore Colin Firth Colonel Mackenzie Benedict Cumberbatch

18 Schofield Goes Through The Basement Window To Flee A Pursuing Soldier

Cut occurs at the 1:12:02 mark

Schofield barely gets into the city before he is spotted by a German soldier, outside a burning church, who gives chase while firing at him. The visual chaos of both Schofield and the German soldier running side-by-side combined with the hellish dancing shadows from the German flares and burning building creates plenty of opportunity for cuts, but the next one occurs as part of Schofield's escape. He manages to evade his pursuer by climbing through the basement window of a decrepit house, and the cut occurs as he slides into the basement.

19 Schofield Walks Out Of The Basement

Cut occurs at the 1:19:45 mark

Schofield finds a respite from the conflict for a few minutes in the basement, where he finds a woman protecting an infant and engages in conversation with her for a few minutes, a touching yet fictional scene that was created for 1917. Tempted though he is to remain in the basement with the woman and child, he remembers the importance of his mission and says goodbye. When Schofield departs the basement, the screen briefly goes black upon his exit, perfectly hiding a transition in the same fashion as several of the other cuts that occur in the movie.

20 Camera Goes Around A Brick Wall And Shows Schofield Again On The Other Side

Cut occurs at the 1:22:24 mark

The camera blocking technique is used again as Schofield makes his desperate flight from the German-occupied town he seeks refuge in. As Schofield sprints away from the few German soldiers that are chasing him, the audience's view of him is once again obscured when a brick wall passes in front of the camera. The hidden cut occurs as the wall covers the screen, and it's once again aided by the frenetic action of the scene; Schofield passes behind many brick walls as he runs, but only one hides a camera cut.