Movie "1917" draws crowd to Ritzville theater

RITZVILLE – Sixty-seven people attended “1917,” shown at the Ritz Theater last weekend.

“It was a good movie. And with 67 (in attendance), it was a money-maker for us,” said John G. Rankin, running the recently remodeled 1937 theater for non-profit owners, the Ritzville Downtown Development Association. Rankin said he needed at least 50 people to view it in order for a movie to break even. “Last week it was just 17 (attending “Bombshell”), and that’s not good.”

Rankin said studios take a $250-$350 deposit, plus a $40 shipping fee to send the film, then a sliding percentage of how many viewed it.

“We get 65%, (in the case of “1917’s” Universal Studios), and they get 35%. With Disney, we get 35%, and they get 65%. So it depends on the movie. Also, the closer you get to the release date, the higher the percentage goes up,” Rankin said. “Which is why I didn’t do the last “Star Wars.” They wanted 90% and they wanted us to have it for four weeks. I can’t sell “Star Wars” in Hooterville for four weeks. Maybe two, not four. You’d just go bust on something like that. Disney thinks you should just make it up by charging $10 for popcorn, but we’re not into that.”

The Ritz generally shows films for one weekend only. Rankin said he likes to select about half of the films shown for the “AARP generation” and the rest as films appealing to kids.

For generations who already faced possible military drafts, “1917” was especially moving.

“It was a very powerful movie,” said Dale Anderson, who attended with his wife, Yvonne. “I was so glad I never had to go to war. That was in the Vietnam era. It was kind of winding down, and there was still the draft when I was younger.

“My draft number was 140, and they said they were going to go to 160. And then they only went to 120. But this was a good movie. It was well done. You just never knew what was going to happen next. And that’s what war’s about. You just never know what’s going to happen next.”

The Andersons had “prepared” for the World War I visuals vividly recreated in “1917” with an earlier viewing of “They Shall Not Grow Old,” a 2018 documentary by Peter Jackson created using original footage of WWI.

For Barry Boyer, preparation for watching “1947” was just a matter of mind-set.

“It’s gonna be ugly. That’s what you know. War is ugly. Thank God I never had to be in one,” Boyer said.

Filmed in the UK and directed by Sam Mendez, “1917” follows two British soldiers as they set off to deliver a message nine miles through “no man’s land” in France, held by the Germans.

Lance Corporals Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) must reach Colonel McKenzie before he sends 1600 men into an attack against the “retreating” Germans.

Cpl. Blake’s brother is among the men about to enter a murder zone the following morning. It is up to them alone to get the message to McKenzie to call off the attack against the German soldiers who, unbeknownst to McKenzie, have retreated to a massive web of fortified trenches the Germans call the Hindenberg Line.

For Rankin, a large part of the movie’s appeal was the unique style it was filmed in.

Shot in a “single shot in real time” style, movie viewers remain with the main characters all the way through the plot.

“The longest continuous shot is nine minutes long,” said Rankin. “We’ve only gotten a shot like that one other time. And this was sent in 4,000 definition, which is really nice. It’s the biggest digital file we’ve had so far.”

Golden Globe Best Director Sam Mendez’s 1917 was nominated for Best Picture, Drama

Locals wanting more World War I action can check out Ritzville’s library for “They Shall Not Grow Old.” Yvonne Anderson donated her copy of the documentary. The footage, all of it over 100 years old by the time of the release, came from the Imperial War Museum’s archives; most of it previously never seen.

“It’s very graphic, but it’s very good,” said Yvonne.

“It was so powerful, I don’t think I could watch it again,” Dale said.