by Doris E Rufli

Created on: October 30, 2008

A project apparently based on writer / director / lead actor Paul Gross' grandfather Michael Dunne, essentially thirty years in the making. Naturally, a movie is never an exact biography, in fact and according to interviews as well as the documentary The Road to Passchendaele' recording the making of this feature, while the film is inspired by Michael Dunne's experiences and even includes at least one actual event during his serving in WWI, it essentially shows the way of life, general demeanour and warfare during the period of the war to end all wars'.

Passchendaele opens with a war sequence at Vimy where Sergeant Michael Dunne (Paul Gross) is injured and suffers from shellshock. He is subsequently shipped back to his native Canada after going AWOL in order to heal his physical wounds and determine his mental wellbeing. Nurse Sarah Mann (Caroline Dhavernas) cares for him at a Calgary infirmary and while they both like one another, war and hospital policies prevent them from taking it any further.

Subsequently, the Sergeant is ordered to appear before a military medical tribunal in order to determine his fate whether to return him to the front, a court martial and almost certain death by firing squad or to remain in Canada and be assigned other duties. While nightmares of seeing many of his comrades shot and literally blown to pieces keep the soldier from sleeping he still seems determined to not defend himself, almost having a death wish. In those days, military command in particular views socalled shellshocked soldiers as cowards wanting to avoid carrying out their duties rather than accepting it as the real illness it is Neurasthenia. Thankfully, there are those particularly of the medical profession starting to think otherwise resulting in Michael Dunne being determined unfit for duty and reassigned to work at the local recruitment office.

Having rejected Sarah's younger brother David's (Joe Dinicol) attempt to enlist his main reason being to gain his sweetheart Cassie's (Meredith Bailey) hand in marriage Michael ends up taking him home drunk and beaten, forcing another encounter with his former nurse. He starts wooing her, she starts to relent and a gentle romance is blooming with the raging war forgotten at least for a short time. Intrigue, controversy and unforeseen circumstances eventually lead to David Mann leaving for the front and Sergeant Dunne feels compelled to follow and protect the only surviving relative of his one true love.

A very engaging, 100% Canadian feature magnificently written, directed and lead by an everconvincing and multitalented Paul Gross. Caroline Dhavernas and Joe Dinicol as well as the remaining support cast and crew do an absolutely wonderful job at literally bringing a war now mostly forgotten back to life. They allow the audience to experience this important period of the early Twentieth Century when Canadian soldiers proved to the world their essence and determination at a great loss. The storm troopers were born and came of age during WWI.

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