Lesley Paterson is certainly not your typical screenwriter. Her movie \”All Quiet on the Western Front\” came out last year and received overwhelming global praise; subsequently, it has secured four victories at the awards ceremonies.
Oscars
(from the nine major nominations) last night.
However, it has taken 16 years and numerous triathlons to reach that point.
Even with her role as a triathlete always demanding attention, Paterson doesn’t slow down. She recounts, \”When \’All Quiet\’ was eventually launched, we were running a triathlon training camp.\” She continues, laughing slightly, \”\’I\’m headed to the movie’s debut, but at the same time, I\’m fielding emails and WhatsApp messages regarding wetsuit sizes, and instructions on how to handle laundry. It felt surreal.\’\”
She developed a deep affection for the novel, which was initially penned by Erich Maria Remarque in 1928, when she was still in high school. The story adopts the perspective of Germans and tracks the experiences of soldier Paul Baumer amidst the turmoil of trench warfare toward the end of World War I. This poignant tale has previously made it to the big screen two times prior, though not since 1979.
World War One is incredibly captivating; it\’s profoundly sad too,\” she remarks. \”It represents the meeting point of contemporary developments with traditional warfare methods. That has always drawn my interest.\” She continues, discussing the specific book at hand, saying, \”The writing style is remarkably lyrical, capturing the disillusionment experienced by an entire youth cohort. The narrative hits hard and remains relevant over time. This timeless quality persists through every new decade.
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As Paterson embarked on her career as a triathlete and won many competitions globally, the thought lingered in the background. By sheer coincidence, she stumbled upon the same book once more in a thrift store. Later, when she and her spouse, Simon Marshall, looked into acquiring the rights, they were surprised to discover that the cost was quite manageable.
They took the plunge, and over the following ten years, Paterson was dedicated to securing the film rights, collaborating with her co-writer Ian Stokell on multiple script revisions. To cover the licensing costs, she competed in triathlons, once even finishing despite having a fractured shoulder. She recounted to the Hollywood Reporter how she managed the race: \”I could manage the cycling part by strapping my arm perpendicular to the handlebars, and barely made it through running using dinosaur-like short arms.\”
She channeled that same determination into her writing – \”I derive purpose from hardship. Thus, I am quite attuned to that aspect of myself\” – and faced numerous rejections throughout the movie’s 16-year path to the big screen.
Following the rise of streamers—and notably, Bong Joon-ho’s \”Parasite\” securing the Best Picture Oscar—things shifted dramatically. Soon after \”Parasite\” took home the award, \”All Quiet on the Western Front\” received its commission.
People mention, \’Oh, did you think about making it as a German-language film?\’ Yes, we did,\” she explains. \”However, that wouldn’t have been feasible 16 years ago… We proposed it as an English-language movie with German accents to make financing possible.
Is she fluent in German? She admits somewhat bashfully, \”Languages aren’t really my strong suit. It seems bad saying this, but since being English means everybody around knows it too, I haven’t put much effort into learning others.\” In her stead, acclaimed German filmmaker Edward Berger took the original English script and converted it for his German adaptation which he directed later.
There should be no doubt: even with its classic standing, this production is not a word-for-word recreation. Most notably, the conclusion has been altered. However, Paterson justifies this choice by stating, \”Cinematically speaking, when adapting something, it\’s essential to grasp the sensibilities of today\’s viewers: what will attract them and which key moments you wish to include, all while remaining faithful to the core messages.\”
This involved incorporating a plotline about the armistice, wherein an actor portraying a politician (Daniel Bruhl) leads the German delegation aiming for a peace agreement.
As Paterson highlights, when the book was penned, the full impact of the war had not yet been completely experienced: \”Our aim was for a contemporary audience to grasp that World War One paved the way for World War Two.\”
Nevertheless, even though All Quiet carries strong anti-war messages, it has not garnered similar acclaim in Germany, its homeland. \”In every other place, people have embraced it. I believe this is largely because [in Germany], they feel very connected to the subject matter… you see, there has been some critique. However, one must adopt an artistic standpoint, and that\’s what we\’ve done.\”
It feels particularly relevant today, amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. \”While it\’s terrible to admit that the war is boosting the film\’s reach,\” Paterson notes, referring to a scene early in her movie where a deceased soldier\’s uniform is taken off and reused for another recruit to wear.
I mean, even the Russians are changing their uniforms for different uses. A lot of the photos from Ukraine look similar to our movies… which is really wild.
At present, she has her sights set on the future. Together with her spouse, she is currently working on four distinct screenplays (one each based in Africa, Scotland, and Ireland; plus an additional military-themed story). Additionally, she needs to grapple with the recent Academy Award victories.
The movie received nominations in nine key categories such as Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Sound. It went on to win awards for Best Cinematography, Best International Film, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score.
Paterson lights up as she shares memories of an encounter with Steven Spielberg, whose movie \”Schindler’s List\” served as inspiration for the initial sequences of \”All Quiet.\” She appears amazed by her rapid rise to fame; upon learning about her Oscar nomination, she says she “hopped around quite a bit.”
In the end, however, what really counts is the movie’s core message: \”This is definitely an anti-war film. Naturally, I see myself as someone who stands up for the little guy, having come from Scotland and all the battles I\’ve faced.\”
So I believe challenging the political powers that govern the world as they do, showing no regard for individuals? Yes, I feel that this message holds significant importance to me.
All Quiet on the Western Front can be streamed now.
Netflix
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