Hello, and thanks for tuning in to another episode of The Directors' Cut, brought to you by the Directors Guild of America,

featuring today's top directors sharing behind-the-scenes stories of their latest films and insights into the craft of directing.

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This episode takes us behind the scenes of director Sam Mendes' new wartime drama,

1917.

The film follows two young privates fighting with British forces during the First World War.

They are given the impossible mission of delivering a message into enemy territory to prevent

1,600 men, including one of the soldiers' brothers, from walking into a deadly trap.

In addition to 1917, Mr. Mendez's directorial credits include the feature films Spector,

Skyfall, Away We Go, Revolutionary Road, Jarhead, and Road to Perdition.

He received the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and Feature Film for his 1999 film, American Beauty.

Following a recent screening of the film at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, Mr. Mendes spoke with director Ed Zwick about filming 1917.

Listen on for their spoiler-filled conversation.

Thank you.

Well, I mean, I've just seen it now as you've seen it, so my reactions will be as gobsmacked

as yours.

It's a remarkable film, and thank you.

Thank you, Ed.

Thank you very much.

And I have a number of very personal reactions to it, but some professional ones as well.

The first comment I would just make in general

is that there is this Homeric quality to it,

...