The Wipers Times

TV Movie
2013
Not Rated
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Based on the remarkable true story of a satirical newspaper published on the front lines of World War One, this poignant yet comedic drama revels in the extraordinary resilience of the human... Read allBased on the remarkable true story of a satirical newspaper published on the front lines of World War One, this poignant yet comedic drama revels in the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.Based on the remarkable true story of a satirical newspaper published on the front lines of World War One, this poignant yet comedic drama revels in the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 3 wins & 1 nomination total

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
"Wipers" was the nickname that British soldiers during World War I used for the Belgian Flemish city of Ieper, which was known by its French name of "Ypres" and they found the correct name hard to say.

Goofs
German soldiers singing the "Hymn of Hate" may be artistic license. The hymn was principally a poem, though in the UK it was published with a score and sung for amusement.

Quotes
Roberts: We've come a long way in the last eighteen months, haven't we?
Pearson: I'd say approximately thirty yards.

Soundtracks
If You Were the Only Girl in the World
Written by Clifford Grey and Nat Ayer (as Nat D Ayer)
Used by kind permission of Carlin Music Corp on behalf of
Redwood Music Ltd and EMI Music Publishing Ltd

User reviews18

Review

Featured review

6/10

Papers, please.

'The Wipers Times (2013)' is about a group of soldiers in WWI who come across a printing press while stationed in Ypres and decide to produce a satirical newspaper to give the troops the gift of laughter while they endure trench warfare. The piece is based on a relatively interesting true story and sort of seeks to explore the Great War from a new perspective. Though it looks like an episode of 'Doctor Who (2005-)' and is generally rather confined due to its budget, it's an admirable attempt at recreating the period and it has a certain rustic charm to it. It sometimes blends the horrors of war with the comping mechanism of humour rather well, peeling back the characters' surface of detached wit to reveal a much darker truth about their experience, but it leans far more into comedy than drama even though it's quite dry overall. It's never boring, but it doesn't really have a sense of escalation. It's also too long for its own good. Yet, the narrative is compelling enough for what it is and the cutaway gags, which play out like the skits from 'Horrible Histories (2009-2022)', are generally enjoyable. It's a solid effort overall.