Writer and director Robert Port won an Oscar for his acclaimed 2003 short film Twin Towers before writing and producing on major TV shows such as Numb3rs and Training Day. His feature film debut is Recon, a new World War II outing based on the critically acclaimed novel “Peace” by Richard Bausch. Taking us to Italy in 1944, this tense and slow-burning thriller follows four American soldiers who embark on a gruelling ascent of a snowy Italian mountainside during the final days of the war. Haunted by their sergeant’s cold-blooded murder of a civilian, they have only an elderly local man who speaks little English to lead them across the mountain alive. But can they trust him?
The film stars Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, Bad Boys For Life), Sam Keeley (The English Game, This Must Be the Place), Chris Brochu (The Vampire Diaries, Shameless) and Franco Nero (1966’s Django, Django: Unchained, John Wick: Chapter 2).
Robert Port tells us more about the film, and how his background brought him to the project.
What was it about Recon that made this one the right story to tell for your first feature? And do you have any family connection to the war?
Yes, my grandfather fought in WWII and I have great respect for the military. My family is Jewish and my grandfather escaped from Germany, went back, fought and helped liberate a concentration camp. He won a bronze star too. It’s amazing that when it comes to that generation, so many people have amazing stories. Even Edd Lukas, our cinematographer on Recon, had stories about his own grandfather, and I found that a lot of people have their own unique association. I was also a child of the 1970’s and I grew up fascinated with cinema. Some of the movies I loved most were the World War II classics.
How did you come to be involved in adapting the film?
I first heard about Richard Bausch’s novel, Peace, around 12 years ago in the New York Times, so I called my agent and said I wanted to secure that book and adapt it. When I first read it, I noticed Richard has such a strong visual sense, he’s extremely gifted. I majored in American Literature and I feel that I respect the author more than a lot of filmmakers probably do. Just look at the great books which have made terrible movies! We didn’t want to make that mistake.
I inhaled the book in a day or two, started highlighting parts and I wrote the first draft exceptionally quickly because I stayed loyal to the source material. Although it’s a novel, it’s based on the true story of Richard’s father in World War II and it resonated with me. The “act” structure from the book is perfect for film, which had been subconscious on his part, so he laid out a good blueprint. Over time, we became friends, he gave me notes through my various drafts, and he even came to set. I don’t know of too many collaborations which have happened this way.
I should also say another major influence on me was William Goldman. He was an author and became a great screenwriter, so I don’t agree with the idea that you can’t do both. I believe great stories are great stories and great characters are great characters, whether it’s a novel or a film.
What inspired you visually?
Growing up watching movies, one of the greatest influences on me was David Lean, with films like Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai. I still find these films warm, calming and there’s a deep human connection. There are incredible wide shots, intimate close-ups, and these were all references we wanted to use in Recon. Our cinematographer didn’t shy away from this style and we used vintage anamorphic lenses to capture that feeling.
While WWII films are common, we haven’t seen too many taking place in Italy, and during the later part of the war when the soldiers seem exhausted. Was that a conscious choice?
Yes, absolutely. In the book, it goes into detail describing the weather and the harsh conditions. I hadn’t been too familiar with that period in Italy but when I looked at archive black and white images, it was very vivid. I can still remember them now. I printed various photos as inspiration for scenes in the film and it was amazing how well they matched.
What I liked about this setting was that the characters were already at their low point, and it was a way to bring my own creative twist. Seeing fresh-faced soldiers going over to fight, no one can do it better than Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk. Whether you’re working with hundreds of millions of dollars, or a couple of million, I believe it’s up to filmmakers to find a creative way to tell their story.
Can you talk about the cast?
I’ve spent probably thousands of hours on sets doing network and cable television, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great actors because they’re appeared on successful TV shows. So, when it came to casting, I felt confident because I knew exactly what I wanted.
Alexander Ludwig, who everyone knows from Vikings, is a great actor but even he far exceeded my expectations. We bonded very quickly and he’s a phenomenal guy. He was so willing to push himself and I think you can see that in the film, through the evolution of his character.
Sam Keeley is amazing and brought his A-game in another way, through his own process, so my approach to working with him and developing his character was different. Chris Brochu was wonderful, and we cast him very late, about two days before filming. We just couldn’t find the right person for the role of Asch, but he came in and knocked it out of the park.
Franco Nero is an icon and has made over 200 films. He’s the original Django! To have him in the film was a real honour. He is very generous, and he enjoyed working with his younger co-stars. He’d make beautiful observations that could only come from someone who’s worked with Laurence Olivier, John Huston and Quentin Tarantino! We still speak regularly and, for me, that’s one of the best things to come out of the whole process. There was one little restaurant in the hotel we were staying at during the shoot and we’d have dinner together every night. It would start with just the two of us and, throughout the evening, the entire cast and any patrons of the hotel would come in and Franco would be telling incredible stories from his career. I’m just sorry I couldn’t film it!
Beyond the leads, the supporting cast like Tyler Hynes, RJ Fetherstonhaugh, Christie Burke, and everyone else was incredible too. I felt more like the coach of a football team than a director, because everyone was so eager, and it was an amazing thing to see.
The film was shot on location in Canada in the snow. How challenging was that?
There are movies out there, which I won’t name, that are incredible pieces of cinema, but I laugh when I see the snow isn’t touching the uniforms! Let me assure you that we were filming in the snow, for real. We found out through research that the real soldiers wore these thin Army field jackets because the Americans believed by summer they’d be in Rome, so they weren’t expecting to spend winter there. They had t-shirts, thin jackets and no gloves. In fact, on the first day I wore the same thing in solidarity with the cast! There were no sets, so we were on a real farm in Canada over several hundred acres. It was a tremendous challenge, similar to a mountain expedition hauling cameras and equipment around. We were altogether in the middle of nowhere, so we really became a family.
Another positive side about being on location was that we could use those classic David Lean references to shoot anamorphic and capture these epic wide shots in some beautiful rural locations. Obviously, we did it on a fraction of the budget, but we had those influences in mind.
What do you hope audiences take from Recon?
Well, I don’t want to get overly philosophical, but while I always had an ambition to work in film and television, I grew up in New York before moving to Los Angeles. I also worked for 10 years in the sheriff’s department as a reserve deputy, spending a lot of time on the street. I bring this up simply because I feel like I’ve had the chance to see both sides, the fortunate and the less fortunate. I’ve seen how one simple act, such as helping someone, can have a very powerful effect. It’s easy to walk away, and some people do, but we should consider how a small action can make a positive change. Through the story of Recon and understanding these characters, I hope it encourages people to think about this idea or talk about it, and how it can relate to them.
Dazzler Media presents Recon on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Download from 18th January.
