Two years after embarking on a harrowing World War One mission in 1917, George MacKay is back on our screens attempting to put a stop to another global conflict.
New Netflix film Munich – The Edge of War sees MacKay star as fictional political aide Hugh Legat in the run-up to the Munich Peace Conference in 1938, with his character working alongside Neville Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons) before being drawn into a plot to bring down Hitler with his German university friend Paul.
And according to MacKay, it was vital to avoid the pitfalls of “dusty” stories about politics and war, with the star explaining to RadioTimes.com that a key scene – which sees Hugh and Paul discuss politics in a Bavarian bar – was born out of improv, in a bid to infuse the script with “youthful energy”.
“We had a week’s rehearsal before we started and Christian [Schwochow, director] was really giving, in terms of we basically improvised around those scenes. Ben Power the writer would be part of that rehearsal and that discussion, and would then transcribe some of the improv and put that into the scene, so it then became an amalgamation of the sort of things we had discussed.”
He added: “Some of the most effective, affecting political conversations I’ve had in my life have been in pubs, have been watching friends discuss something. And so I think we really wanted that energy because I think that everyone today, but especially the youth of today, are so politically and socially ignited and conscious and verbal and active. And it’s amazing.
“And I think that there’s a danger in telling stories about past politics that it sounds a bit dusty or a bit boring. Whereas I think we wanted to catch that youthful energy of like discussing ideas because that’s all it is. It’s ideas that are then solidified in action, or as Hugh might say, in legislation, but it comes from an idea.
“And I think it was important that that energy was there within those scenes. And that’s for me is what the film is about, it is a discussion on what is the right thing to do, and how is the best way to do it.”
!["Munich]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/Munich-Edge-of-Wae-f9eb960.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Munich")
MacKay’s co-star Jannis Niewöhner, who plays Paul, agreed that the Bavarian bar scene was one of his favourites in the movie, and he hopes that scenes like this – and compelling characters like Hugh and Paul – will make audiences more willing to engage with history.
“If I have an interesting character like Paul von Hartmann or a friendship story between Hugh and Paul which I can follow, then I’m really open to what’s being told history-wise,” he explained. “Other times, it’s quite hard for me to, you know, to understand all this stuff or to have a real interest for it, but if there’s a great story and characters I can open up – and I hope it’s gonna be the same with the audience.”
MacKay has appeared in a number of historical films recently – most notably the aforementioned 1917 – and he says that he’s increasingly found himself drawn towards exploring history in his work.
“I think history is a funny one because as I get older, being more conscious of being part of storytelling, you sort of understand the way that the stories that you’re part of influence the present and the future,” he said.
“And I think… when you’re looking at things and trying to figure the world out or yourself out, hindsight feels more solid than whatever the present situation is, the present is always moving, whereas history is kind of static, and therefore you’re able to observe and pick it apart in a way that you can’t in a present moment, perhaps.
“And that’s I guess why I’m drawn to it – because I think I like to pick things apart to try and understand them. So you need something to stay still for you to do that.”
Munich – The Edge of War is on Netflix from Friday 21st January 2022. Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide.