Two enemy WWI soldiers build a fated friendship over the course of a single night.

 

ACT I: THE SETUP

Essential Story Point #1: The Hook: A wounded soldier is left behind as his comrades press further into enemy territory, only to be ambushed by a stray soldier on the opposing side.

Essential Story Point #2: Upsetting the Status Quo: For reasons unknown, the enemy soldier spares him and dresses his wounds. They share a meal, despite not being able to speak each other’s languages.

Essential Story Point #3: Doorway of No Return: The enemy soldier’s platoon catches up with them, and the wounded soldier wonders if he will now be a POW.

 

ACT II: RISING CONFLICT

Essential Story Point #4: The Initial Plan: The enemy soldier sneaks him out and points him toward his troops. The biggest conflict of this scene is that they are unable to communicate with each other since they cannot speak each other’s language, plus talking will give him away.

Essential Story Point #5: Midpoint & Mirror Moment: The soldiers appear to have made their way out. There is silent camaraderie between them.

Essential Story Point #6: All Hope Is Lost: However, they are caught by the enemy squad. The wounded soldier believes that he will be ratted out and the soldier that has been helping him will throw him under the bus.

 

ACT III: CLIMAX & RESOLUTION

Essential Story Point #7: Transformation: The enemy soldier doesn’t rat him out, but instead uses himself as bait for the wounded soldier to escape. The soldier that has helped him is shot in the process.

Essential Story Point #8: Climax & Resolution: The wounded soldier does escape, but he realized he never tried to get the name of the soldier that saved him. He never even knew why this soldier saved him in the first place. There’s a lot of questions left unanswered on purpose, but it makes the soldier ever more grateful.