Just watched Sam Mendes' 1917 on Prime in uhd, fabulous movie, stunning visuals/ one take technique draws you right in and is powerfully effective but oh my, why oh why did they use what sounds very like auto tune on the "Wayfaring stranger" song? Incongruous to say the least.
Just watched it last night. I agree, a visual feast and totally absorbing. I struggle to understand why anyone would find most of it 'far fetched'. It portrayed chaos. War is largely chaos.
RE; Wayfaring Stranger. I'd go further and ask why they used the song at all. Poetic Licence taken way too far IMHO, and an unnecessary indulgence. A blot on an otherwise superb film. Although the song long pre-dates WW1, I'd be very surprised if it was current among soldiers comprising 'The Devons' in 1917, pre-radio/TV and so on. It's not even well known among the general population now. It is also an American song.
One other thing which I baulked at a bit. When the two protagonists set out to work their way through the lines, they trudged, apparently unconcerned, through puddles and mud, when a little thought would have allowed them to avoid many. Having spoken to my Grandfather, who served in WW1.. about the horrors of 'Trench Foot', and even the basic necessity to stay dry and as comfortable as possible.. I doubt many serving soldiers would have been so casual about getting wet and cold.
Still overall 1917 is as good as any film I've seen about WW1 and better than most, with the possible exception of 'All Quiet'..etc.
The 'Wayfaring Stranger' episode reminded me of the TV series 'Flambards', back in the late 1970s, which was set during WW1. I didn't follow it closely, because to me it made little sense. It made even less when at some sort of Harvest supper.. one of the characters launched into 'The Shoals of Herring'... a song not written until around 1960... by Ewan McColl.