Sam Mendes' latest film, '1917' is an epic war drama set during World War I, telling the story of two men on a desparate mission to save the lives of thousands of their fellow soldiers. The battlefield stories from WWI are rife with drama, but this film ratchets up the tension by telling the story in real time and in one continuous shot.

That kind of filmmaking brings up quite a few challenges, as Ms. Moviefone (Grae Drake) found out when she sat down for an extended interview with Mendes, co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and stars George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman.

'1917' is in theaters now.