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Timeline

Wartime (1987) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 85 mins · Italian
Directed by
Umberto Lenzi
Starring
Peter Hooten, Demeter Bitenc, Mladen Nelević, Ljiljana Blagojević, Boris Dvornik, Rade Čolović

Set in occupied Eastern Europe during World II, the Nazis capture a Swedish scientist whose expertise could enable them to build weapons of mass destruction. A determined group of local resistance fighters plan a daring rescue, enlisting two American pilots. As Nazi patrols tighten their grip, the rebels race against time to free the scientist before the deadly project is completed.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Wartime
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Wartime (1987)

Where can you watch Wartime? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Wartime Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Wartime (1987) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Journey to UNIT H.Q. begins

    Benton drives the Land Rover toward UNIT H.Q. with a radioactive payload, focused on the road ahead. He is unexpectedly pulled into a flashback of his Lancashire childhood, the memory jolting him emotionally. The sense of danger around the mission begins to mingle with unresolved personal guilt.

    Where
    Road to UNIT H.Q.
  2. Visit to Chris's grave in Lancashire

    Benton recalls visiting the grave of his older brother Chris in Lancashire, the memory sharpening the emotional stakes of the mission. The scene underscores the burden of loss and the weight Benton carries about his family. It hints at the roots of his sense of duty and fear.

    When
    Lancashire childhood
    Where
    Lancashire graveyard
  3. Flashback to 1944: Chris's death

    In a 1944 memory, Christopher slips and falls to his death during a chase, leaving Benton with a crushing sense of guilt. Benton believes he failed to protect him, a belief that haunts him into the present. The scene establishes the motive behind his relentless sense of duty.

    When
    1944
    Where
    Lancashire, 1944
  4. Unit contact fails; repair ordered

    Benton is unable to contact UNIT successfully, signaling that help may not arrive in time. He commands Private Willis to repair the Land Rover, taking matters into his own hands. He continues to investigate the surrounding area despite the failing communication.

    Where
    Near the woodland route
  5. Stranger in the woods aims to steal the source

    A mysterious stranger lurks in the woods with the intention of stealing the radioactive material. The threat is implied as Benton navigates the trees and listens for any hint of movement. The tension mounts as the intruder's plan remains unknown.

    Where
    Woods near the route
  6. Ghostly father taunts Benton

    As Benton moves through the trees, a ghostly form of his father, an army sergeant killed in WWII, torments him. The apparition challenges his sense of worth and his place in the army. The haunting blends past and present, increasing the emotional pressure.

    Where
    Woods
  7. Benton confronts the spirit and breaks its hold

    Benton confronts the spirit and gradually breaks its hold over him. He comes to realize that Christopher's death was an accident and that his own actions in trying to save him were misinterpreted as failure. The breakthrough allows him to regain control of his mind.

    Where
    Woods
  8. Return to the Land Rover with renewed resolve

    Having shed the haunting, Benton returns to the Land Rover with renewed resolve. He steadies himself for the next phase of the mission, focusing on the immediate practical threat. The shift marks a turning point from inner turmoil to decisive action.

    Where
    Woodland path / Land Rover
  9. Benton subdues the mystery man

    Benton reacts to the intruder and ultimately subdues the mystery man who was after the radioactive source. The confrontation demonstrates his regained composure and resourcefulness. The threat to the payload is neutralized.

    Where
    Forest clearing
  10. Prisoner secured; journey resumes

    Willis helps secure the man as a prisoner, and Benton and his companion leave the woods. They resume their journey toward UNIT H.Q. with the threat contained. The episode underscores that the mission continues despite the nightmarish memories.

    Where
    Forest edge / road
  11. The father’s voice: the game is over

    The ghostly voice of Benton's father declares that the game is now over, providing a final closure to his psychic ordeal. The line intensifies the sense that the supernatural trial has ended and duty remains. Benton carries on with a clearer sense of self and purpose.

    Where
    In the vehicle, heading away from the woods
  12. Journey continues toward UNIT H.Q.

    Benton's mission resumes as he and Willis press on toward UNIT H.Q. with the stolen risk secured and his past reconciled. The ride continues, the tension having shifted from internal struggle to a hardened resolve. The story closes on a note of precarious victory and continuation.

    Where
    Road to UNIT H.Q.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:39

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Timeline questions answered

Wartime Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Wartime (1987): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Benton feel guilty about his brother's death?

Benton carries deep guilt because he believes he could have prevented his older brother Chris's death in 1944. During a game of chase, Chris slipped from a wall and fell to his death, and Benton has spent decades convinced that his own actions somehow caused or failed to prevent the accident.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the journey, Benton stops at Chris's grave in Lancashire, establishing the weight of this loss before the full memory emerges.

  • benton
  • chris
  • guilt
  • brother
  • death
  • 1944
  • flashback
Q2

What is the ghostly figure appearing to Benton in the woods?

The ghostly figure is a manifestation of Benton's father, who was a wartime army sergeant killed in action. The spectral father appears in the woods to torment Benton, questioning his worthiness and strength, essentially challenging whether he is fit to survive military service.

Foreshadowing: The presence of the ghost intensifies as Benton moves deeper into the wooded path, blending present danger with past trauma.

  • ghost
  • father
  • spirit
  • woods
  • torment
  • army sergeant
Q3

How does Benton overcome his psychological trauma?

Benton overcomes his trauma by confronting the truth he has been avoiding: that his brother's death was a tragic accident, not his fault. He realizes his younger self was actually trying to save Chris during the chase, not condemning him. This realization breaks the ghost's hold over him and restores his mental clarity.

Foreshadowing: The ghost's taunts lose their power as Benton stops resisting the painful memory and accepts what actually happened.

  • trauma
  • confrontation
  • truth
  • acceptance
  • brother
  • death
  • accident
Q4

Who is the stranger trying to steal the radioactive source?

The stranger is a mysterious intruder lurking in the woods with the intent of seizing the dangerous radioactive cargo Benton is transporting. The summary does not reveal the stranger's identity or affiliation, only that Benton subdues him and secures him as a prisoner before resuming the mission.

Foreshadowing: The tension builds as Benton senses danger nearby and investigates the forested path ahead, unaware of the intruder's precise identity.

  • stranger
  • intruder
  • woods
  • radioactive
  • source
  • steal
  • cargo
Q5

What triggers Benton's flashback during the mission?

Benton's flashback is triggered as he travels along the road to UNIT H.Q. While driving the Land Rover with the radioactive payload, he is unexpectedly pulled into unsettling memories from his Lancashire childhood. The journey itself, combined with the dangerous nature of the mission, appears to unlock the suppressed trauma.

Foreshadowing: The mission's tension mingles with unresolved personal guilt as Benton begins his journey.

  • flashback
  • memories
  • childhood
  • lancashire
  • mission
  • radioactive
Q6

Why does Benton's father ghost say the game is over?

The father's ghostly declaration that "the game is over" signifies both the end of Benton's psychological ordeal and the successful completion of his external mission. With Benton having finally accepted the truth about his brother's death, the supernatural torment ceases, and the ghost's final words provide closure to the spectral trial.

Foreshadowing: This statement comes after Benton regains control of his mind and subdues the physical threat in the woods.

  • father
  • ghost
  • game over
  • closure
  • mission
  • ordeal
Q7

What happened in the 1944 childhood incident?

In 1944, during a game of chase between Benton and his older brother Chris, Chris slipped from a wall and fell to his death. The traumatic event left Benton with lasting guilt, convinced he bears responsibility for failing to protect his brother, a belief that haunted him into his adult military service.

Foreshadowing: Benton's visit to Chris's grave in Lancashire foreshadows the painful memory that will surface during his mission.

  • 1944
  • chase
  • wall
  • fall
  • death
  • brother
  • childhood
Q8

Why is Benton transporting radioactive material?

Benton is transporting a radioactive source to UNIT H.Q. as part of a military operation. The dangerous cargo requires careful handling and protection, which is why Benton's mission involves both physical security and urgency, especially as a stranger attempts to steal the material during transit.

Foreshadowing: The mission's importance is established early, with Benton focused on delivering the payload despite the personal toll the journey takes on him.

  • radioactive
  • source
  • transport
  • unit
  • mission
  • land rover
  • cargo
Q9

How does Benton subdue the intruder in the woods?

After breaking free from the ghost's psychological torment, Benton returns to the Land Rover with renewed clarity and resolve. He confronts the mystery man who was attempting to seize the radioactive material and manages to subdue him, securing both the cargo and the prisoner before resuming the journey to UNIT H.Q.

Foreshadowing: The confrontation occurs in a forest clearing after Benton has psychologically renewed himself.

  • intrudder
  • subdue
  • woods
  • forest
  • cargo
  • radioactive
  • prisoner
Q10

What is UNIT in the movie?

UNIT is the military headquarters that Benton is delivering the radioactive source to. The organization appears to be a specialized military or scientific unit responsible for handling dangerous materials, as Benton's mission involves transporting a radioactive payload under high security.

Foreshadowing: Contact with UNIT proves unreliable during the mission, adding to the tension and isolation Benton experiences.

  • unit
  • military
  • headquarters
  • radioactive
  • transport
  • mission

Movie threads

More Movies Like Wartime, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Wartime tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Wartime Redemption Stories like in Wartime

Soldiers haunted by the past find hope through confronting painful memories. For viewers who enjoyed the melancholic and redemptive tone of Wartime. This list features movies like Wartime that combine the tension of war with psychological depth and a journey toward personal reconciliation.

  • wartime
  • psychological
  • redemptive
  • melancholic
  • introspective
  • somber
  • Tone: melancholic, reflective, redemptive
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread follow characters, often soldiers or resistance fighters, who are burdened by a traumatic past—such as survivor's guilt or childhood trauma—that manifests as a psychological weight. The plot involves a mission or external goal, but the true journey is an internal one, where confronting these ghosts of the past is key to achieving a redemptive and hopeful ending.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a unique mix of a wartime setting with a slow, introspective pace and a melancholic tone. The emotional core is a character's psychological struggle, which ultimately finds resolution, creating a specific bittersweet but uplifting viewing experience.

Slow-Burn Psychological Dramas like Wartime

A quiet, creeping dread where the mind is the true battlefield. If you liked the slow, haunting psychological tension in Wartime, explore these films with a similar pace and mood. These movies prioritize internal conflict and a somber, reflective atmosphere over fast-paced action.

  • slow burn
  • psychological
  • somber
  • haunting
  • introspective
  • reflective
  • Tone: somber, haunting, psychological
  • Pacing: slow burn, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread unfold at a deliberate pace, prioritizing character introspection over rapid plot twists. The primary antagonist is often a memory, a trauma, or a supernatural manifestation of guilt. The narrative follows a character's journey as they are forced to confront these psychological shadows, with the resolution coming from emotional acceptance rather than physical victory.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific cinematic feel defined by a slow pace, a melancholic or somber tone, and a focus on psychological themes. The experience is less about external thrills and more about a deep, resonant exploration of a character's internal world under duress.

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Every angle

Wartime (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Wartime in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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