Greenwood Hill Productions announces the release of its first feature length motion picture, a new film version of Dalton Trumbo's classic anti-war novel, Johnny Got His Gun, starring Ben McKenzie.

Described by BlackBook Magazine as "a heady mix of Samuel Beckett's Happy Days, Lars Von Trier's Dogville, and Pat Barker's Regeneration," the movie is a new play-on-film version of the novel, based on the 1982 Off-Broadway play which starred Jeff Daniels.

McKenzie plays 'Joe Bonham', a young American soldier hit by an artillery shell on the last day of the First World War. As a quadruple amputee who has also lost his eyes, ears, nose and mouth, he lies in a hospital bed but remains conscious and able to reason, all the while struggling to communicate with the outside world. The film explores the interplay between science, medicine, religion, and politics.

"What appealed to me about the project was the fact that the screenplay is very pro-soldier. While it does a great job presenting the book's most famous anti-war passages, it gets just as much power, if not more, from the main character's unflinching resolve to overcome his situation," said McKenzie. "Even though the story takes place in World War I, it is sadly still relevant today. The movie demonstrates so beautifully the fact that you can be both for the soldiers and against the war; that they are not two opposing points of view."

Bradley Rand Smith adapted the play from Trumbo's award-winning 1939 novel. Since that time the book has sold 100 million copies, having been printed in 40 separate editions in 30 different languages; the most recent in July 2007 with a new forward written by Cindy Sheehan. It is required reading at hundreds of high schools, colleges and universities.

McKenzie starred for four seasons as 'Ryan Atwood' on The O.C.. He has also made guest appearances on the television shows JAG, The District, and Mad TV. His feature film work includes roles in the comedy Junebug with Amy Adams, and the thriller 88 Minutes alongside Al Pacino.

The 1971 film version of the novel, written and directed by Trumbo, won the Grand Jury and FIPRESCI Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Clips of the film were used by Metallica in their 1989 music video for their song "One," which was based on the novel as well.