Film Review

In Love and War (1996)

   Now I’m going to speak about the movie In Live and War (1996). So In Love and War is a 1996 romance drama film based on the book, Hemingway in Love and War by Henry S. Villard and James Nagel, starring  Chris O'Donnell as Ernest 'Ernie' Hemingway and Sandra Bullock as Agnes von Kurowsky.  This film takes place during World War I.

   It was 1918 the First World War, when a young American reporter Ernest Hemingway came to Italy, but was refused to be taken to the front. Being on the firing line, the man got under the enemy’s fire where he was badly wounded. Thus Ernest was taken to the hospital, where he met an American nurse Agnes von Kurovsky, with whom he immediately felt in love. However, soon the woman was transferred closer to the front, while Ernest was sent to the United States. After the war the woman was offered to marry the surgeon, that put an end to two lovers’ relations. She continued her career with the American Red Cross, and Ernest Hemingway continued writing and became one of the most famous novelists of his time.

   It’s an open secret that nowadays there’re a great number of biopic films but not all of them can award the status of the best. However, I think this film deserves it. As you know, In Love and War is based on the novelist’s experience in World War I, and the director – Richard Attenborough – managed to transfer all aspects of Hemingway’s life (especially his spiritual wounds) to a high accuracy. Besides, as it has been already mentioned, the action took place in wartime, and that point is also well reflected in the picture: the battle field, trenches, hospitals, full of seriously wounded and the dead; the atmosphere itself - voltage and bustle in the hospital, convey the seriousness and the gloom of that period. And the only beam in this darkness was love, which didn't stand the test.

   Separately I would like to draw your attention on a good selection of actors and their incredible performances. I won’t be cunning if say that I am delighted with Sandra Bullock’s performance, as in all the movies she's just irresistible. And as always, in this picture actress lives the life of her character, her mimic expressions and movements testify to this. She's like no other perfect for this role: Sandra creates an impression of a strong, smart, kind, and gentle woman; such a description fully complies with her character Agnes von Kurovsky.

   In conclusion, I’d like to say that the film, definitely, deserves attention, though didn't made an expected impression upon me. But it is a must for watching. Besides it differs from Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms, although the latter also contains аautobiographical details.