Movie Review #3

"In Love and War"

“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. The film is directed by Richard Attenborough and stars Mackenzie Astin, Chris O'Donnell, and Sandra Bullock. It is set in the USA and Italy during World War I, and is based on the World War I experiences of the writer Ernest Hemingway.

“In Love and War” tells the story of an aspiring journalist Ernest Hemingway who joined a corps of Red Cross volunteers who transported wounded Italian soldiers from the Italian-Austrian front. Hoping to get closer to the action, he volunteered to bring refreshments to the men on the front line. There he was shot in the leg while carrying a wounded soldier to safety. During his convalescence, Hemingway fell in love with Agnes, the 26-year-old American nurse who treated him. When he recovered, he asked her to marry him. After Hemingway returned to the United States, the two maintained a passionate correspondence until Agnes, who was being courted by an Italian count, turned indecisive and broke off the engagement. It is interesting to note that although Hemingway was devastated, an idealized version of Agnes later served as an inspiration for the character of Catherine Barkley in his second novel, ''A Farewell to Arms.''

As for the acting, Chris O'Donnell and Sandra Bullock gave really good performances, providing us with a great emotional show. Their acting creates true, honest and real atmosphere. I think they truly understand the meaning of love which is takings risks that are obviously not worth taking them and doing things you shouldn't have done. So love in war is perfectly portrayed by these actors. 

Speaking about directing, Richard Attenborough does here a wonderful job, blending the gorgeous cinematography from Italian battlefields to Venetian waterways with the loving, at-times heart-wrenching musical score. Attenborough avoids the debates on the horrors of war, and mostly any scenes of the kind, instead preferring to focus on the romance between Hemingway and Agnes von Kurowsky, which is deals with touchingly without being over sentimental, while always keeping the threat of the war in the back of your mind. However, the film is not manipulative, as most romance films are. Instead, it is allowed to unfold slowly and naturally, and it has a more honest feel to the characterizations than you find in most films.

All in all, “In Love and War” is an interesting story of the life of Ernest Hemingway during World War I. It provokes discussion of how pride can ruin our lives. This autobiographical film does not tell the same story that the semi-autobiographical book, “A Farewell to Arms” did. I think “In Love and War” is closer to the truth of the writer’s life. In that way, this movie is a valuable historical and biographical resource for people interested in Hemingway and his experiences in World War I Italy.