A Beautiful Film

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2011)

I first saw this when it was released in theaters 30 years ago. Watching it again, I was struck how beautiful the film was, from the musical score, the costuming, and the location, all capturing well, the feel of Cambridge, England in the 1920's. The framing, use of slow motion and the colors are top notch. The acting, superb. This time around, I noticed the contrasting characters of the driven and confident Harold Abrams, and the humble Eric Liddle maintaining his integrity and faithfulness, yet both arriving at their goals via differing routes. The film stands out even more so now against the steady stream of mass produced Hollywood movies with all the blockbuster names and special effects do not come close to touching the heart and soul of a work of art like this film. It is a bit slow and requires the viewer to invest some focus and attention rather than be entertained, but the reward in the end is that much greater.