A Very Good, Almost Great, War Drama

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2003)

I have been waiting for the release of Cold Mountain for more than a year, and eagerly attended the first showing on opening day. My interest was based upon the Civil War theme and my respect for Minghella, Law, Kidman and Zelwegger. My expectations were largely met, but there were aspects of the film that came up just a little short.
What was great about Cold Mountain? As Ruby (Zelwegger) would say, Number one- the cinematography. The initial battle scenes were astonishingly realistic and inspiring. I have not seen such splendid reenactment since Glory (a favorite film). Number two- the authentic costumes and set design. Number three- Jude Law's perfectly understated characterization of a war-weary Inman. Number four- Renee Zelwegger's delightful portrayal of Ruby. Number five- Nicole Kidman's beauty and grace.
All of these splendid facets made this a superior film. There are a few small details that detracted from its greatness, and here's my short list: number one- the location shooting in Romania works 70% of the time, but the extremely high, sheer-faced and snow-capped mountains are not typical of North Carolina. number two- the instant attraction of Inman to Ada is part of the plot but needed to be developed just a little more to make the separation more meaningful to the viewer. number three- being no prude, I have no real objection to nude scenes but they seemed unnecessary in this Victorian-era romance. Leigh and Gable didn't need to flash breasts and buttocks to make it clear they were about to have intercourse when Rhett swept Scarlett up the staircase in GWTW. number four- what's with all the animal mutilation? people have to eat but for goodness sake, there's a bull sawed into pieces, a rooster head yanked off and a cute little goat's neck is slashed. PETA members, be warned. number five (and last)- Civil War history buffs know that the vast majority of casualties at 'the crater' caused at Petersburg were African Americans but this is not evident in the opening battle scene.
Overall, Cold Mountain was a terrific dramatic film and certainly deserves the accolades it has received. I cast an early set of votes for upcoming Oscars as follows: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Screenplay, Direction, Costume.