Moment of irony

Rating: 6/10 (29 December 2004)

It's very brief, but I couldn't help but wondering if the director meant us to see the irony. In the open battle sequence in the crater, there's a shot of Inman's Cherokee buddy struggling with a black Union soldier. To me, the image of the Native man and the African American man struggling to kill each other in a white man's war was deeply ironic, but perhaps unintended? I'd be interested in knowing if this was commented on in the book . . . Overall I though the technical quality of the film was quite high. Also, I was struck by how many Irish and English actors were used. Was this because their accents were closer to the way people in the American south spoke at the time, I wonder? I actually thought Law's performance was much more affecting than Nicole Kidman's. I think he did a nice job portraying a man who was swept up in events beyond his comprehension. And what's her name did a fine job as Ruby, just what was called for. I don't think her accent and mannerisms were over the top, rather they fit the character . . .