"She was like the water that freezes in the rock, and splits it apart".

Rating: 9/10 (23 August 2016)

Stellar performances by the principals highlight this early Twentieth Century period piece, with an epic scope that spans the era of World War I and tells the story of a family torn apart, not so much by a global conflict as much as the internal one among it's own members. This is one of those pictures one might seek out for entertainment, but for all that, it's not an entertaining picture. The rifts that occur between the Ludlow Brothers fester for years to come following the Big War, as the presence of Susannah Fincannon (Julia Ormond) serves as a catalyst for a family's undoing. It's Susannah that my summary line refers to, spoken by Cree Indian One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis) who's understanding of the ways of Man and nature permeate this story with insightful recognition. Exceptional cinematography and an emotional soundtrack complement the flow of the film nicely, though one must contend with the director's sense of melodrama that at times tends to overwhelm the narrative.