Film and story of the decade

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2000)

Having seen this for the second time recently I realised I had not commented. In my view this is a great film, based on a great story. In fact, in a rare instance, the film is better than the book, the writing style in which made it seem to drag. Not so the film. It has the usual grand themes of love, death and the futility of war but it interweaves these beautifully. In fact, the way the subplots unfold together is exceptional. The stories are tragic but pointed and very emotive. The performances, the settings and the cinematography are all very very good. This is not to be missed and it is one for the library.