a fantastic film

Rating: 9/10 (4 September 2006)

This film was a joy to watch.
I am not going to comment on its accuracy, others on this board do this better than I could. What struck me about the film was its feel. It was like watching one of those war movies I remember as a kid. Straight after the war, many movies were made while the events portrayed were fresh and painful. Often they cut actual wartime footage and newsreels. These movies were the stuff of Sunday afternoons watching the TV with your family. The director must have had the same experiences, because the qualities were the same. The soundtrack with its minimalist touches of brass and strings was very 50/60s too. I was also struck by the inspired casting. Not too many Hollywood pretty boys here. In the camp there were people who looked like they have been through hell, not just a strenuous make-up session.
Thanks to all the cast and crew, for a stunning movie.