This is one of my personal favorites. The film is not really a (anti)war-film - it is about memories of love and passion amplified and focused by the urgency of war, and unexpectedly re-awakened and re-visited many years later. Sit back and enjoy the visual imagery and the hypnotic sound of the voices and the music as we experience the intensely private and personal emotions of the protagonist. It is almost like a silent movie at times, with the dialogue relegated to the role of the musical accompaniment. But what accompaniment! Duras' prose is almost poetic and it is unfortunate for those who do not understand French that the rhythmic beauty of the language is muted in the subtitles.
The film is definitely not for everyone. It is rather slow; the plot_line non-linear and rather thin (this is admitted in the film itself...), and some of the elements of the film - ie. the peace demonstration are oddly out of place. Some will be unable to identify with the main character, and find her whining "de trop.. ".
Dommage...
The film is definitely not for everyone. It is rather slow; the plot_line non-linear and rather thin (this is admitted in the film itself...), and some of the elements of the film - ie. the peace demonstration are oddly out of place. Some will be unable to identify with the main character, and find her whining "de trop.. ".
Dommage...