| Based on Charles Frazier's
best-selling National Book Award winning Civil War novel of the same
name, "Cold Mountain" is the story of a wounded Confederate
soldier who struggles to make his way home to his beloved Ada, who
herself, has faced an almost insurmountable struggle on Cold Mountain.
Ada Monroe, a somewhat well-to-do
Southern urban princess, has recently moved to Cold Mountain, North
Carolina at the request of her father, who is dying, to help tend his
farm. P.W. Inman is poor, but honest, carpenter, who is smitten with Ada
and has been since he first laid eyes on her. Only problem, he gets a
bit tongue-tied whenever she is near. Nevertheless, the chemistry
between the two gets the better of them, and they embark on a very
proper courtship that smolders with unrequited sexual tension, but which
is cut short by the Civil War. Commonplace to many towns throughout the
Confederacy in 1861, citizens get caught up in war fever when the
Confederate States of America declare war on the Union and Cold Mountain
is no exception. When Inman is called off to war, thinking (as did so
many Southerners) that the whole thing would be over in a matter of only
a few months or so, Ada pledges to wait for him. That wait turns into
four years.
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Photo © Copyright Miramax Films
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Shot in the neck during the Battle of
Petersburg, Inman almost dies. When he survives, he vows to return to
Cold Mountain, war or no war, and soon becomes a deserter. His journey
back to Cold Mountain is an epic in and of itself as he tries to avoid
capture by both the North and the South, meets up with convicts and
criminals not to mention some rather interesting residents, and somehow
avoids entanglement with various and sundry women tempting him with
their feminine wiles. In the meantime, Ada has had troubles of her own.
Her father had died, leaving her penniless but with a farm to manage.
Simple tasks to girls with rural upbringing, same are just the opposite
for the prim and proper Ada. Thanks to the kindness of a neighbor, Ada
soon has some help in the form of the no-nonsense, hard working, hands
in the mud, Ruby, under whose tutelage Ada finds herself milking cows
and mucking barns with the best of them.
"Cold Mountain" is an
intriguing character study of the journeys taken by each of its
principals - figuratively by Ada and literally by Inman. Using a
background narrative of Ada's letters to tell the story, the audience is
given an added sense of presence, enabling them to further identify with
each character and at times, even able to feel part of the story as if
sitting in old rocker on an expansive Southern porch gossiping with the
girls or crouched under a tree under heavy gunfire penning what could be
a last letter to one's beloved.
Nicole Kidman, still on a high after
"Moulin Rouge!" and last year's Oscar winning performance in
"The Hours" brings a genteel restraint to her role as Ada. And
although substantive, there is a lack of believability in her
transformation from prim and proper lady to farm hand (Scarlett O'Hara
she isn't) which belies the eloquently written character in the novel.
As with her performance in "The Human Stain", again, Kidman
never quite fits with the blue collar, slightly dirty roles of a janitor
or a farm hand. The "grit" just isn't there and thanks to John
Seale's photography, no matter what the scene, Kidman always has that
ethereal glow. Renee Zellwegger, on the other hand, upstages every scene
from everyone with her overly animated, riotous comic antics as
taskmaster Ruby. Although she may have lost Oscar last year to Nicole,
with Renee's performance as Ruby, the tables should turn in her favor
come February. Jude Law is a standout, giving a courageous, albeit
two-dimensional, but finely crafted portrayal of Inman. Law excels here
at conveying Inman's taciturn humbleness without making him seem
pathetic or downtrodden. The icing on the cake are well-rounded - and
even superlative performances to all but Zellwegger - from the
supporting cast from everyone from Kathy Baker and Natalie Portman to
Ethan Suplee, Melora Walters and Lucas Black.
Shot in Transylvania, director Anthony
Minghella does a remarkable job of pulling the film together.
Capitalizing on the rugged terrain and climate of the region, he also
calls on much of his former team from "The English Patient" -
cinematographer John Seale (whose work is always exquisite), editor
Walter Murch and musical director Gabriel Yared who wrote the score - to
create this exciting blend of war and romance, from a breathtaking
recreation of the Battle of Petersburg to the bittersweet reunion of Ada
and Inman. Especially riveting is the hand-to-hand combat photography in
the opening sequence. Production designer Dante Ferretti is true to the
period however costume designer Ann Roth falls a bit short in
considering authenticity and period when dressing Kidman. Let's face it,
this isn't Tara, there are no drapes and designer couture is not to be
had by a farm girl on Cold Mountain.
A major flaw, however, is the lack of
continuity that is found in the book. Written by Minghella, while the
narrative technique in the film works in telling the story, it
nevertheless causes the film to lose its flow, giving rise to a feeling
that one is watching television, with episodes used for the introduction
of characters. Let's face it - without the supporting characters,
"Cold Mountain" would be a run-of-the-mill romance novel. And
disappointingly, many of the supporting characters are cut short in
their performances because of the vignette format.
While the book envelops the reader with
every page, the film does not. "Cold Mountain" is a prime
example where some of the parts are better than the whole. While there
are great performances from the likes of Zellwegger, Baker and Portman,
and top of the line production values from Seale, Murch and Ferretti,
the film as a whole is forgettable. Like any television series, you may
not remember the entire season or the entire series run, but you may
recall certain episodes that standout in your mind. And while you may
not remember "Cold Mountain", in years to come (or months),
certain things will stick out as memorable - an ethereal and beauteous
Nicole Kidman, a horrific battle sequence, a love torn apart by war and
hopefully, Renee Zellwegger clutching Oscar gold.
Ada Monroe: Nicole Kidman P.W. Inman:
Jude Law Ruby Thewes: Renee Zellwegger Sally Swanger: Kathy Baker
Reverend Monroe: Donald Sutherland Sara: Natalie Potman
Written and directed by Anthony Minghella.
Based on the book by Charles Frazier. A Miramax Pictures release. Rated
R. (155 min)
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