In Love and War. Film review

The film was directed by Richard Attenborough using the book of Henry S. Villard. Such a famous and Oscar-winner actress as Sandra Bullock (Agnes von Kurowsky)and Chris O'Donnell (Ernie Hemingway)played the leading role in the film.

"In Love and War" is a romance drama film, which takes place during World War I, and is based on the World War I experiences of the writer Ernest Hemingway as a young soldier in Italy. He was wounded and sent to a military hospital where he was nursed by Agnes von Kurowsky. They fell in love with each other but somehow the relationship didn't work out.

The first thing which strikes our attention is the title of the film. Firstly, we may suppose that the film is about war and love to your Motherland, or about love which was destroyed by the war. But in my opinion, this is a film about love and the title proves it. The word “Love” is placed on the primary position not accidentally. This means that the film is about love, relationship and fates while war plays a kind of setting and a background for them.

Then if the film is about love, the question arises: “Is it possible to love at war?” What is love at war: flame, passion, lust, devotion, affection, infatuation or something else, something real? This problem is touched upon in the film and revealed through the storyline of Agnes and Ernie. “In war they found each other and in each other they found love”. I think that their love was a real one for that place and that time. In fact, at war all the feelings are intensified, that’s why their love was like a passion or a flame, although the affection and devotion are also clear from their relationship. I suppose that Agnes felt affection towards him as to a kid, a young person at war, while Ernie felt passion and lust towards Agnes. This mixture of feelings led to something real which was of vital importance for the main characters at that particular time. Nevertheless, the relationship didn’t work out due to Agnes’ prejudices upon her life as a woman and mother. The love for the main characters wasn’t possible at peace time and Agnes realized it. So, on the one hand the war prevented the lovers from being together, on the other hand, it couldn’t be born between them without that war.

How did this love failure influence their lives? When Agnes realized that the feelings were real, it was too late as Ernest’s pride didn’t let him forgive her. He had a success in writing, so this failure was rather constructive for him as a writer and his heartache was a kind of inspiration.

Speaking about the problems touched upon in the film, I think it’s important to mention the problem of war and heroism. War is one of the main themes of Ernest Hemingway’s creative work. The main character fought hard to have the right to participate in war actions but wasn’t allowed. But still due to his adventurous character he ran to the front line and was shot and even managed to help his friend. For that he was honoured with a medal. Was it a real heroism or an infant desire to play at war? The problem of heroism is highlighted alongside the war theme. Heroism doesn’t only exist in the front line, but also in hospitals, where the nurses fought for the lives of soldiers throughout day and night.

To tell the truth this film impressed me greatly.  Such things as love and war seem to be incongruous, but this film proves the contrary. I really loved this film, it is worth watching