In Love And War (1996)

 

In Love And War - 1996

Coming up next we have 1996's "In Love And War", the true yet highly fictionalized story of the romance between a young Ernest Hemingway and the woman who nursed him back to health in Italy during World War I.  These events were the basis for Hemingway's book "A Farewell To Arms".

The film's cast includes Sandra Bullock, Chris O'Donnell, Margot Steinberg, Mackenzie Astin, Ingrid Lacey, Emilio Bonucci, and Colin Fox.

Agnes von Kurowsky is a nurse who has come to Italy from America with the Red Cross.  The newly arrived nurses serve as a beacon of hope to the people in the town they have come to work in.

Lt. Ernest Hemingway, also an America stationed in Italy, is an ambulance driver but he wishes to become a writer.

Their paths collide when Ernest is brought into the hospital where Agnes is working after being injured in battle.  Almost as soon as she starts working on him, Agnes finds herself being charmed by the younger man.

She also finds herself being romanced by a doctor at the hospital from a good Italian family.  Dr. Domenico Caracciolo takes Agnes out on tours of the town and surrounding countryside, and Agnes finds it very easy to be with him.

Ernest becomes very jealous of the doctor, and he sets out to woo Agnes himself.  Once he gets better, he, along with his friend and fellow hospital inmate Harry Villard, takes Agnes out on his own excursions.

Eventually, they give way to their feelings and become romantically involved.

In what seems like no time at all, Agnes is called to work on the front lines of the war.  She writes Ernest a quick note and heads off to join her fellow nurses.

Ernest follows her to the front, and he proposes marriage.  He also says that he is going to be sent home to America and that they should write each other daily letters.

Agnes accompanies him to the train station, and she watches as his train disappears from sight.

After a while, Dr. Caracciolo renews his attentions to Agnes.  She's asked for a weekend visit at his mother's place with her friend Mac acting as a chaperone.  Agnes isn't quite sure about it.  She doesn't have anything to wear.  "He's a doctor.  How fancy can it be?" asks Mac.

It turns out VERY fancy.  The Caracciolos are a very well-to-do family and the doctor's family residence in Venice is nothing short of palatial.  Agnes is amazed by all she sees.

While in Venice, the armistice is signed and the whole party goes out on the balcony to join in the celebrations.  Everyone breathes a sigh of relief that the war is over.

Dr. Caracciolo later takes Agnes to a hospital that he is building.  While there, he proposes to her.

Agnes decides to break off her relationship with Ernest.  In a letter that she writes, she explains that one of the reasons is their age gap.  Ernest becomes very bitter.

At a gala, Dr. Caracciolo's family basically begs Agnes to marry him.  They dance around the room together, but memories of Ernest fill her head.

Several months later and back in America, Agnes has a drink with her and Ernest's mutual friend Harry Villard.  She tells him that she didn't marry the doctor.  He tells her that Ernest is very angry with her still.

She decides to go and visit him.  What she finds is not the Ernest she knew before in Italy.  The man before her is angry, bitter, and mean, with a penchant for drinking.  Agnes finds that Ernest is unable to forgive her.

As she walks off, Agnes narrates, "I never saw Ernie again after Walloon Lake.  I often wonder what might have happened if he had taken me in his arms, but I guess his pride meant he wasn't able to forgive me.  Some say he lived with the pain of it all his life.  The hurt boy became the angry man.  The brilliant, tough adventurer who was the most famous writer of his generation."

Cast rundown:

   Sandra Bullock................................Agnes von Kurowsky

   Chris O'Donnell...............................Ernest Hemingway

   Margot Steinberg............................Mabel "Rosie" Rose

   Mackenzie Astin..............................Harry Villard

   Ingrid Lacey...................................Elsie "Mac" MacDonald

   Emilio Bonucci................................Dr. Domenico Caracciolo

   Colin Fox........................................Dr. Hemingway

And that's all for In Love And War.  The events of this book are based around Ernest Hemingway's experiences in Italy during World War I.  Those experiences became the basis for several of his stories.  Agnes von Kurowsky was fictionalized in several of them.  It was not until 1961 that her identity became known to the general public, when Hemingway's brother published a book about him.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.

The Three Musketeers (1993)

The Three Musketeers - 1993

Our next feature is 1993's "The Three Musketeers", which follows the story of D'Artagnan and his quest to become a Musketeer.  This Disney version of the story, however, shows a major departure from the storyline.  It is a more simplified version.

The film's cast includes Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Julie Delpy, and Hugh O'Conor.

D'Artagnan is a young man from Gascony on his way to Paris to join the Musketeers, like his father before him.  On the way, he gets drawn into a private battle with a former flame's brother.

He flees the battle on horseback and charges full steam ahead for Paris.

Unfortunately, he's too late to join the Musketeers.  They've been officially disbanded so that they can enlist in the coming war against England and the Duke of Buckingham.

On the way to Paris, D'Artagnan meets and falls in love with Constance, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.

He also has the effrontery to insult three men: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.  All challenge him to a duel, which he accepts.  Porthos is especially ready to teach D'Artagnan some manners.  "This sash was a gift to me from the Queen of America," says Porthos.  "There's no Queen of America," scoffs D'Artagnan.  "I beg to differ, infant," counters Porthos.  "We're on quite intimate terms, unless you can prove otherwise."

In the palace, Cardinal Richelieu catches the Queen alone, unnerving her.  He exploits her loneliness and isolation in her newly adopted country by pretending to get close to her.

When the time for D'Artagnan's duels arrives, he realizes that all three of his opponents are Musketeers.  They are interrupted by the Cardinal's guards, and D'Artagnan assists them in fighting.  Afterwards, the Musketeers leave together and tell D'Artagnan to give up his dream and go home.

When more of the Cardinal's guards show up, they knock D'Artagnan unconscious and have him thrown into the dungeon, where he is questioned by Rochefort, the Cardinal's right hand man.

D'Artagnan escapes and stumbles upon Richelieu and the Countess d'Winter having a secret conversation.

He overhears the Cardinal giving the Countess a treaty which must be signed by the Duke of Buckingham.  She tells him to consider it done.  D'Artagnan also hears that Richelieu intends to take over as King.  Of course, D'Artagnan is again caught and sentenced to death.

He's rescued by the Musketeers, who steal away in Richelieu's carriage, where they find "the Cardinal's sacred snack chamber".

The Musketeers and D'Artagnan ride out to intercept the Countess, but end up in a skirmish with some guards.  D'Artagnan is forced to continue the journey alone.

He passes out from exhaustion along the road, and he is picked up by the Countess d'Winter.

When she questions him about what he is doing in that part of France, he tells her that he's there to intercept a spy and a plot against the king.

She tries to seduce and kill him.  D'Artagnan struggles with her and eventually sees the mark of a criminal on her shoulder (having earlier been warned about her by Athos).

The Musketeers catch up with them and take the treaty from the Countess.  She and Athos have a long talk about their earlier relationship.  He tells her that she is condemned to death and there is nothing he can do.

As they prepare for her execution the next day, the Countess tells Athos what Richelieu's plans are: to assassinate the King at his birthday celebration.

She then jumps over the side of a cliff to her death.  (Note: This is the very first suicide in a Disney movie.)

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan race back to Paris, leaving a message for all the disbanded Musketeers to muster.

It turns out that Richelieu is indeed planning everything that the Countess d'Winter said.  As the King and Queen step out onto the palace balcony, a marksman prepares to take a shot.  He is interrupted by D'Artagnan, which causes him to miss his mark.

The mustered Musketeers then begin to do battle with the Cardinal's guards for the very soul of France.

Inside the palace, Richelieu holds the King and Queen captive and tells them his plans for taking over the throne.  The fighting makes its way inside the palace.  Eventually, Richelieu is defeated after being knocked out by the King.

After order is restored to the kingdom, D'Artagnan and the Musketeers come before the King.  D'Artagnan is told that he is in the King's debt and deserves a reward.

His greatest wish is to become a Musketeer, and this is granted.  He also gets a kiss from Constance.

D'Artagnan finds that it is "All for one and one for all" when his Musketeer brethren help defend him in that unfinished duel at the beginning of the film.

Cast rundown:

   Charlie Sheen....................................Aramis

   Kiefer Sutherland...............................Athos

   Chris O'Donnell..................................D'Artagnan

   Oliver Platt........................................Porthos

   Tim Curry..........................................Cardinal Richelieu

   Rebecca De Mornay............................Countess d'Winter

   Gabrielle Anwar..................................Queen Anne

   Julie Delpy.........................................Constance

   Hugh O'Conor.....................................King Louis XIII

And that's all for this edition of The Three Musketeers.  Charlie Sheen was originally wanted for the role of Porthos.  Winona Ryder was considered for the role of Countess d'Winter.  Brad Pitt turned down the role of D'Artagnan.  The Musketeers and D'Artagnan (except for Charlie Sheen) had six weeks of riding and fencing lessons.  Charlie Sheen, missing all this training, generally does hand-to-hand combat in the film.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.