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Actors: Nicole Kidman, Jude Law
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Cold Mountain |
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The opening sequence is gut-wrenching when Yankees and the Confederates fight in a blood-shattering battle. The shy Inman is a worksman who lives in Cold Mountain, and has a mad crush on the rich Ada Monroe. What he doesn't know is that so does she. Right before going off to fight in the War, Inman gives Ada a farewell kiss, and so the love birds start singing.
Through the letters she sends him, he is determined to return to Cold Mountain, and see her again. Meanwhile, Ada's father has died and she has to take care of the farm herself. An woman called Ruby then comes teaches Ada how to take care of farms, and animals. Ada and Ruby then start to bond and become good friends. Inman on the other is having trouble getting home. Along the way he meets a not-so-smart reverend, and an over-protective widow, while also getting in trouble with some Yankees. Cold Mountain has it's many moments, but is too violent for my tastes. The screenplay falls behind a lot, and it is required for the actors to save the feature. Renee Zellweger and Philip Seymour Hoffman add some comic relief, Natalie Portman gives a nice role that has nothing to do with Star Wars, while Jude Law gives an Adrien Brody-type performance.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar
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Shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, the tiny community of Cold Mountain, North Carolina, welcomes the Reverend Monroe (Sutherland) and his beautiful daughter Ada (Kidman). She and taciturn laborer Inman (Law) catch each other's eye and manage one long kiss before he heads out with the rest of the young men to war for the Confederacy. By the Battle of Petersburg in July 1864, Inman's had enough, and he deserts the Southern Army to make the long walk home to Cold Mountain. He meets all sorts of odd folks and has many adventures on the way, while Ada struggles to keep the farm going and wait for him after her father's death. In this she is helped by a few kind neighbors and especially by Ruby Thewes (Zellweger) -- a feisty, rustic-speaking mountain girl who moves in with her. Both the women and Inman are threatened by the Home Guard, a raucous bunch of vigilantes who make it their business to hunt down deserters and return them to the front (and are not above harassing their neighbors whenever they can get away with it). Anthony Minghella, the British writer-director responsible for "The English Patient" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley," wrote and shot this 2003 epic mostly in Romania, and the result is a breathtakingly lovely and romantic tale that is rather too pretty and perfect to be a great film. It has a "chick flick" structure punctuated by regular bursts of disturbing violence, but the acting is splendid.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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Inman is off to fight in the Civil War. He leaves behind Ada who says she will wait for him. The war rages and she writes. Everyone tells her it is hopeless. Ada tries to oocupy her mind with work on her farm. She is helped by a comical handywoman named Ruby. The problem throughout the story is a local man seeking out deserters and trying to obtain the farm. Inman faces many dangers as he deserts the Army to make it back home to his love.
--Kristy Pastore, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Cold Mountain |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 19th century
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Kind of romance:
- romance (general)
War impact on civilians/veterans
Yes
Kind of conflict:
- war, Civil
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) muscular
Events of movie makes character more...
- caring
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Physique
- very athletic
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) long wavey
Body type
- (woman) very skinny
Unclothed?
- buttocks and chest
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Deep South
Mountains/Cliffs
Yes
Forest?
Yes
Farm/Ranch?
Yes
Farm/Ranch:
- farm
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- explicit references to deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- in awe
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- actual description of sex
- seeing breasts
- seeing nude female butt
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Folk music
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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