Dale Sides

While Louden does some wonderful work, and the film is a visual feast, I found it to be very hard to resonate with. There is no score at all, so much of the anguish our lead character endures is performed with little musical atmospheric support. That left me with the intense emotions being expressed by our lead falling flat. Also, the two lovers that Sassoon becomes involved with were both written as such bitter and superficial ciphers that it was hard to imagine a man of Sassoon's depth and sensitivity having any real connection with such people. They must have been more three-dimensional that that! Even the eventual marriage to Hester never feels like it is given much explanation. I actually felt sorry for Jack Louden at the end of it all, since I do admire his prodigious skills and talent. This was not my favorite movie and I am not able to recommend it.