Quietly moving (Land Girls (DVD))

Member Name: sunmeilan

Product:	Land Girls (DVD)
Date:	28/06/06 (105 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: English romance

Disadvantages: Unlikely to make a huge impression

Introduction
Much as I like to keep informed of what’s going on in the World Cup, I find it hard to watch a game the whole way through. So when I realised that The Land Girls was on Channel 4 at the same time as the match, I ended up watching that and just flicking every now and again to check on the score. Based on the novel by Angela Huth, the Land Girls is a film that I don’t remember making a particular splash when it was released back in 1998, yet it is a film that has always stuck in my mind for its quiet, non-vomit inducing, romance about a topic that is rarely captured in films – the land girls during the Second World War.

The story
Three girls are sent to the countryside during the war to work on the Lawrence’s farm. There is Prue, the party girl, Ag, the studious one and Stella, who tells the story through her eyes and is the sensible one. Despite being so different, the three girls become firm friends and are much liked by the family, particularly the Lawrences’ son, Joe, who has a particular penchant for Stella. Stella, however, is already engaged.

Then life begins to get complicated. Prue finds love, with a man in the RAF and they get married, but shortly afterwards, she receives the news that he is dead. Stella, deeply attracted to Joe, becomes involved with him, but is unable to extricate herself from her relationship with her fiancé. Will the three girls find love in war-torn Britain?

The characters
Anna Friel plays Prue, always loud and good for a laugh. I liked the way she portrayed Prue; very unlike her usual, classy performance, but brash and fun-loving. She reminded me very much of Leanne from Coronation Street. Her acting skills do come through though; when her husband dies, she is stricken with grief and this was done so naturally that I was deeply moved.

Catherine McCormack, who plays Stella, is not an actress that I have heard of and I’m not familiar with any of the other work that she has done listed on imdb.com. However, I think she comes out the best of the three girls. Her demeanour is sensible without being annoying and her feelings for Joe were extremely realistic. I’m surprised that this role did not lead to more prominent roles for her. Her fiancé, Philip, is played by Paul Bettany – not that we get to see much of him.

Rachel Weisz, as Ag, does a passable job in the role, although this is perhaps not a fair comment because Ag is the quietest and most boring of the three girls, so Weisz doesn’t have all that much to work with.

Although Steven Mackintosh, who plays Joe, is not particularly outstanding in the role, I really enjoyed watching him perform. His feelings for Stella and his frustration at not being able to get into the armed forces because of a heart defect are quietly well done and I found his love affair with Stella very endearing. He is so very English, quiet, not particularly good looking, that he is perfect for the role. His most famous role is probably as Winston in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Technical bits

Classification: 12

Running time: 111 minutes

Conclusion
Like so many British films, this is a film that will mainly be enjoyed by Brits for its quintessential Britishness. The English countryside is beautifully portrayed and I remember when I first saw the film when living abroad feeling very nostalgic for home. There is something strangely comforting about village life, particularly during the war, when everyone wanted the same thing – to get the war out of their lives. There is a sense of camaraderie that just doesn’t exist these days.

If you like excitement, then this is not for you. It is definitely a slow-burning romance. I am not a great fan of romantic films, generally finding them too icky, but this is romantic in a gentle unassuming way that is very calming.

To me, the film is about wanting what you can’t have and learning to live with it. Society these days seems so different, with most people being able to get what they want in life and those that can’t feeling sidelined. Films like this remind me how lucky we are that we live in a country that is economically stable and (reasonably) unlikely to be bombed at any moment.

I also enjoyed the portrayal of the land girls. For so many people, the Second World War is about fighting and maleness and the contribution from those left behind is forgotten.

It is not the most memorable of films, I’ve seen it several times now, but I don’t find that it particularly sticks in my head, but if you want something gentle to while away a couple of hours with good acting and beautiful countryside, then this is for you. Recommended.

I watched the film version, but the DVD is available from Amazon.com for £25.98, which is ridiculously expensive!! Alternatively, it is available from eBay at the moment from 55p.

Summary: Quietly romantic, war-time memories.