| |||||||||||||||||||||
From director J.J. Abrams comes the next installment in the Star Trek saga, Star Trek Into Darkness. See it at Cinemark theaters now and pre-order on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, DVD, and the Exclusive Starfleet Phaser Gift Set. Shop Star Trek Into Darkness and more in the Star Trek Store. Learn more |
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Special Features
None.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Some called it a snooze-fest, while others tearfully clutched their Kleenex. In any case, Clint Eastwood was an unusual and (as it turned out) perceptive choice to direct and costar in this lush adaptation of Robert James Waller's phenomenally bestselling novel. Meryl Streep costars as Francesca, the lonely Iowa farmer's wife who is instantly attracted to Robert (Eastwood), the photographer from National Geographic who is in the area to photograph the bridges along Iowa's rural roadways. The two fall in love while Francesca's husband and children are away at a county fair, but the story's passion and lasting appeal derive from their decision to part forever after just a few brief days of intimate connection. Superbly acted with an emphasis on quiet, graceful moments of tender revelation, the film builds to a crescendo of powerful and conflicting emotions. Like David Lean's Brief Encounter (to which it bears marked similarities), The Bridges of Madison County is destined to become one of the classic movie love stories. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
World-traveling National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid and Iowa housewife Francesca Johnson aren't looking to turn their lives upside down. Each is at a point in life where expectations are behind them. Yet four days after meeting, they won't want to lose the love they've found.
Academy Award winners Meryl Streep (earning her 10th Oscar nomination for this performance) and Clint Eastwood (who also produces and directs) bring blazing starpower and powerful conviction to the beloved characters of Robert James Waller's rhapsodic best-seller of love, choice and consequences. "Streep and Eastwood are so visually and spiritually right they seem to have walked right off the page," Entertainment Weekly proclaims. Also right are the small details and large emotions of once-in-a-lifetime love. With luck, a love like that happens to some of us sooner or later. For Robert and Francesca, it was later. And it was glorious.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
145 of 150 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This 1995 film, BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, stars Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, and was also produced and directed by the former. If you're used to seeing Clint in his belligerent Dirty Harry or Man With No Name persona, then you're likely to be enormously surprised by his triple triumph in this sensitive film in which nary a shot is fired or punch thrown.
The Streep character, Francesca Johnson, was an Italian war bride brought back to Iowa in 1945 by the soldier whose heart she captured. Twenty years later, she lives on a farm with her middle-aged husband and teenage son and daughter. Long since before, she's had to give up her career as a teacher because her spouse, an otherwise gentle and considerate man, doesn't approve of a working wife. She lives, without dreams or passion, a life of quiet desperation. Then along comes the Eastwood character, Robert Kincaid, during a period when Francesca is home alone, the rest of the family off to the State Fair in neighboring Illinois. Kincaid is a photographer for National Geographic, his current assignment to photograph the local covered BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. The divorced Kincaid is the quintessential wanderer, at home wherever in the world he finds himself at the moment, taking his experiences and relationships as they come.
During the four days of her family's absence, Francesca falls deeply in love with Robert, and he with her. In him, she rediscovers her dreams of the wider world long denied her in rural Iowa. In her, he discovers the personal and emotional commitment that he professes not to need. When Francesca must choose between Robert and her family, Duty, Responsibility and Loyalty battle with the Heart for the outcome. The scene towards the end of the film in her husband's pick-up truck, wherein Francesca displays wrenching mental turmoil and emotional anguish over a decision that she must make immediately, is, by itself, an Oscar caliber performance by Streep.
Is Francesca's decision a tragedy or moral victory? At the moment of her choice, how much of what she was and could have been was irretrievably lost? Perhaps hindsight and reason might provide the answer. But, the heart will never really know, will it? And the mind will play "what if" games until time and expectations run out.
The Streep character, Francesca Johnson, was an Italian war bride brought back to Iowa in 1945 by the soldier whose heart she captured. Twenty years later, she lives on a farm with her middle-aged husband and teenage son and daughter. Long since before, she's had to give up her career as a teacher because her spouse, an otherwise gentle and considerate man, doesn't approve of a working wife. She lives, without dreams or passion, a life of quiet desperation. Then along comes the Eastwood character, Robert Kincaid, during a period when Francesca is home alone, the rest of the family off to the State Fair in neighboring Illinois. Kincaid is a photographer for National Geographic, his current assignment to photograph the local covered BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. The divorced Kincaid is the quintessential wanderer, at home wherever in the world he finds himself at the moment, taking his experiences and relationships as they come.
During the four days of her family's absence, Francesca falls deeply in love with Robert, and he with her. In him, she rediscovers her dreams of the wider world long denied her in rural Iowa. In her, he discovers the personal and emotional commitment that he professes not to need. When Francesca must choose between Robert and her family, Duty, Responsibility and Loyalty battle with the Heart for the outcome. The scene towards the end of the film in her husband's pick-up truck, wherein Francesca displays wrenching mental turmoil and emotional anguish over a decision that she must make immediately, is, by itself, an Oscar caliber performance by Streep.
Is Francesca's decision a tragedy or moral victory? At the moment of her choice, how much of what she was and could have been was irretrievably lost? Perhaps hindsight and reason might provide the answer. But, the heart will never really know, will it? And the mind will play "what if" games until time and expectations run out.
80 of 86 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This movie is one of my all-time favorite romances. It begins with adult siblings looking through their deceased Mother's things where they discover a secret. They "find their way" to a letter from their Mother (Francesca played by Meryl Streep) which is the content of this movie (along with 3 journals.) Francesca's words in the letter to her children open the story. "I know it sounds awful but I couldn't wait for you all to leave. You were going to be gone until Friday. Four days--just four days." This is where the story begins, in the past.
"THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY" is about these incredible life-changing four days of Francesca and Robert. The Father and children had left to enter a steer into a fair and Francesca stayed home. Not long after Francesca's family leaves, a photographer who is lost (Robert Kincaid played by Clint Eastwood) drives up to ask for directions to a covered bridge. She tries to tell him but they both get confused because the roads aren't marked. Of course if they would have been, this love story would have never have happened. The way their affair begins so innocently is part of what makes the story so compelling for me. Streep and Eastwood together are amazing; and their growing friendship and deep love that follows is magical. Both of their acting is flawless in my eyes as well as the music, script and cinematography. Eastwood is an impressive producer as well as director.
It is such a wonderful story I could paraphrase the whole thing; but I won't. Just enjoy each moment of their 4 days together which go on forever in their hearts. I think the moral of "THE BRIDGES OF MADSION COUNTY" is to be grateful for every day of our lives. Life is a long-winding road full of joy and sorrow. We must survive the sorrow and truly cherish the joy while at the same time remembering that our decisions affect not only us but our loved ones as well. The ending is magnificient.
As my wise Father told me once: "Live your life so that you'll have no regrets and try to accomplish that which will be best for everyone."
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Phat Cracker
Format:DVD
To those reviews centering on the "immorality" of not only the protagonists in this film, but the author of the novel, and the "Hollywood Establishment", I say this - you're missing the entire point. If "romance", "infidelity", and "lost love" are central themes of this film, then I suggest adding "human fallibility" to the list. Francesca and Robert ARE good people, who like all of us, are fallible. If they were not, then Francesca's decision wouldn't have been so difficult, and heart wrenching. Indeed, if she were truly selfish, and "immoral", she would have left her family immediately, and without hesitation.
Much of human behavior (and morality too) cannot be realistically assessed in black and white terms. Francesca and Robert are neither completely "bad", nor "good". They are decent individuals who happened to meet too late in life, in the wrong place, and thus, must suffer the consequences of these tragic, unfortunate circumstances. It's not Francesca and Robert vs. her family.
The emotional complexity of the storyline, the surprisingly good match up between Eastwood and Streep, and not to be overlooked - a fantastic soundtrack - make for a film I'd definitely recommend.
Much of human behavior (and morality too) cannot be realistically assessed in black and white terms. Francesca and Robert are neither completely "bad", nor "good". They are decent individuals who happened to meet too late in life, in the wrong place, and thus, must suffer the consequences of these tragic, unfortunate circumstances. It's not Francesca and Robert vs. her family.
The emotional complexity of the storyline, the surprisingly good match up between Eastwood and Streep, and not to be overlooked - a fantastic soundtrack - make for a film I'd definitely recommend.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it
I have watched this movie since it has come, and catch it when it is on TV. This is a very good rainy day movie..
Published 14 hours ago by JOYCE FETT
5.0 out of 5 stars
When it comes to self-knowledge this movie makes one think!
It had been a while since I first saw (and fell in love with) this movie. I'd forgotten it for a while, but was happy to rediscover it. Read more
Published 6 days ago by S. Anderson
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Bridges Of Madison County
Though this movie is about an adulterous affair ,which is something that I would never engage in, I still like it very much. Read more
Published 10 days ago by MoviesAreMyEscape
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen on screen
Finally I have seen this film after all these years just a few minutes ago for the first time. I cannot express how much this movie touched my inner being. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Natja Kristy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
One of my all time favorite movies. Sweet love story and tear jerker. With that cast you can't go wrong!!
Published 15 days ago by Debi Arndt
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bridges of Madison County
Wonderful acting, beautiful love story.
15 more words required, well let's see...I love almost everything Meryl Streep does and Clint Eastwood is just as good . Read more
15 more words required, well let's see...I love almost everything Meryl Streep does and Clint Eastwood is just as good . Read more
Published 17 days ago by Pdale
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seen it numerous times and will watch it again
Perfect chick flick to watch with your girlfriends. It's such a simple movie in simpler times. Keep tissues handy...you'll need them.
Published 19 days ago by Lisa d
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bridgesof madison co
It was defective. I don't understand how this could happem?? They recieved payment I have a DVD that does not work!
Published 20 days ago by Tina L Dare
5.0 out of 5 stars
We love this story
I am a photographer, and this is a story about a photographer. And I did not realize that it is based on a true story. But most of all it is a true love story. Read more
Published 20 days ago by davidpotter42
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love with heartache. It happens
forgot I had this one. I watched it again and put it on the shelf. I'm sure I'll watch it again in the future. Was here in good time and well wrapped.
Published 25 days ago by S' Anne
Look for Similar Items by Category
|
