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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Film never to have won an award, March 1, 2009
Last night my wife and I watched this movie in "HI-DEFINITION" for the first time. Such glorious cinematography -- the countryside around the bridges of Madison county. "Beautiful music," said my wife. "I think Clint wrote it," I said.
Two nights earlier we had watched Clint Eastwood parry gracefully (that "ah shucks" style of his) with David Letterman, who asked him his age.
"I'm 78," said Clint.
"Now, I look 78!" said Letterman, only half-jokingly, "YOU look about 58!" The simple truth: Clint looks (to our eyes) as young as he did playing "Robert Kincaid, photographer" to Meryl Streep's "Francesca Johnson" Iowa farm wife, in this wonderful film, now 14 years old (1995).
So I came here in search of a 2-Disc "Special Edition" and -- lo and behold!
For those of us who love this movie, it seems incredible that "Bridges" didn't win a single award (though Meryl Streep was nominated for the "Best Actress" Oscar). This understated gem, masterfully directed by Clint Eastwood, remains my favorite of his films . . . actually affording Clint the vehicle for his very best acting; elicited, perhaps, by rising to the occasion -- having to 'act upwards' in the presence of the greatest actor/actress -- and deservedly the "most-nominated." (Did they say Meryl now had "15 nominations" when singing her praises at the Oscars, a week ago?)
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The subtleties of Meryl's reading of an Italian-born mid-westerner "Francesca Johnson" grow ever-more-poignant, as the movie nears its end. We share her `heart-torn-in-two' agony at that moment, in the pouring rain, when her lover's battered, old green (59 GMC) half-ton is stopped ahead of them, at the light, directly in front of their red, (58 Chev) pickup truck.
As if sending one final signal to the "love that comes but once" to their lives -- one last, unspoken urging to "run away with me NOW!" . . . we share Francesca's view as Robert reaches into the glove compartment, then drapes that silver crucifix & chain on his rear view mirror.
Francesca inches her hand to the door handle, preparing to bolt and join her `one true love' . . . fatally delaying her move to the last possible moment. Her husband, noting the license plate on the truck ahead of him says, "That fella's far from home - Washington State! Must be that photographer fella everyone's been talking about."
Francesca's hand actually moves the door handle slightly. Her husband tentatively honks his horn because the light is green and asks, quietly, `Why is he not moving?' Soon the truck ahead turns left, the driver's rain-soaked hair evident through his still rolled-down, window.
They drive forward, Francesca looking back with such longing -- one last glimpse of Robert's truck as it disappears into the rain; then . . . the flood of tears.
"What's wrong?" asks her husband, as if he's never seen her cry like this - his dark eyes wary, with alarm.
"I need a minute," is all she can muster up, covering her face with her hands, dissolving in tears.
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In the final scenes - and the very last one in which we get to see the gentle aging face of Francesca -- she gently, lovingly removes the contents of a box that has just been delivered to her farmhouse --- from the lawyer for Kincaid's estate.
She's inherited his early model Nikon camera, which she recognizes, and quickly sets aside, along with the silver crucifix and chain, before picking up a small red picture book with a dying sunset on its cover; it is the fruit of their few, joyful days together, and titled appropriately "Four Days by Robert Kincaid."
Francesca's lovely old hands open the book to the first printed page, inscribed to her "FOR F" -- below it, an introductory snippet of poetry, "by Byron" Inserted at that page, is a many-times-folded and yellowing note - the one she hand-wrote, after feeding him a home-cooked meal:
"If you'd like supper again
`When white moths are on the wing'
Come by tonight after you're finished.
Anytime is fine."
Beneath the printed page's inscription, "FOR F," is the poem by Byron. (I always mean to jot it down; this time I did!)
"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods
There is a rapture on the lonely shore
There is society where none intrude
By the deep sea, and music is to roar . . .
I love not Man the less, but Nature more.
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I have been before
To mingle with the universe and feel . . .
What I can n'ere express
Yet cannot all conceal."
NOTE for those who care about such things: the achingly-beautiful `love theme' heard throughout this movie (the orchestrations are so evocative) surges up finally, as Francesca appreciates for the first time the book about their Four Days. (Bet "there wasn't a dry eye" at this movie's premiere showing!)
That memorable theme music vividly reminds us of Clint Eastwood's strengths as a musician: He co-wrote this one, calling it "Doe Eyes" -- "Love Theme from The Bridges of Madison County." (His co-composer was Lennie Niehaus.)
Such subtleties didn't come up during Clint's interview with David Letterman. And, perhaps at this late juncture, most of us don't care to watch the credits to their end to learn such things.
Clint Eastwood would be the first to admit, as an actor he is not in Meryl Streep's league (who is?) But in their last scene together, at the supper table, the evening before her husband and son & daughter return with a blue ribbon from the `state fair,' Clint's character `delivers' in his powerless attempt to pursuade "Francesca" to run away with him.
Their characters so needy for each other - the ache is palpable! Each time I watch that moment in this understated gem of a film -- the best `twin-soliloquy' of its kind, I say - our hearts ache for two wonderful, decent human beings who must tear themselves apart. Strangers only days earlier, now they have no real choice but to let go, turn away and 'no looking back.' Yes, the finest film never to have won an award!
Mark Blackburn
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eastwood's mature, intelligent, moving love story...., April 16, 2009
This film, a tender masterpiece, is an anomaly in Hollywood. It's a mature, intelligent, thoughtful, real romantic film, and in the end, sad and heartbreaking, but not despairing. Some have expressed surprise that Eastwood directed this film so well, but I'm not. Eastwood is a great film artist, one of the greatest working today, and he shows his sensitivity and brilliance in this film. This film reminds me of how surprised people were that David Lynch directed The Straight Story (a wonderful film in itself and one of the best of 1999). It's the same principle. Two artists, Lynch and Eastwood, are simply thwarting expectations and surprising their fans with a sincere, heartfelt movie. They do it all the time.
This film is also very mature and intelligent. It is not a chick flick where everything is wrapped up in dumb dialogue, dumb characters, and foolish situations. It is an honest film of two middle aged people who bond almost immediately and really fall in love. Eastwood and Streep (the Academy didn't nominate either of them) give wonderful performances, especially Streep. She's also drop dead gorgeous as well. The film unfolds at a beautiful, leisurely pace (like most Eastwood films).
The film also doesn't make any judgements on the lead characters. Streep's character is married, but she's very unhappy and bored, like many people who have been in a long term marriage. Eastwood's character is not a playboy, but someone who really reveals himself to Streep, something that's brave to do. There's also a powerful scene in a diner where another woman, who was caught having an affair and the small town knows about it, walks into a diner and everyone starts looking down on her. Except Eastwood's character, who offers her a seat next to his. There is not one ounce of moralising here. Clint shows people who are simply human, and it's beautiful.
The Bridges of Madison County is a story for adults, and considering it was made in 1995 (when idiotic teen comedies were polluting the multiplexes), it's even more of a treasure (I wished I had seen it then, the 90's was a rather poor decade overall for films, especially from Hollywood). Hollywood should do more adult romances, and not silly, vapid chick flicks. Chick flicks do more damage to romantics than realistic romance. I prefer my romances to be more grounded in reality and intelligence because there's just as much beauty there, and it's much more fullfilling than any vapid chick flick can offer. This is one of Eastwood's best, most unique films.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful film, March 1, 2009
The film that proves that Clint Eastwood has the range and abilities of any of the greats of Hollywood. If you didn't know better, you might dismiss this film as a light romance. In fact it is as heartfelt a look at romance, human lovingkindness and mortality as anything from Hardy or Pasternak. Truly magnificent performances. As near flawless a film as you will ever find.
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