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LAND GIRLS
Wars, at least those, unlike our mess in VietNam, that are considered "just," have a way of uniting the population in ways that put aside race, gender and class. Everyone pitches in to help our men in battle, Long before this happened in the U.S. in WWII, in Britain, as far back as the first World War, they had the Women's Land Army, commonly known as the Land Girls, women who worked on the farms and in factories while their men were fighting the enemy. As many as 100,000 women were part of that "army" since its inception. This film is about three women in WWII and their adventures on a farm in England.
Based on a 1994 popular book by Angela Huth, it is about three pretty women with varying backgrounds and personalities. There is Stella (Catherine McCormack), a banker's daughter, whose fianc‚ is a Naval Officer. Ag (Rachel Weiss), is a graduate of Cambridge University, brainy and capricious. Rounding out the threesome is a working-class hairdresser, Prue (Anna Friel.)
The three live on a farm owned by the Lawrences, (Tom Georgeson and Maureen Obrien). Also on the farm is the Lawrences' handsome son, Joe, who wants to be a fighter pilot but has to help out his parents on the farm. Before very long the girls and Joe, with pre-war inhibitions out the window, become "good friends." Before the war's end, each has gone through some rough periods; tragedy is a great part of war. General Sherman said it better: War is hell.
As with so many films being made these days, this one runs too long. At least, the one hour and fifty minutes seems longer than that because the epilog could have been omitted. Showing what happened to each of the characters after the war's end turns out to be on the corny side and spoils what would otherwise have been a better film.
Directed by David Leland
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Copyright 1998 Ben Hoffman
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