AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 7.3
U.S. Availability: varies (early 1995) Running Length: 1:22 MPAA Classification: None (Nudity, violence, mature themes)
Starring: Kristin Scott-Thomas, Claudiu Bleont, Marcel Iures Director: Lucian Pintilie Producer: Lucian Pintilie Screenplay: Lucian Pintilie Cinematography: Calin Ghibu Music: Anton Suteu Released by MK2 Productions In Romanian, French, and English with subtitles
AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER addresses the same themes and transpires in the same region of the world as Milcho Manchevski's BEFORE THE RAIN. AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER doesn't have the same stylish photography or non-chronological narrative, and it takes place in 1925 rather than in the present-day, but both films address the tragic results when intolerance (tribal or racial) and political expediency take precedence over simple, human compassion.
Most of AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER takes place on the Romanian/Bulgarian border where Capitaine Petre Dumitriu (Claudiu Bleont) has been posted by a commander (Marcel Iures) who bears him a grudge. Together with his wife Marie-Therese (Kristin Scott-Thomas) and three young children, Petre leaves the city for the virtually-untamed wilds. There, while he assumes command of his ill-trained and often insubordinate troops, Marie-Therese does her best to make a happy home for her family, despite stray bullets that shatter mirrors.
When eight of Petre's men are killed by bandits, the captain is forced to take a group of Bulgarian peasants hostage. Although initially frightened by these men, Marie-Therese eventually takes pity on them and invests time and effort into getting to know them. They soon become more than just political pawns to her, and when her husband is ordered to execute them, she is devastated--and doesn't intend for this to happen without a struggle.
The story underlying AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER is simple and stark. Not so straightforward are the questions of conscience posed by Lucian Pintilie's script. The basic impotence of the characters only emphasizes the real-world difficulties faced by peacemakers. It's seductively easy to kill a bunch of scapegoats and conveniently sweep any dissidents under the nearest rug.
Despite a fine performance by British actress Kristin Scott-Thomas (best known for the role of Fiona in FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, and displaying trilingual abilities here), her character doesn't have much real depth, and that's one of AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER's glaring weaknesses. In fact, as tenuous as the audience's connection is to Marie-Therese, it's even less certain where Petre is concerned. At times, the captain is too cold and distant to court favor from any viewer.
AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER is getting very limited distribution, but for those who have an opportunity to see it, the movie makes an excellent companion piece to BEFORE THE RAIN. If nothing else, these two pictures taken together underline the unhappy truth that, in the Balkans, little has changed over the past seventy years.
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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