La impaciencia del corazón

An Imdb score of 6.5? Come on - that would normally suggest a pleasant film, nice to watch with a few twists and turns that keeps tension going. And, when directed by Bille August, normally he makes good films. The setting, the scenery, the history it's set in and the story all have so much to tell. But this film does nothing to me. So predictable from the first 15 minutes and on. On and on and on it goes. It never leaves page 1. This must be what it looks like when someone's put a sleeping pill or two into Bille August's coffee - or could it be he is on his way into dementia. Or maybe both .... I won't suggest anyone to spend as much as one minut on this film. I wasted 2 hours. It's 2 hours of my life I will never get back.

This period Jane-Austen-like drama set in Denmark on the brink of World War One brings us a different point of view at romance faced with obstacles. In contrast to other period romantic dramas our protagonists are not judged because of their social status or by their family, but instead one - Edith is judged by the other - Anton, who is not sure if his feelings are the product of love or pity. This puts a spin on the historical-romance genre and at the same time gives it a modern feel thanks to exploring behaviours towards people with disabilities (as Edith is paralised from the hips down), which we don't see in cinema too often. On the other hand I thought the story could have been a bit more complex, particularly in dealing with the character of Anton, who is (apparently) torn between his feelings and his reputation - at times it felt a bit shallow and superficial. Eventhough the runtime is quite long (my opinion is that 90 minutes would be enough time for the story to be told), the colour palette is pleasant to the eye, acting performances are decent and the ending is quite touching.

Bille August adapts Zweig's Beware of Pity with The Kiss (Kyssen), a handsome period piece set on the eve of the Great War.

Anton, a young cavalry officer, stumbles into the gilded orbit of a baron's household and finds himself caught between temptation and duty: Anna, the alluring cousin, and Edith, the baron's crippled daughter whose infatuation soon binds him in a web of pity, vanity, and lies.

The film doesn't romanticize Edith, she's needy, irritable, and not the tragic angel we might expect, and this sharpens the drama. Anton is weak, even cowardly, but not dishonorable; he simply lacks the strength to navigate desire and social expectation without collapsing under both. The ending, as Zweig promises, is inevitable.

What lingers is the contrast: opulent settings, soft golden light, and a story built on humiliation, shame, and the slow tightening of a trap. It's a film about pity as a poison, beautifully shot and quietly cruel.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much, based on the trailer I thought that it was going to be a dull love story. But it turned out to be quite a special story without any love, really, without cliche-d characters. It stayed interesting for the whole duration of the film, it was filmed nicely, it got me involved in the plot. I have very strong opinions about Edith and her family, it was also interesting to see Anton as the victim of the situation and to see how (badly) he handled it. It was very human and very unexpected for a melodrama. I was very satisfied with the ending, because it seemed most plausible and believable. Just all in all a very good film that deserves more than 6,5 rating that it currently has.

Anton Abildgaard is a young and handsome man. He fills his days, shortly before the First World War, with cavalry training. He tries to make everyone around him satisfied.

One evening, Anton is invited to dinner by Baron Løvenskjold. Edith, the baron´s daughter, became paralyzed after a tragic riding accident. She and Anton soon form a friendship. But can their friendship grow and blossom into love?

I honestly don´t regret watching "The Kiss". Yes, in my opinion, this movie is quite melancholic. But I also think that it is poetic and beautiful. The cast and crew should be very proud of this movie. If the movie had been less melancholic, I would have given it 10 stars.