L'impossible amour

I happened across this presentation quite by accident and was pleasantly surprised. The story, set in wartime, is sweet and romantic and made even more interesting because it is true. The young British actor who played Eric Newby really impressed me...he has leading man potential and I hope to see more of him. Tall, lanky and angular with an expressive, wide-eyed, boyish appeal, he was convincing in both the comic moments, the romantic scenes, and the tenser escape scenes. He plays a British soldier, escaped from a POW camp in Italy. His escape is hampered by a foot injury. While his injury is healing, with the help of the local villagers, he hides from the Nazis, learns some Italian phrases (these scenes were particularly amusing) and falls in love. The movie will eventually be offered by Hallmark as part of their video collection.

Based on Eric Newby's autobiographical story of his wartime experiences in Italy, 'In Love and War' is a tale of how a young English soldier meets and falls in love with a lovely young Italian woman, Wanda, in a small Italian town in the Apennines.

The movie is a wonderful evocation of life in the Italian mountains at a time of huge social upheaval, when Italy abandoned the war against the Allies and the German moved in to take over. Eric becomes a prisoner of war, is injured yet escapes, then is recaptured again.

Wanda is the kind of woman that would make every red-blooded male move to Italy, and Eric is the kind of man every woman would fall for. And of course there's a tearful and joyous ending. Best of all, it's a true story!

When a serious war diary is brought to the screen, the adaptation requires serious attention to character development through dialogue and acting. The plot is, for the most part, given. In "In Love and War," John Mortimer does the adapting. He is a genius at comedy writing, especially through his "Rumpole of the Bailey" stories. In this latest work, the story is very entertaining, but it misses through unrealistic dialogue and inadequate character development through the acting.

Based on the true story of a British soldier who must be left behind after being injured as the Nazis approach, he wanders throughout Italy trying in vain to make his way back to Allied forces, his country, whereever, and meets a young Italian girl who translates for him. The surprises at every turn when he seems to encounter fear of Nazis and instead it is humanity is a driving force in this film. The disdain for the Axis powers is found at every turn. Expect to see a small scene of a nun facing off against the Nazis. The nun will win, by the way. Escapes abound in this movie as well.

The only recognizeable face is the British fellow who appears in English shows like 'Rumpole of the Bailey' and 'To The Manor Born'.

Callum Blue as Eric Newby has everything Hugh Grant does, without the wimpiness or scandal. The Italian country side is also an outstanding supporting player in this film. I was used to grape vineyards and Godfather scenery in Italy. While still being the country, it was nice to not see bad tempered stereotypes. And the slow, sad musical score that creeps in will be perfect to make the dear woman beside you reach for her Kleenex.

Filmed entirely in Italy, this true World War II drama about an English prisoner-of-war is superb. Everything about this film is brilliant; more importantly, it's a testament to the indomitable will of the human spirit.