La vallée perdue

It's a mystery why this film is not better known. It has a magnificent cast; a fascinating setting, a fine script and it is superbly filmed in its European locations. As a microcosm of European society at the time of the 30 Years War it is impressively erudite, yet it is also a highly accessible epic drama, even if you are not particularly interested in the historical background.

The bad news is the critics savaged this movie when it first came out -everything from Michael Caine's German accent, to Omar Sharif's bedroom eyes to James Clavell's lyrical "Lost Horizon" take on the Thirty Years' War in Europe. The good news is that audiences loved the movie and each generation that rediscovers it recognizes what a terrific movie it really is. Fleeing from both the Black Plague and a savage, unending war, Omar Sharif stumbles onto a hidden valley in the Bavarian mountains, where everything is lush and untouched by outside influences. Then comes Michael Caine, leading a small band of savage mercenaries, who makes the valley his home for the Winter. Multiple themes of peace and war, religion and witchcraft. A well told story, gorgeous to look at, the valley itself is breathtaking. A haunting musical theme, a threatened love story, good action sequences, terrific acting, what more do you want? As happens all too often, the critics were wrong. Add this one to your video or DVD collection.

In 1643, during the horrible Thirty Years War in Europe, a band of ruthless mercenaries and a drifter discover a hidden vale, the last valley untouched by the horror. The drifter, Vogel (Omar Sharif), talks The Captain (Michael Caine) into wintering in the peaceful valley rather than pillaging it and raping/killing the villagers.

The first thing that makes a favorable impression with James Clavell's "The Last Valley" (1971) is the outstanding opening credits sequence with John Barry's magnificent score. Parts of the film have a dreamy, surreal quality, particularly the beginning and ending, which is reminiscent of the later "Apocalypse Now" (1979).

Caine is outstanding as a man so hardened by the horrors of war that he no longer even has a name, just "The Captain." He would perform a similar role in the underrated "The Eagle Has Landed" (1977), a stunning performance. The Captain's answer to everything was to simply kill, but now, in the valley, he has found peace and the warmth of love.

Sharif is also effective as the disillusioned Vogel. His reaction to the horrors of war has always been to run, but in the valley he also finds peace and love, and even, maybe, a family(?). The depth and seriousness of the story, including the dialogue of the characters touching on issues of war, loss, God, religion, ignorance, superstitions, love, hope, loyalty, duty, redemption, etc. Separates this from an ordinary war-adventure yarn.

It's also interesting to observe how people lived in a regular hamlet 400 years ago in backwoods Europe. It was not unusual for folks in such circumstances to live their entire lives within 10 miles or so from where they were born. Such people would likely be under-educated, superstitious, innocent, ignorant and narrow-minded all at the same time, and the film illustrates this.

Regrettably, there are parts that aren't pulled off very well. Some of the dramatic stagings and dialogues come off awkward here or there. These aspects perhaps needed more fine-tuning and this explains why critics originally panned the movie and why it fell into obscurity for decades.

Some have criticized the film for being anti-church or even anti-God. Actually the film's about the pursuit of God, truth, love and happiness in the face of the ultimate horror, war. And not just any war, a war that lasted three decades wherein innocent civilians - men, women & children - were needlessly slaughtered and whole cities burned to the ground, like Magdeburg, Germany, in 1631. The repugnance and terror of war caused The Captain to become a ruthless atheist, as he declares in one potent scene, and "tore the heart out of" Vogel, as revealed in another. But the last valley untouched by the never-ending conflict has given them both hope again.

Despite the obvious flaws the movie gets an 'A' for effort in my book. It is a special picture, oddly compelling, with nothing else like it. It successfully creates a small world of people some 400 years ago in a secluded vale in the paradisal wilderness of the Alps. A world you can get lost in for a couple hours.

The originality of the story and its profundities, not to mention the fine cast, performances and surreal aspects, lift the movie above a simple adventure yarn. It's unorthodox, enlightening, thought-provoking and ultimately moving. If you enjoy flicks like "Apocalypse Now" and "Runaway Train," films that attempt to go deeper than the run-of-the-mill action/adventure picture, then check it out. You'll continue to glean from it in future viewings. But, since this is a dialogue-driven movie, I recommend using the subtitles so you can understand the heavily accented dialogue.

The film runs 2 hours, 6 minutes, and was shot in Tyrol, Austria (Trins and Gschnitz and the Gschnitztal Valley).

GRADE: B+

Over my many years of cinema-going, I've viewed a whole range of movies with titles beginning "The Last .." including "The Last Emperor" (1987) and "The Last Samurai" (2003). "The Last Valley' may not be the best-known film with this kind of title, but it made an impression on me when I first saw it at the cinema in 1971 and still resonated with me when I viewed it again on DVD some 46 years later.

It is partly the unusual historical context: the story is set during the repeated bloody clashes of Catholic and Protestant armies largely in German-speaking continental Europe in the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 and reference to a particular battle in a line of dialogue places the period more precisely in late 1643 and early 1644. It is partly the important subjects that it addresses: the narrative is a sharp critique of the role of religion and superstition in fostering hatred and war and the leading character eventually shouts at the local priest: "There is no Hell. Don't you understand? Because there is no God. There never was. Don't you understand? There is no God! It's a legend!".

This British film was written, produced and directed by James Cavell before he became famous for his blockbuster novels. The 17th century village in question was recreated in the valley of Trins in the beautiful Tyrol region of Austria. The Catholic villagers who live there may look rather too clean and well-clothed for the period but the mainly Protestant soldiers who occupy the valley certainly look the part. The music is from John Barry who had made his name with the early James Bond movies.

At the heart of the story is the changing fortunes of the characters as they are subject to competing sources of power: civil authority in the shape of the head villager Gruber (Nigel Davenport), religious dogma provided by the village priest Father Sebastian (Per Oscarsson), military authority imposed by a character known only as The Captain (Michael Caine), and the voice of reason and tolerance offered by the academic refugee Vogel (Omar Sharif). In the course of the story, each will have his moment of triumph but each will suffer grievously in this under- known and under-appreciated film.

As others have said, a really excellent film--intelligent, well-shot and acted, with historical background that mostly seems to be right on the money.

A few minor nits: I'm not sure that the Caine character, or most anyone, would be shouting "there is no God!" in the 1630's or 40's. And the humanism espoused by the Sharif character must have been quite rare in that day and age. Also, the ending is perhaps a bit heavy-handed in the way it drives home the moral of the story, about the pointlessness of warfare.

But all this is more than balanced by an intelligent screenplay and a highly engaging analysis of the dynamic between the peasants of the village and the soldiers. Reminded me quite a bit of The Seven Samurai, in fact, and compares well with the latter film (and *that* constitutes high praise).

Highly recommended.