jdonat

A haunting depiction of the moral after-effects of war (in this case, of World War I) on the life of a young French soldier who in a battlefield trench bayonets a young non-resisting German soldier. Reading a letter found on the deceased's body sets him on a trail of guilt in search of forgiveness. The pilgrimage leads him to Germany and the house of the dead man's parents. Though over-shadowed by the more famous "All Quiet on the Western Front", this film is no less poignant in its anti-war sentiment. In a few scenes the camera work is symbolically brilliant, adding a graphic depth to the dialog that follows. I saw it on TV in England; other reviewers report on it from Japan, Brazil, Canada, and the US. But never from DVD or video. Why not? It is a masterpiece worth preserving for generations to come, of those doubting the merits of war; worth buying and sharing.