Reviews (14)

Powerful!
I like this movie because of it's powerful, dramatic story. As George Lucas says in the beginning It's designed to show the horrors of war, so don't expect comic relief, because there is none to be found. The reason why is this film appears to be very grim. It's also very serious. I highly recommend this film to future Indiana Jones fans, and for future High School history classes. Part one of this movie is horrific. It's just a warning of what you shouldn't expect. That's all. I also recommend that future High School teachers, and students watch this video as part of their history classes.

Indiana Jones Lost in the Trenches
"Trenches of Hell" is one of the few modern examinations of World War I, and for that alone it's worth the purchase price. It has a fine "slice of life" feel about it, meandering from the horror of gas warfare to camraderie stolen amongst the hodgepodge of allies that made up the allied side in this "war to end all wars."

What it doesn't have is Indiana Jones--or very much of an ending. There is, after all, no reason for Indy to be present in the telling of the tale--we learn nothing about him nor are we even treated to any of his trademarked mannerisms. Yes, we get lost in this world, and the storytelling--until the surprisingly weak ending--is intriguing enough to demand our attention. But the protagonist could've been Anyman for as much as the spirit of Indiana Jones appears here. Flanery is a fine actor, and his performance is clearly one of the hooks that keeps us interested, but he needed a few scenes of genuine character development to tie his Indy in with Ford's. Instead, this is another Young Indy epsiode in which the name "Indiana Jones" has been stolen for the noble purpose of introducing a wider audience to history.

Thus, like some other entrants in this series, "Trenches of Hell" leaves Indy fans disappointed, but better off for the experience.

Please sir, I want some more
If you watch these videos in chronological order (which you should) this provides a fascinating follow up to the cute and funny Spring Break Adventure (even the more serious Mexico half featured jokes like the letter Indy wrote to his dad). The only problem is, that it shouldn't follow directly after like it does. There were two episodes, "Ireland, April 1916" and "London, May 1916" that were not put on video. Instead, we jump from what must be March (in Mexico) to "Somme, Early August 1916" and "Germany, Mid August 1916". One might ask why this was done.

Once you stop wondering how Indy got to be a Corporal and all that, this video is very good. It really is too bad that there are so few WWI movies out there, compared to all the WWII ones to pick from. I've read some reviewers complain about the fact that the series would be better if it took place in WWII, but it wouldn't exactly be YOUNG Indy, then, would it?

Personnaly, I enjoyed the second half more, as it was less grim and more adventurous. Charles de Gaulle is the only one who seems to recognize Indy's American accent for what it is. It's too bad the ending is so abrupt. Indy doesn't even get out of German territory, which leads to yet another big gap between this video and the next one, where Indy is magically in Africa with Remy, whom I swear died in "Trenches of Hell." Yes, indeed, there are two more episodes, "Verdun, September 1916" and "Paris, October 1916" which are not included.

So, the video itself is great, but for a person who likes to know what's going on all the time, this video series leaves me feeling gypped way too often.

Outstanding - Best of the series
These are arguably the greatest episodes in the series. They are emotional, moving, action packed, and realistic. If there's a knock on the series it's that it's often hokey, and Indy runs into too many famous people. But this episode pulled no punches and delivered on all cylinders. It is so excellent, I rate it better than the last two Indiana Jones movies.

I should also point out I agree with reviewer James Irwin in his comparisons. I found SPR a nice story, and I love Tom Hanks, but if you want a much less Hollywood drama, and something to both thrill you, and move you, check this out. I also agree on BWP being the most overhyped film ever....but that's another thread.

If you're at all curious about the series, buy this, you won't be disappointed.

A harrowing tale of the horrors of war
The 8th chapter in the Young Indiana Jones series, this is a dark and harrowing look at the horrors of war. The movie is divided into three parts:

It starts out in France where Indy, Remy, and a whole army of French and Belgian soldiers are all assigned to take a chateau at the top of a hill. German soldiers have the place surrounded, and the soldiers must fight their way through trenches, past Germans, grenades, and gas. The whole gas sequence is flat out scary and harrowing. The mortars firing gas bombs and the sight of German soldiers in gas masks turning the knobs on tanks filled with poion gas is scary, and gets even worse when out of the clouds of gas come Germans wielding flamethrowers. It is an awesome sight, and quite graphic for a made-for-television movie.

Then we move on to a German P.O.W. camp where Indy and a group of French soldiers dig their way out of the camp, in a scene reminiscent of THE GREAT ESCAPE, right down to the partial collapsing of the tunnel. Although I have always questioned the scene where the German Officer comes into the room to inspect everything but does not notice the giant piles of dirt hidden in the showers that are extremely evident to the viewer.

The third and final part is a second P.O.W. camp (which is actually a castle) where Indy is thrown after being caught trying to escape from the first camp. The castle is for all the "bad apples", and he is put there after being mistaken for a French Officer who has made many escape attempts. Here he meets Charles De Gaulle who together plot their escape from the camp. In a very tense scene, they escape the camp and death of incineration in a giant furnace.

Overall it is a great movie, and truly shows the horrors of war associated with "no man's land" and trench warfare. Definitely an episode to see, and one to consider buying. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Indy plays Ned Nickerson
I would have given this 5 stars, because I really did enjoy it very much. But I can't quite get over the fact that for much of the first half Indy whines and follows his girlfriend around reluctantly, as she initiates all the adventure. I can understand that, at 16, Indy isn't going to be exactly the same as when he's older, but really, when he was played by River Phoenix, during the "Last Crusade" prologue that took place in 1912 (four years before this one) he had much more initiative.

That said, I think Sean Patrick Flanery saves it by being so cute and appealing as Nancy's sidekick, especially toward the end as the Indy in him finally wakes up. I can date it to the moment he takes his fedora out of the closet, and then all of a sudden he's the hero again. One of my favorite parts was when he punched in the glass case after Nancy failed to get it open by picking the lock. But even before then, it's fun to watch, reagardless of the liberties it takes with Indy's character. Nancy is a worthy "Indy girl", being as plucky as Marion Ravenwood (though more innocent).

The second half, the Mexico/Pancho Villa adventure, is a little too contrived for my tastes...I mean, even for "Young Indy", where you have to take all the historical figures popping up with a grain of salt, this doesn't quite make sense. Why is Indy risking his life to retrieve a bunch of dresses? Just buy the lady some new ones, for Pete's sake. It does bring up another thing that irks me; the fact that none of the Correy Carrier (young young Indy) episodes are on video. I watched the whole series when it was on TV, but I can barely remember them. Here we have Indy writing letters to T.E. Lawerence, whom he met in an earlier episode, and he encounters Demetrius, the bad guy from that episode. All this harkening back seems rather cruel when it's not on video, especially when they tout these as "The Complete Adventure of Indiana Jones."

Lloyd Owen, as Henry Jones Sr., does a very good job of sounding just like Sean Connery. I enjoyed the few scenes with him in, since "Last Crusade" is my favorite "old" Indy, due to the repartee between Ford and Connery. Here you get a glimpse of the things they were talking about. Remy never ceases to annoy me, however. But it's worth tolerating Coutteure to watch Flanery. He may not try to evoke Ford as much as River Phoenix did, but he's a great Indy throughout the series.

One of the Best
While Mystery of the Blues is the Best Young Indy video, this is probably second. The Nancy Drew mystery of the first half is really fun, really young, and really Indy. It was great to see Indy with his dad, and to see the suburbia of the time period. I really enjoyed the first half. Great chemistry between Indy and his girl, and his clumsiness came out, along with other hints to the Harrison Ford Indy. The second half was good too, though more serious and educational.

Good movie!
This film is exciting! Indy and his girlfriend, Nancy Stratenmeyer whose father wrote the Nancy Drew mysteries, solve a mystery in the first half involving a traitorous employee and theft of important submarine plans. Lucasfilm hints that Nancy's father based the fictional Nancy Drew on his daughter. I also liked that Indy helps Mr. Stratenmeyer with his stories. The Pancho Villa part is thrilling and fast-paced, Indy's impulsiveness and gallantry getting him more than he bargains for. Eventually, he catches up with his old enemy Demetrius (from "My First Adventure," not currently available on video) and retrieves the fabled Jackal headpiece, originally stolen from the tomb of an Ancient Egyptian architect. All in all, this is a great film of excitement and intrigue, worthy of the name Indiana Jones.

young indy
This was a good video, and I've waited seven years for the series to be released. I was disappointed to find out that Old Indy is not even featured. Perhaps the worst thing they done was to put two episodes together with new footage. This didn't even look right because all of the actors are noticeably older, and Sean Patrick Flanery's hair is obviously longer in the back. They should have thought about these things beforehand, and perhaps filmed them this way in the first place, not try and finish them now as Star Wars Special Edition so tragically looked.

Three and a half stars (couldn't figure out how to do 1/2*)!
The first half is cute and very fun to watch (with a feeling very similar to that of one of the other films by this director: The Rocketeer). I enjoyed the young comedic romance and Hardy Boys/Nancy Drewish mystery. The second half is good, but stretches credibility a tad having Young Indy getting involved with Pancho Villa. There is a good confrontation with an old foe and old score. Staggering production values for a small screen effort (rivals much of the big screen). ... Read more

Reviews (16)

nice action movie
this is my second young indy-movie(my first was treasure of the peacock's eye),and i have all the 3 Harrison ford Indiana movies,and i must say that this movie is a well acting adventure,with nice action,and a exciting fight between Indy and Schiller,the German's officer at the end. Indy must save the live's of a troop of Australian's Horseman,by keep the drink-places saved,in the WW1. Indy meets a dancer(C.Zeta Jones)who is a German's spy,but he don't no this. here in holland are not all Young Indy movies for sale,but the 2 i have are so exciting,that you will never forget this history adventure!

If adventure has a name, it's Young Indiana Jones...
This is an amazing Young Indy episode not previously aired on television. Like the whole series, this episode balances history with adventure in a way that is entrancing and exciting. It co-stars Catherine Zeta-Jones. You'd be surprised to see the list of once little-known actors who appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles who later became big-time stars.

Aussies show the way with a little help from Indy
A great yarn with a little bit of poetic licence. Although based on a true theatre of operation in the Middle East, Indy gets involved with the Aussie "Diggers" of the Australian Light Horse. He befriends them and become great mates. A ripping yarn with great excitement and well put together. The action could have been a little more intense as it was in the Australian Movie "The Lighthorsemen". Albeit, I enjoyed it and found it pretty accurate for its historical content. The only thing thing it doesn't show is how the British stuffed up, like they did everywhere else during WW1.

Warning: NOT for children
Although this movie has no rating, (and why is that?) I would say it is the equivalent of a PG-13. The film contains quite a bit of violence and violent themes. War scenes. Guns firing. Man falling off cliff including hitting the ground. And the scene that made me turn it off showed a close up of Young Indiana stabbing a man including close-up of knife going in and out of his stomach. Parents beware. "Not rated" does NOT mean it didn't deserve one!

bad
they are insulting other nations in this film. As a turkish youth I felt myself very bad. This is a political film it only aims to insult other nations.. Americans and British people are hero in this film of course.. According to them other nations are natural disasters.. Too bad for human beings.. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Semi-educational movies?
While the YIJ series takes some liberties with history, these movies are a great way to learn about the crucial events of the turn of the century. Some even seem to be more of a thinking-person's adventure, which is quite a departure from the swash-buckling Indiana Jones movies.

Too bad this series is so under-rated! I only wish Lucas would produce more! I don't understand why real-quality shows like this don't ever seem to last longer on the networks. Guess it needs to be on Discovery, the History Channel, or TLC.

Shadows in the mist tell intriguing stories
In a significant way, the two hours of this episode could not be more mismatched. Hour one is a film noir exploration of the paranoia associated with a life of espionage. Hour two takes a decidedly more phantasmagoric tack, resulting in scenes of no small terror.

In Hour One, Indy is a spy in Turkey, trying at once to get married and complete a mission for the French Secret Service. It is easily the best-directed hour of the entire series. The lighting, pulled focuses, and intriguing camera movements all evoke the bittersweet emotion the plot would have us feel.

But it's hardly an original plot. It's "From Russia With Love" meets "The Maltese Falcon" meets "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Fortunately, these are all very good films, so the trip is one we're more than willing to take.

Hour two is perhaps more questionable in this regard. It's a fantastic journey through the dark side of Romanian mythology, and while appropriately creepy for a Haloween party, it marks a significant departure from the traditional themes of Indy plots that some parents may wish to shield their younger children from. I wouldn't call the violence "needless", as other reviewers have, but it is graphic. It is, in short, classic gothic, and it's done very well.

All in all, then, this is an episode well worth your time, but, along with "Trenches of Hell" and "Temple of Doom", it's one of the few Indiana Jones episodes inappropriate for young children.

Definitely not for young children
After reading another review on this site (gypsy18, 5/31/01), I was shocked to see that the reviewer's child had the exact same reaction, almost word-for-word, as did my son. He was equally upset that such violence could have come from the mind of George Lucas.

This video was in the children's section of the store, and it had a "family" label stuck right on it. We asked the store to remove the label, as it is NOT appropriate.

THIS EPISODE ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR CHILDREN!
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones is an extraordinarily well done series. My son, age 8, just loves it. But it was a mistake buying MASK OF EVIL. My son (usually a tough little guy) was almost physically ill from a particularly bloody scene (although the violence was performed behind a curtain). He had trouble sleeping & actually started crying in the middle of the day from the trauma of remembering this scene! He said, "Mom, I wish we'd never bought this one." My son also said, "Mom, why did George Lucas let this one be unrated? That was bad!" Out of the mouths of babes! Vampires are just too violent a subject for children I think (& some adults, including me)!

The Best!
It has it all with spies and vamprires! We see indy's first supernatural adventure but at the beging it is a spy thriller. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Indy finally gets it, but forgets it.
I thought, from reading the description, that this would be boring. But it wasn't, not by a long shot. It's probably the best "Young Indy".

The action is limited to the first five or so minutes, where Lieutenant De Fonz (aka Indy) disobeys his superior and tells the troops to advance instead of retreat. This results in victory, and a promotion to Captain, but also the Major holding a grudge. Naturally, Indy and the Major are then teamed up on a mission to retrieve some weapons.

The opening battle sequence was even more graphic then "Trenches of Hell", and when Indy grabs the machine gun and mows done countless men, we see just how far he's come (or fallen) in less than a year. I love this one for all the character developement Indy undergoes, especially in relation to the previous videos. It's good to keep in mind that it's now December of 1916, and just last February all Indy cared about was the prom, and driving a cool car to said event. More has happened to Indy in ten months than happens in real peoples' entire lives.

That's where he is at the start of "Oganga". By the end he's changed even more, due to all the slow death he's had to witness. "Onganga" is great just for the fact that Indy is more human in this than he's ever been. He gets feverish, delusionary, and downright depressed. He seems like a real 17-year-old who's in way over his head. This isn't your typical Indy.

While it's good to see Indy's interaction with Schweitzer, and how it changes his outlook on life, I can't help but note that Harrison Ford's Indy seems to have forgotten the whole thing. He's back to killing with nonchalance, and even glee. Perhaps the Young Indy writers should have tried to be more consistent with the already established future. But at least they are consistent within the series, because in the next video ("Hawkmen") Indy changes his approach to the war by joining the secret service.

Kudos to Sean Patrick Flanery, he's a great Indy, especially in this one.

A Gem
I bought Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life for my younger son, who is enthralled with anything having to do with Indiana Jones, but I frequently find myself watching this and the other Young Indiana Jones videos with him. The series is simply superb.

George Lucas used some of the best writers, directors and acting talent available to him and filmed the series on location around the world. As a result, despite being made for television, they are gems. Ordinarily, I hate it when movies are used to send a message, but the messages in the series generally flow naturally from the plots without being overly heavy-handed.

In this installment, Indy is an officer serving in the Belgian army in Africa during the Great War who is sent on an important and dangerous mission. In the process, he learns much about leadership, European colonialism, death, and ultimately what is important in life. The series skillfully interweaves real-life people into the plot, and in this installment Indy meets Albert Schweitzer.

Parents should be advised that, while uplifting, this is a war movie and that death, from both battle and disease, is integral to the plot.

Pretty good
I have a friend who describes this one as boring. Not True! It's in the same line as Phantom Train and Daredevils. It's one of those episodes that teaches Young Indy about respecting life and people, but they're still great episodes, even if they are less exciting.

Action, but above all, Indy learns to care about life!
In the other movies, Indy never seemed to care about human life. In this he learns lots about life, feelings and points of view. This movie should be seen by everyone who can see it! It teaches valuable lessons and is still a classic Indiana Jones film.

I have always wanted to be a director and these movies have already taught me alot about the types of movies people like. I have used these and other George Lucas and Steven Spielberg films to use as exaples. Right now my friends and I are working on a film. We hope to have it completed by Jr. High.

Open minded people buy this!
This film lacks the cheesy comedy of the traditional indy videos. It explores philosophy and human nature. Indy has doubts about his involvment in the Belgian armys imperialist war in Africa. After speaking to an African native soldier about the war Indy learns that the Belgians will not leave Africa for the Africans but merely take it over from the Germans they are liberating it from. While it is action packed it also shows the political science of WWI. Get this! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

We did kidnap my father! It's a nightmare!
All right, I'm biased. When I watched the whole series on TV I was only about 7, so my memories of most of the episodes are all but nonexistent. "Phantom Train" is one of the exceptions, and the most vivid in my mind. So naturally I enjoyed watching it again, even more than the others. It's great as a breather between "Trenches of Hell" and "Oganga", which are very thoughtful and serious. It is a tad hokey, but in that respect most like the Harrison Ford movies. Indy undergoes character developement, however, which is good. The first half has plenty of action, but Indy learns his lesson of the day, and this lesson actually sticks with him and is seen in the movies. That is, that the ability to improvise is a quality.

The second half seems slow when compared with the first, but doesn't end up being anticlimatic. Von Lettow was really great as the stodgy German general, who reminds Indy of his father (see review title). The German woman who manages to shampoo and condition her hair out in the wilds was, in my opinion, a yawner. But she didn't figure in all that prominantly, so it wasn't too bad.

Five stars for all the times I was able to say, "I remember this part!"

VERY, VERY GOOD VIDEO
I've been an Indiana Jones fan for over six years and this was one of the first young Indy videos I watched. I have seen about half of the episodes available on video and so far this is still my favorite. It had a good story with good acting and great special effects. It is a classic tale of adventure in Africa. In the first part of the video Indy accidently goes on a mission to blow up a mysterious train with a flat-bed mounted cannon that has been shelling allied troops but cannot be found. In the second part of the video, Indy and his army buddy Remmy try to survive the wilds of Africa with an important german military prisoner. They run into hostile bush-men, lions, and are being pursued by the entire German army the whole time. Action-packed and full of surprises along with nice bits of humor in appropriate places this video should delight anyone intereseted in Indiana Jones.

Wonderful Saturday matinee fun
The first hour is pure fun, the action has all the wit and humor of Raiders or Last Crusade, with a wonderful contrast between Young Indy and the much older soldiers.

The second continues all of the wit and humor, yet adds a thoughtful look at Indy's search for father figures to replace his own estranged father, Prof Henry Jones Sr.

Quick, some lead a crusade to persuade Viacom (Paramount's parent company) that either of their networks CBS or UPN needs to make more Young Indy movies! We'll all be right behind you!

"Train" lays down tracks for the developing Indy's character
In his filmed introduction, George Lucas describes "Phantom Train of Doom" as one of his favorite Young Indy stories. For once, his perception of his own work isn't inflated. This is great Saturday afternoon matinee material, as the series was always intended to be. Like the equally exciting "Daredevils of the Desert", this episode succeeds because it is plausible, its historical figures are limited, and its two hours--filmed at different times--are knitted together extremely well.

Hour One has us meeting a very young Indy, indeed. This Indy is a relatively new inductee into the Belgian Army fresh off the boat to East Africa. Indy here is, well, uptight--more uptight than even the younger, River Phoenix portrayal. He likes plans, orders. He hasn't learned yet to say, "I don't know, I'm making this up as I go along". But the group of older soldiers he meets in East Africa soon teach him the value of flexibility. They teach him, in short, how to improvise. In the process, we're shuttled along on a rollicking great adventure.

Hour Two largely reverses Hour One and shows us--and Indy--that improvisation can only successfully begin from a position of discipline. Demonstrating the point is a finely-acted General Von Lettow Vorbeck, Commander of the German forces in East Africa, who variously plays captive and captor. It is a fascinating study in the relative values of luck and strategy. Lucas' choice of von Lettow, along with the apparently accurate 'elderly regiment', is, to my mind, what Lucas should've been doing in most of the episodes. By chosing people who are at once historically important, yet relatively unknown to modern audiences, Indy's association with them doesn't feel so blatantly contrived as in other episodes. Also, by concentrating almost exclusively on Von Lettow in the second hour, we really get a chance to understand the character in a way we never did in, say, "Mystery of the Blues", where historical figures virtually flooded the plot. Here, with just the single villain, we have an enjoyable game of cat and mouse, somewhat akin to "Silence of the Lambs", where we at once dislike and admire our antagonist.

What Hour Two ultimately says, then, is that, while fortune does indeed favor the bold, heroic outcomes are largely the result of ordinary hard work. Ford's Indy has obviously learned the lesson well. For all the action and adventure we see in the films, there's also a lot of study and hard work before Indy ever dons the leather jacket. It is, for the audience, a lesson far more valuable than the history on offer.

Classic Indy Adventure
This film has the classic Indy feel to it. It is an adventure comedy and it is full of fun adventures and one liners. While not as good as Oganga or Trenches of Hell this film is probably the most Indiana Jonesesque of all the Young Indy series. Fun for the family! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Secret Service Adventure
Being a big History buff. and loving Indiana Jones. i loved this movie. others of the series i have found fairly pleasing...but could do better. i am big on spying and espionage, and am glad to see a movie that portays spying accurately(compared to 007)...and of couse its INDY! BRAVO Lucas

Confusing plot, but on the whole a good movie
This movie is good on the whole, although it does have a few flaws.

The movie starts out with Indy helping 2 Austrian brothers get to Austria through the German barricades. This first half of the movie is good and has a lot of suspense. But once they get to Austria and Indy is re-assigned to Russia, the plot falls apart. It gets very confusing, and character development is underdone. There is some guy that is chasing Indy throughout the first half of the movie, and we never know who he really is. And then suddenly Indy is friends with some people in Russia, and we don't know how they came to be friends. It sort of clears up at the end when the Bolsheviks march through the streets of St. Petersburg, but even then, it is still confusing.

Other than that, it is a good movie, and the portrayal of spying here is magnificently accurate. If you're a fan of Indiana Jones, this is worth seeing, but if you're not, you should probably think before seeing this movie.

Stop being so picky
I'm disliking all the bad press that the second half of this tape is getting. Personally, it's one of my favorites along with two others which have not been released on tape.

I've seen pretty much most of the Young Indiana Jones series and have quiet a few recorded off TV from it's TV run (it's amazing that my tapes still work after 11 years) and personally, I like the Russian one. Oh yeah, I remember seeing in one comment that said that all of Indy's Russian friends were Bolsheviks. In fact only two of them are. If one would read the novelization of this episode, it would explain it more clearly (and it explains why Indy is friends with them). But even in the episode, it shows their differences. The two that are Bolsheviks are Sergei and Irina, the couple that loves each other. The girl that falls for Indy is Rosa and her political philosophy goes toward a democratic socialist government, simular to what many countries in Europe have today (and yes, socialists and communists are different), the man studying to be a priest is Dmitri and would support a Czarist goverment since the clergy was important back in that former government and would not support the Bolsheviks since they support atheism. And the last friend, Boris, is an Anarchist (who doesn't support government at all).

The reason I like this episode is because it shows me that Bolsheviks aren't evil creatures of doom. That they are in fact human with hopes and dreams. Yes, we tend to demonize communists, but that's because the idea was corrupted by human failings and became a dicatorship.

And the first episode on this tape. Eh. It's not my favorite, but it's interesting though.

Great first half, strange second half
The first half of this video is great, it starts out with an amusing instance of mistaken identity, as two Austrian princes, who are also French lieutenants, mistake Indy for a delivery boy because he's riding a bike and his uniform is covered up by his coat. They run him off the road with their car, and are later shocked to learn that he's not only not a delivery boy, but that he's a captain, outranking them. Indy, still insulted, isn't impressed to then learn that they are royalty. This doesn't get the relationship off to a very good start, and so of course Indy is assigned to escort them across the border to Austria.

There are more great moments of humor in the first half, along with lots of running around, and it's all very entertaining. Indy is somewhat grumpy the whole time, which, come to think of it, made him more similar to the older Indy played by Ford.

The second half finds him reassigned to Russia, which is weird in itself, but the bizzare thing was that Indy moves in with a bunch of Bosheviks, and becomes very good friends with them. How he managed this, and why, isn't addressed, since we're just plopped into the middle of his stint in Petrograd. The fact that the Bolsheviks, knowing full well that Indy is a capitalist American working for the French secret service (some secret), allow him to join their midsts is hard to believe. One girl even falls in love with him.

Indy dislikes desk work, and so did I. It was rather boring, watching him mull around the stacks of paper looking like they meant something to him, but we never understand what. He never really did anything in this half, except fail at just about everything he was supposed to be doing. The ending was the worst ending yet, and left me wondering just what we were supposed to make of Indy's politics.

The second half is good for two things, 1: showing that Indy still has a whole lot of growing up to do, and 2: that his birthday is in July (some trivia if you ever need it). But the first half was great, so the video is worth it.

good spy movie for indy.
this movie has a pretty decent first part where indy delivers two austria-hungarian princes to the emperor and empress. but the second part is real weird. indy meets friends in russia and then does some spy work. you never really find out what he's supposed to be spying on, and the russia part really has no plot. like all the young indy movies, the ending leaves you hanging, but this ending is where one of indy's friends die in a political demonstration, so it's extra weird. but the movie is good on the whole. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Really funny
The first half is a hoot the whole way through, it has to be the funniest Young Indy episode. The ending is great; I remember being surprised when I first watched it on TV, so I won't give it away. I'll just say Giulietta isn't as naive as she seemed.

To the second half. This one wasn't supposed to be amusing, but it was. First off I'll say that I did not like Edith Wharton, and from what I've read about her books, I wouldn't like them either. (Basically they're about people with repressed passions, who have affairs that ruin their lives...blah). Edith is obviously going through a midlife crises, and sees Indy as a potential boy toy to make her feel young again. Indy sees her as a mother figure, though a couple lines at the end try to convince us he wishes he were his father's age so he could have a romantic relationship with her. Frankly, it sounded more like he was just saying that to make her feel better.

There was some slight adventure going on in the second half, but it was just backdrop for the romantic tale. All in all, this one is great to watch if you want to laugh at the characters all the way through.

One of the best in the series to start with
Though the series is plagued with misguided efforts to steer Indy into the company of historical greats, this time Lucasfilm keeps the improbabilities to a minimum. This pleasant surprise allows Indy some interesting character development. This is the only tape in which both hours are devoted to romantic plot lines.

Hour One has Indy scuffling with Ernest Hemingway over the affections of an Italian heiress. It's an unusually light-hearted turn for the series to take. The battle between Hemingway and Jones is a treat, and we're more than glad that the battlefield is Italian. Happily, too, Hemingway's appearance in the episode is plausible and welcome. Nothing very original happens in this oft-repeated tale of romantic rivalry, but it's cleverly done against gorgeous backdrops so we hardly mind the staleness of the plot. It's particularly satisfying to see Indy so romantically vulnerable, if only because he grows up to be more of a cynic in the theatrical films. The groundwork laid in this episode introduces us to the side of Harrison Ford's Indy that recklessly falls for the German archaeologist in THE LAST CRUSADE. Yet it also gives us a peek into why he might've had problems committing to Karen Allen's Marion Ravenwood character in RAIDERS.

Hour Two is one of my favorite hours because it combines an interesting mystery with Moroccan surroundings and the unrequited love of an older woman. The friendship with the very much older Edith Wharton is handled with great tact and affection. It is this relationship, more than any other in the YOUNG INDY series, which demonstrates Indy's true philosophical take on women. We see here that he is not a rogue capable of maliciously ruining Marion's life in RAIDERS-as Marion accuses-but that the end to Indy's longest-lasting relationship must have come for other, more noble reasons.

Also, there's a lot more to Hour Two than tentative romance. A mystery of interesting proportions is afoot, and Indy's tracking of it is a delight. It's a kind of Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes mystery, with Indy doing some pretty impressive sleuthing.

All in all, then, "Tales of Innocence" is a highly recommendable member of the YOUNG INDY series, and should probably be one of the first three tapes newcomers watch.

WOW!
This has to be the best out of the titles released in the UK so far ('Phantom Train of Doom', 'Treasure of the Peacock's Eye', 'Daredevils of the Desert' and this itself). I know that may not be saying all that much, but this is truly a FANTASTIC chapter of Indiana Jones.

The love story in the first half is my favourite part of it. Very comic but also moving. It's also really great to see Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker, Anakin's mother from 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace') in another good role - she's even playing a main character's mother again!

Pretty good
Now I remember, Jay Underwood is his name! Well, I love his Hemmingway performance here and even more in Mystery of the Blues. I'd say this one is great...the first half that is, the second half has it's moments, but I didn't really like that old lady.

A lovely story of romance and growth
I love the arc of this video. Starting with a comic tale of a crush (and romantic competition with 'Ernie' Hemingway), continuing with a short, sexual fling, and ending with a adult, lovely, if doomed relationship with Edith Wharton.

Flanery does a wonderful job of letting us see Indy grow and mature thru these adventures. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of my favorite films
A big satisfying story of family and love. This is one of the best films ever. I've watched it three times and I never tire of the story or the richly drawn characters. The acting is superb. If you enjoy foreign films or family sagas, you'll love this film.

A staggering film.
A wonderfully-crafted film, stunning performances by Samuel Froler and Pernilla August, excellent supporting cast. Beautiful cinematography by Sven Nykvist. Ingmar Bergman's account of his parents early, troubled years of marriage.

a flawless masterpiece!
i am not a huge fan of either bille august or bergman but this could quite possibly be my most favorite film. Pernilla August is absolutely fabulous in this role. The complexities of the relationship between Henrik and Anna is astounding to me: she manipulates him, he hits her, but because they are doomed to love each other forever, it is as much of a balancing act as it is a true marriage. i must admit that i so wish i could get my hands on the six hour version because i hate wondering what i am missing in this story. but the version i have suits me just fine. Pernilla August will long be remembered for this film alone, more than STAR WARS, she outshines all the others in this film. thanx.

Heja Ingmar!
This is an incredibly beautiful film. The acting is absolutely sublime, and the film itself brings back many fond memories of "Fanny och Alexander". Bille August's direction is typically masterful. The sets are wonderful, as are the costumes. The story is the great Ingmar Bergman's gentle recounting of the early days of his parents' courtship and marriage (pre-Ingmar). Those familiar with the films of Bergman will find his familiar themes here, as well as some very satisfyingly familiar faces, e.g., Max Von Sydow, Hasse Alfredson, and Anita Björk (!) A remarkably excellent film.

If you think the movie is good...
...you should see the six hour television version, alot of stuff was cut out for the movie release. I'm lucky enough to live in Sweden so I could see the complete version. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Frenchman Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), imprisoned for stealing bread, is paroled after nearly two decades of hard labor. A gift of silver candlesticks from a kindly priest helps him begin anew. Forging a decent and profitable existence, he finds success as a businessman and as the mayor of a small town. He even takes in a pregnant young woman (Uma Thurman) and raises her daughter as his own. When a former prison guard (Geoffrey Rush) recognizes Valjean, his past catches up to him. Director Bille August culls mesmerizing performances from his cast, but loses us with an ending that panders to teen audiences. The focus shifts dramatically, and uncomfortably, from the haunted Neeson and his hawk-like pursuer, to his daughter (Claire Danes) and her romance with a handsome revolutionary. After this narrative shift, the script leaves behind the Victor Hugo classic's themes of revenge and redemption to focus improbably on teen angst--hardly what Hugo had on his mind. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Absolutely beautiful!
I had never read the book, but had heard of the story numerous times. I'm a huge Liam Neeson fan, so I wanted to see it. I've now watched it six times! It is a wonderful story! Plenty of things going on to keep you waiting to see what will happen next. The characters are so real! You can't help but love and respect Valjean and all the changes he goes through. If only we could all learn from our mistakes as he does! To love a woman so much in so short a time to consent to raise and love her daughter as his own! Oh! Claire Danes is adorable as Cosette (of course!) And Marius - well lets just say it would be entirely possible to fall in love with him at first sight! The passion in his eyes when he speaks to her is enough alone! As I said, I hadn't read the book, so I had no idea what would happen to them and their newfound love. How stressful! I won't spoil it by saying what happens in the end, but let's just say it is well worth the watch! I have told all of my friends and family to get this movie! I have since read the book and am now saving my own copy of the letters Marius wrote to Cosette. If only men these days spoke of love in those words! I promise you, you will love this movie!

A Terrible Adaptation
This is a good movie. I mean, not badly cast. Lovingly done. The acting is great. Yeah, you should enjoy it. Assuming you know absolutely nothing about Victor Hugo's original story. The truth is, if I didn't know better, I'd say whoever wrote the script never read Hugo's masterpiece and based it completely on the 1935 version. Come to think of it, I don't know better. That's probably exactly what happened.

I never thought I'd say this, but I am so glad Hugo didn't have to live to see this movie.

If you've read the book, you will hate this film. TRUST me. The plot, especially toward the end, is mercilessly butchered and rewritten. At some points it becomes utterly unrecognizable. Many of the revisions completely miss or even destroy the essence of characters, and some do not even make sense, the movie ending with Jean Valjean jubilant over the death of Javet, whose life he has made an enormous sacrifice to save.

Likewise, Javert would never attack Cosette; he was obsessively professional, not cruel. Nor would end his life (with minimal explanation, no less) in front of Valjean. Marius would NEVER act like Enjolras (oh, I forgot, there IS no Enjolras). Neither Marius NOR Enjolras would smile at remarks about making love to Cosette, so I find it hard to believe that some mutant hybrid Marjolras would. Cosette would never consider leaving Marius, her soulmate, to stay with Valjean, her adoptive father. And above all, Jean Valjean would NEVER, EVER fall in love with Fantine. The mere suggestion of this limits the portrayal of his charity to people he takes a special interest in.

Small variations are to be expected in any film adaptation of a book, but these all completely distort characters. The people who made this movie may have gotten the message (love, charity, etc.), but they missed the point.

If you've never read the book, see this movie. It is touching and carries a good message.

But it is not Les Misérables.

Great movie, but.....
Great movie, but the book was better...The movie is about the ex-convict, Jean Valjean, trying to help Fantine, a poor woman trying to make enough money to pay the Thenardiers to take care of her child Cosette, and later raising Cosette as his own, while also being persued by the persistant Inspector Javert.

What happens in the movie basically happens in the book as well, but the book also has much more going on. The book has an intricate connection between many of the characters that the movie doesn't have, and also focuses on much more than Jean Valjean, whom the movie mostly focuses on.

I would suggest reading the book first, and then watching the movie.

An enjoyable classic!
I can't judge this movie fairly. I have read the book and watched the musical, both live and on DVD. So, naturally, I will be making subconscious comparisons, even though we all know that movies generally undertake their own artistic direction.

For one, although some people have claimed the storyline to be jumpy, I thought it was rather smooth-flowing, possibly because I already know the story beforehand. Although changes were made to the original story, for example, Valjean admitting to Cosette that he is a convict when he only did so before he died in the end, and Cosette remembering that Valjean is not her father when it was originally intended for her to believe that he was her real father, these changes were probably made to accommodate the short play time (2 hours is barely enough to fit in a 1484-pages story).

Liam Neeson portrayed Valjean to be exactly the way Hugo would have intended Valjean to be. In the beginning, he was a hard, animalistic beast of a man. But Neeson is able to morph into the gentle Mayor with ease, and that highlights Valjean's transformation. Geoffrey Rush is brilliant as Javert. Never was there anyone more suited to play the cold, sadistic inspector. Uma Thurman is surprisingly convincing as Fantine. I had begun to stereotype her as the sort of action-thriller-sci-fi flick girl but this proved me wrong. Watch this movie for these three actors alone, for they bring class to your living room.

What I didn't like about the movie was the lack of development on the revolution. Hugo was a revolutionary. He wanted Les Mis to ignite the people's spirits. The revolution was a crucial scene, and the death of the revolutionaries a touching one. Through this movie, I can barely recognize which ones are Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Feuilly etc and yet the character names appear on the credit roll in the end.

The change of the ending (with Valjean walking free) did not leave much of an impact on me compared with the original ending. I loved the last page of Hugo's novel, where Cosette read Valjean's letter. Valjean had a tragic life. He was one of the Les Miserables, the underdogs, the wretched. For me, they had distorted the true message of Les Mis by changing the ending of the wonderful classic.

i didnt like it
I seen this Movie in English. and i didnt like it at all. i found it boring and the guyz hittin faintain and it isnt right. my friends and i didnt like it at all. it had a story... buh it was kind of jumpy. we only watched the first part, i would like to see the second part just to see how it all ends and everything. but to be honest i didnt like the movie at all. i am a grade 9 student and i dont think i know anyone who likes the movie. other then the teacher (maybe) ... Read more

Amazon.com

The House of the Spirits is a generational tale of life among the ruling class in a South American country, as adapted from the Isabel Allende novel, but thepolitical realities coexist very uneasily with the magical realism in this Bille August film. The star power alone (Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Vanessa Redgrave, and Armin Mueller-Stahl) should have cranked it up a few notches, but that's not the case. Irons is appropriately cruel as the ambitious man who achieves wealth and makes everyone around him miserable and Streep is luminous, but it's slow and ponderous all the way. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Disappointing
I confess - I watched this video without having read the book first, so I did not know what it was going to be about. However, I had just finished another Allende book "Daughter of Fortune" and really loved her writing style and the way in which she brings her characters to life and enlightens you about various time periods and cultures. So I had great hopes that "House of the Spirits" with its outstanding cast would do the book justice and be a worthy interpretation . I was wrong. At no time during the entire movie did I ever feel any of the emotions that the characters were trying to evoke - it just didn't come across at all. I liked Glenn Close in her portrayal of Esteban's spinster sister, and some of the minor characters such as the illegitimate son gave good performances, but I thought Jeremy Irons to be totally miscast in his role and did not care for his performance - it was stiff and rehearsed - I guess that's what I felt about the movie as a whole - it wasn't alive - the actors just learned their lines and spoke them without immersing themselves into their characters. Yes, that goes for Meryl Streep as well, I'm sorry to say - I am a big fan of hers! So, I'm off to the bookstore!

AN OUSTANDING MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY SAGA...
I love this movie! It has a stellar cast, who give top notch performances. How can you go wrong with Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas, Winona Ryder, Vanessa Redgrave, and Armin Muehler-Stahl? The answer is that you can't. It is a riveting piece of film making, based loosely upon Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name.

The film delicately captures the mysticism of the book, rendering those scenes in which such is the focal point highly believable. This is no mean feat given the subject matter. The story takes place in South America. The saga begins in the nineteen thirties.

Vanessa Redgrave and Armin Muehler-Stahl play the wealthy and liberal parents of two daughters, Rosa and Clara Del Valle. Rosa is the beautiful, older daughter. Clara, played by Meryl Streep's real life daughter, is a lovely child with exceptional, psychic gifts. Jeremy Irons plays the part of Esteban Trueba, an impoverished young man in love with Rosa. Vowing to make his fortune in order to marry her and provide her with the comforts to which she is accustomed, he succeeds in making his fortune. He loses Rosa, however, before being able to marry her, when she drinks poisoned wine intended for her liberal party father.

Esteban, broken hearted, leaves with his fortune and buys an estancia, where he sternly rules with an iron fist over the peasants who work the land for him. They obsequiously refer to him as "Patron". He takes what he wants, even the women, with the expected result. He has a bastard son whom he does not acknowledge.

Esteban has a spinster sister, Ferla, well acted by Glenn Close, who, for the past twenty years, has lived a grim existence in the city with their ailing mother, whom she has taken care of. When their mother dies, Esteban, now a bitter and lonely man, returns to the city from his estancia to attend his mother's funeral. In doing so, he spots Clara, who is now all grown up and ethereally portrayed by the very talented Meryl Streep. Not wasting a moment, he goes to her home. She, luminous, and mystical, already knows that he is there to ask for her hand in marriage and happily accepts. After all, she has loved him ever since she first saw him all those years ago.

Clara lovingly embraces his sister, Ferla, into the bosom of her househould, when they move to her Esteban's estancia. Ferla blossoms from a bitter old maid into a companionable and pleasant woman, under Clara's warmth. Esteban and Clara eventually have a child, Blanca, who grows up playing with Pedro, the son of the estancia's indigenous indian foreperson. When Esteban discovers this, he sends Blanca away to boarding school. He does not want his daughter fraternizing with the peasants.

Clara, loving and pure of heart, is his exact opposite. When their daughter finally grows up and returns home from school, she knows that the independent Blanca, well played by Winona Ryder, has fallen in love with her childhood playmate, Pedro, passionately portrayed by Antonio Banderas. Esteban hates Pedro, as Pedro is a liberal inciting the peasants to unionize and demand their rights, whipping them into a frenzy against the "Patron", or so Esteban sees it. He drives Pedro off his land. He also drives Ferla off, as he believes her to have unatural feelings for his wife, Clara. Possessive to a fault, he is consumed by jealousy. Clara and Esteban have a fight over his cruelties, and she finally leaves him, taking Blanca with her to the Del Valle family home in the city.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Blanca, pregnant by Pedro, has his child, believing that Pedro has been killed by her father. Esteban, representing the wealthy, becomes senator. He reigns for years, until the liberals win power. When they do, however, their tenure is short lived, as a militairy coup sets up a reign of terror and his old sins come home to roost. Meanwhile, Blanca discovers that Pedro is alive, and they joyously hook up again. When Blanca is picked up as a political dissident and tortured for her political views, Esteban, old and broken, is now just a bit player in a larger arena. Too late, he tries to right some wrongs. Some of the wrongs, however, can never be righted.

This is a magnificent, multi-generational family epic, that holds the viewer in its thrall. While it only loosely follows Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name, it is a winner in its own right. It has something for everyone, as it deals with human nature, as well as the complex emotions, forces, and events that shape one. The film is about a family struggling to find its place in our ever changing world, and the relationships that each member of that family forges. It is a rich and vibrant tapestry, which succeeds in capturing the viewer.

Dishwater
Ponderous, pandering and dull, THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS wastes an amazing cast of great actors on what can only be called a bad couple of hours.

The very thought of Jeremy Irons, Vanessa Redgrave and Meryl Streep wasting six months of their lives only to produce this meandering flop is beyond me. The performances are fine, but the script their given to work with is lifeless.

It is, I think, a film which takes itself way too seriously; at no point is there substance to back up the self-reverence.

Book is great, Movie [is bad].
Having some truly talented actors, and a wonderful story could not save the horrid movie that is The House of the Spirts. This adaptation does not even closely do justice to the book. The book, first of all, focuses on the lives of three Trueba women. It shows the hardships and turmoil they faced in an enthralling way. The movie, I'm afraid, is too over the top, and chooses not to follow the overall plot of the novel. PLEASE if anyone suggests this film to you, DO NOT LISTEN. But do yourself a favor and read the book, it is an excellent piece of litterature.

One of the worst adaptaitions I have ever seen!
I have not seen a film quite as appaling as this one in a long time, I am Chilean and a huge fan of the book "La casa de los espiritos" (The house of the spirits), which is beautifly written, with some of the most truthfull and thoughtfull characters I have come across.
The film however is very different. To start with the characters are meant to be Chliean not British, and fair enough If they were unable to use an accent (or perhaps latin american actors) they could have at least made a respectable attempt at the names, hearing them all pronounce "Alba", "Olba" was infurriating. To keep with the cast problem the charaters of "Nivea" and "Severo Del Valle" were the two most stereotypical middle class white american parents, with a hint of the brady bunch, Nivea was more like the Mmother in "American Beauty" than a revolutionary socialist and women's rights activist, and such a passionate lover that she has given birth 15 times!
The characters were also changed and blended together changing them entirly and destrying their originality and thought making them into something dull and annoying.
The horrifying coup of 73 was perfectly covered in the book no romantic notions, just the horrendos reality, the film attempts to show a supposed torture scene with Winona Ryder, though there is nothing wrong with her acting the pitiful display of screams and a few blows soon followed by her release was just the slightest bit unrealistic, as the chance of release was about 5 to 1, and the torture sessions consited on slightly more than a few blows.
In short the film was an overly romantic, corny and pathetic attempt to sum up the book, to be honest the entire thing was greatly amusing.
Very disapointing ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A well-crafted mystery when taken on its own merit . . .
When a young Inuit boy mysteriously falls to his death from the roof of an apartment building in Copenhagen, his neighbor (Julia Ormond) sets out to solve the puzzle armed only with the suspicion that his demise was not accidental -- a suspicion arisen from her singular impression of his footprints in the snow. With the help of another neighbor, known only as "the Mechanic" (Gabriel Byrne), Smilla takes on the head of a major mining corporation (Richard Harris) as well as the local authorities in order to put the boy's soul at peace.

If the vehement disdain that its critics have heaped upon it is any indication, then this movie may be a severe disappointment to those who have read the novel -- not too surprising since most movies so based are never as good as the book and vice versa. But whereas films of this nature will usually give viewers far too much information initially, leaving only a story line already surmised to plod resolutely to its conclusion, Smilla metes out the details sparingly. We discover new information only when the characters do and are blissfully kept in the dark about exactly what has happened and why until the very end. Due primarily to a superb story line as well as some noteworthy performances from its principal cast members, the movie grabs our attention from the outset and commands it throughout.

Smilla herself comes across as a complex, intelligent, and resourceful woman (a comparative oddity in films today) although she is a self-confessed loner and perhaps not the most pleasant of people. But by far the most compelling character turns out to be that of the Mechanic. Just as we begin to believe that he is trustworthy, one action after another sends us (and Smilla) back to our initial assumption that this is one ambiguous guy with plenty of secrets to hide himself. Yet we fall for his stuttering innocence over and over again.

Despite a few cheesy lines and some minor inconsistencies, when taken on its own merit "Smilla's Sense of Snow" is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-crafted mystery -- one well-worth watching.

Great Dramatic Thriller
Based on Peter Hoeg's book (which I haven't read, so I can't compare the two), "Smilla's Sense of Snow" follows Smilla Jaspersen (played by Julia Ormond, one of my favorite actresses), an almost soulless, hard-as-nails half-Inuit, living in Copenhagen, Denmark. One day she returns to her apartment complex to find her 6-year-old neighbor dead due to a tragic "accident," which she spends the entire movie trying to uncover. Her other neighbor (played by Gabriel Byrne) tags along after her like a sad puppy, later becoming her sidekick and lover when her life is almost snuffed out by the men she's trailing. But, even then, she doesn't completely trust him.

I have to admit: when I first saw "Smilla's Sense of Snow" several years ago, I didn't like it as much as I do now, mainly because I wasn't paying too much attention to it, and was confused and irritated by the X-files-like ending. But after watching it again from beginning to end, it's become one of my favorite movies. I loved the cold Danish/Greenlandic setting (just in time for Christmas) and was impressed by the performances and characters in this movie, Julia/Smilla especially. This is certainly one I'd recommend if you're looking for a good dramatic thriller to watch. Rated "R" for language, some violence, and a sex scene.

Ormond is the best thing in uneven, but satisfying drama
The title has to do with how Smilla Jasperson has a knowing sense about snow the same way some people have a sense about God, as she tells former Greenland Mining accountant Elsa Lubing when investigating the death of Isaiah, a six-year Greenlander boy Smilla played with and cared about. According to Copenhagen police report, Isaiah fell to his death from the roof of the apartment building she lives in. Smilla, examining the boy's footprints, is convinced that it was murder, not an accident, and investigates.

She's not very sociable otherwise. In flashbacks, she initially refuses to let Isaiah in to read to him, and even bluntly tells him he stinks. The next scene has her giving him a bath. Isaiah's mother Juliane is very neglecting of her offspring, often drunk and having parties. Smilla spent time reading stories to Isaiah, and the latter feels a connection because Smilla is part-Greenlander on her late mother's side.

She is automatically suspicious and hostile to a neighbour of hers, a man billed as the Mechanic, who is attracted to her. At one time, he asks her why her tongue is so rough. She shoots back with "I try to be rough all over" before leaving. The Mechanic also claims to have cared for Isaiah, and wants to help her, but she is reluctant. It doesn't help matters that she has a checkered past, and the police try to use that, and exploiting her claustrophobia to get her to mind her own business. As she spent her childhood in Greenland, being used to the wide open spaces, her personal hell is being locked up in tiny spaces.

Her moment of philosophy comes when she tells the Mechanic why mathematics is like human life. The positive integers are the numbers of a child, but longing comes when his/her consciousness expands and fills with longing. Negative numbers thus become the equation for longing-"the formalization of the feeling that you're missing something." And fractions represent the spaces in between stones, people, etc. Math is thus a large landscape, much like Greenland, where the horizons never end and always recede.

Even her father, a doctor, is difficult to connect with, because he is now married to Benja, an annoying blonde who goes out of her way to irritate her. At lunch, when Smilla asks her father of a suspicious result on Isaiah's autopsy, Benja loudly says she's put off her food. However, her father is patient enough with her and firm enough with Benja to provide a balance, precarious as it is.

Clues lead Smilla to Greenland Mining, where Isaiah's father worked and died in an accident a few years ago, and Andreas Tork, the head of GM. She also puts a Dr. Loyen, the doctor responsible for the autopsy as another suspect. There is clearly a conspiracy or coverup going on. Things go into espionage mode towards the end, and that's where things lose credibility.

As the mostly unsmiling anti-hero Smilla, Julia Ormond gives a full portrayal of someone unapproachable, headstrong, rough with people, regardless of feelings, but someone who wants justice and the soul of her young friend to be at peace. So different from her title character portrayal of the remake of Sabrina. Robert Loggia is the only other laudable character as her father, Moritz. Gabriel Byrne turns in a so-so performance as the mysterious Mechanic. The cold grayness of Copenhagen and the vast snowscape of Greenland add to the forbidding atmosphere of the film, but the unevenness between the slow-drawn investigation to James Bond-like espionage leaves much to be desired.

Underrated
I mean the movie AND the lead actress. The film is as good as the book and Julia Ormond is sensational.

This Silent, This Secret Snow
Though Peter Hoeg's novel is excellent, reading it was more like seeing the film of the
book. With the movie, I felt I was reading the novel it was based on. Hoeg's novel is of
much worth, and without it there would have been no film; many of the finest moments of
the film come from it, yet, the movie was so additionally contemplative, expansive of the
human qualities of the novel, so filled with characters, emotions and events, dark and
lovely, so utterly otherworldly, that it pulled me totally in as the book didn't. The film's
prologue starts over one hundred years ago, with a cauldron of nightmare screaming down
from frosty skies to crash into frozen ice Greenland. It is a perfect opening, for it says
listen and watch; you have never been here before. The rest of the film constantly proves it
right.

Julia Ormond is so superb as Smilla, she made me tremble. How could one not love her,
who does not trust love, this woman of dignity and intelligence, who champions a hurt
lonely child, and all losers and misfits, because she is as they? The film is a celebration of
logic and endless winter. Smilla's mathematical definition of longing is inspiring. I see
magnificence in math now, when never before. The movie could not work anywhere else
but in ice and snow. It is a major character. There are passages in the book that take place
in hot summer. They seem wrong.

It is a delving into something that is so gigantic that one feels the sky is going to be pulled
back and we shall see what is behind existence itself. But it never forgets the little six year
old boy who dies, and the people who surrounded him, hurt him, helped him. To Smilla,
regardless of how far from home, that is not her home, she travels, to her former home,
that is no longer hers, this is the flame in her mind, finding the murderer, because when
someone is killed, their soul is offended, and she wants the child to rest in peace. If there
is one overriding trait in Smilla, it is an intense loyalty. When the mystery is revealed, her
heart still holds the memory of this child above all else, for he remains the essence. How
could he not?

It is a dark world exploration of snow and secrets and a totally unblinking view of real
reality, and how such an injustice to a boy who never got to really live towers above the
unveiling of what nightmare fell from the sky so long ago, and killed a child in the 1990's.
It is of perfect, mathematical symmetry. Snow, ice, expansive wilderness, icebergs and
tundra blend with the warmth of humans beginning to heal, the humans needing all of the
seeming contradictions. It also is about a daughter (Ormond) and father (superbly played
by Robert Loggia) finally beginning to make peace with each other. The film is a tapestry
of the compact some humans make with other humans, so small against such vast lonely
breathtaking vistas, in order to survive . At the top of the world, there is freedom that is

dizzying and ultimately liberating. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of my favorite films
A big satisfying story of family and love. This is one of the best films ever. I've watched it three times and I never tire of the story or the richly drawn characters. The acting is superb. If you enjoy foreign films or family sagas, you'll love this film.

A staggering film.
A wonderfully-crafted film, stunning performances by Samuel Froler and Pernilla August, excellent supporting cast. Beautiful cinematography by Sven Nykvist. Ingmar Bergman's account of his parents early, troubled years of marriage.

a flawless masterpiece!
i am not a huge fan of either bille august or bergman but this could quite possibly be my most favorite film. Pernilla August is absolutely fabulous in this role. The complexities of the relationship between Henrik and Anna is astounding to me: she manipulates him, he hits her, but because they are doomed to love each other forever, it is as much of a balancing act as it is a true marriage. i must admit that i so wish i could get my hands on the six hour version because i hate wondering what i am missing in this story. but the version i have suits me just fine. Pernilla August will long be remembered for this film alone, more than STAR WARS, she outshines all the others in this film. thanx.

Heja Ingmar!
This is an incredibly beautiful film. The acting is absolutely sublime, and the film itself brings back many fond memories of "Fanny och Alexander". Bille August's direction is typically masterful. The sets are wonderful, as are the costumes. The story is the great Ingmar Bergman's gentle recounting of the early days of his parents' courtship and marriage (pre-Ingmar). Those familiar with the films of Bergman will find his familiar themes here, as well as some very satisfyingly familiar faces, e.g., Max Von Sydow, Hasse Alfredson, and Anita Björk (!) A remarkably excellent film.

If you think the movie is good...
...you should see the six hour television version, alot of stuff was cut out for the movie release. I'm lucky enough to live in Sweden so I could see the complete version. ... Read more

Description

A family stands divided in this epic tale set at the turn of the century when a charismatic preacher promises salvation to those who follow him to the Holy Land. Based on the novel by Nobel Prize winning author Selma Lagerlöf. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A deeply moving film worth watching.
I really enjoyed watching this particular film because it deals with intense religious conflicts challenging a small, rural Christian community. The director successfully captures the serene landscape including, forests, rivers, and the fields of rural Sweden as well as the crowded, ancient splendor of Jerusalem. It's definately a long, complex plot worth watching for those who enjoy thinking when watching a film!

Slow in getting started and never really gains focus.
After viewing this video I was very disappointed. The story was very slow in developing and never really did capture my interests. I was hoping this film would focus more on the story of the Overcomers and the dictatorial rule of Mrs. Spafford, instead it was a love story. It was much like Titantic in that the love story was in foreground and the ship was in the background. Jerusalem was much the same, with a love story in the foreground and the Overcomers and Mother Spafford in the background. If you liked Titantic dont watch this film, Jerusalem pales in comparison. I felt the acting was poor, the script was dull, and overall I could not recommend this film. The biggest warning I want to give is that this film is not a good telling of the story of the Overcomers like I had hoped it would be.

Jerusalem (1996, Swedish with English sub-titles) Insightful
This movie has the aura of an Ingmar Bergman production, with a series of twists and turns in the plot - along with thought-provoking motifs reminiscent of an ancient Greek tragedy. Is there any coincidence that the protagonist's name h