A Month in the Country (1987)

A Month in the Country: Directed by Pat O’Connor. With Colin Firth, John Atkinson, Jim Carter, Patrick Malahide. Two soldiers (Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh) recover from World War I while spending a summer in a Yorkshire village.

“I think this is the most-watched movie in my collection. Its strong passions are beautifully understated by the entire ensemble, which is the thing that I appreciate most in this film. All the cast are excellent, including the children (and I must add a special appreciation for Jim Carter, who has played opposite Firth in at least two other films that I know of), but this is an absolute tour de force for both Colin Firth and Kenneth Branagh. The viewer seems to share the pain and humiliation borne by the sufferers of u0026quot;shell shocku0026quot;. Their encounters with the joy and grief inherent in the life and people of a small Yorkshire village are both poignant and humorous.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe slow pace enriches the character development and story. It mirrors the patient process of both leading charactersu0026#39; pursuits: Firthu0026#39;s character uncovers a medieval church mural slowly and carefully, as Branaghu0026#39;s seeks and uncovers a mysterious grave. Both work with an audience of curious local villagers by day, and wrestle with their personal demons by night. Slowly new bittersweet relationships develop as the summer progresses. I pity the impatient of this world who canu0026#39;t focus their attention long enough to take in or appreciate the rich content of the performances, the subtle direction, the beauty of both the cinematography and the music.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis movie is a gentle and uplifting experience each time it is viewed! A movie to be savored. I highly recommend it!”