Across the River and Into the Trees

There are several stars of this film. While Hemmingway's source novel was pretty universally panned, the screenplay, cinematography, and fine acting and casting in this film set it apart as a long overdue adaptation of one of Hemingway's lesser known works. First the acting by Mr. Schreiber - it is outstanding, showing emotional trauma damage, an appreciation of the natural and artistic world, and the vulnerability of an old warrior dealing with his illness and mortality. The cinematography is a delight - flirting with color as well as black and white and a variety of aspect ratios, it adds a thoughtful overlay to the story. Love interest Renata is played with aplomb by a beautiful, young Italian actress named Matilda de Angelis. To capture the emptiness of postwar Venice, the COVID restrictions played a major part - providing empty waterways and a deserted St Marco Square for the action of the story to take place in. It was a beautifully produced film and well worth seeing for any fan of Hemingway's work or of Mr. Schreiber's fine acting abilities, which have never been showcased better.

In post-war Italy, war hero Colonel Richard Cantwell (Liev Schreiber) cannot accept his terminal diagnosis. He is assigned driver Jackson (Josh Hutcherson) to take him to Venice for his duck hunt. He encounters Renata Contarini (Matilda De Angelis) and tries to buy guns from her mother Contessa Isabella Contarini (Laura Morante). Renata is arranged to marry for money to save her family's legacy.

I've never heard of this Ernest Hemingway novel, but it does have his sensibilities. Venice looks empty. Maybe director Paula Ortiz is trying something like Ken Russell's movie (1991). Quite frankly, I would prefer total minimalism. At least, they saved money on costumes and extras. I like Hutcherson, but he could do more with the character. I love the middle section with the overnight date which reminds me of Before Sunrise. I would like to know more about Cantwell's regret to properly judge it. The movie needs to explain what happened. His son's story comes out of nowhere. A little heads up there would also help. I generally like this movie, but in many places, I want it to do more.

The nominee for the Goya award for best new director in 2011, Paula Ortiz (¨The Bride¨), dares to adapt this eponymous novel by Hemingway, starring Liev Schreiber (¨Spotlight¨, ¨Ray Donovan¨) as an aging military martinet. Set in post-World War II Italian Venice, Richard Cantwell, a war-torn American colonel, confronts the news that he has a terminal illness with stoic indifference. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice. The military veteran is accompanied on his journey by Sergeant Jackson (Josh Hutcherson) as driver and bodyguard, bound for the city of canals. Once there, Cantwell's plans begin to unravel, a chance meeting with a young aristocrat, the intelligent Renata Contarini (Matilda de Angelis): the daughter of an impoverished Venetian countess who has fallen into disgrace, begins to rekindle his hope of renewal. However, Renata is about to become the wife of a wealthy young called Antonio (Giulio Berruti). The time that Cantwell spends with the young aristocrat describes a relationship of mutual knowledge, while the colonel strives to find out what happened to his son who died at the hands of the Nazis, in a Trieste camp.

This brooding film, set in post-WWII Italy, captures a fleeting moment of immortality where time stands still. The sad story contains the great Hemingway themes of love, war, youth, and age. Liev Schreiber gives a terrific acting as tired American Army Colonel Richard Cantwell, haunted by the war, he is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard, and Matilda De Angelis is very attractive as the remarkable young woman begins to rekindle in him the hope of renewal. They're stunningly accompanied by a fine support cast, such as Josh Hutcherson, Laura Morante, Giulio Berruti, Danny Huston and Enzo Cilenti creating works of enormous dramatic value. An interpretive tableau that accompanies Schreiber's role who carries out a sober and credible characterization, in which the silences are as important as the words that are said. And being developed through a territory very similar in locations and emotions to that undertaken by Gustav von Aschenbach/Dick Bogarde, in 'Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice'.

It has a magnificent black-and-white photography with some color intervals. And shot in square format -in 4:3- by acclaimed cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe, who has worked with prestigious directors such as Milos Forman, Pedro Almodovar and Woody Allen. The formal attractiveness thanks to cameraman Aguirresarobe is in many moments hypnotic, captivating, stimulating, providing an enormous pictorial talent, although in others it can become too saturated. For years, the adaptation of this novel by Ernest had been the dream of great filmmakers such as John Huston or Robert Altman and even Burt Lancaster desperately wanted to play the aging Colonel. The motion picture was brilliantly and professionally directed by Paula Ortiz (De tú ventana a la mía, La novia, Teresa). Paula Ortiz recreates competently a film full of environmental nostalgia, in a city of Venice where you can glimpse the decadence that devastates the starring's nights and days. Rating: 7/10. Better than average.

Everything is beautiful in this movie. Venezia, of course, but also the actors, in particular Matilda De Angelis. The director manages to catch that beauty in every scene. The changes in aspect ratio is a very intelligent way to make as feel the difference between the dreams that he is living and the reality that lives in his head. The movie becomes a series of photos that you would like to print and frame. The rhythm is slow, because you need to take your time to taste each scene. Just as the protagonist stars at the "frescos", you're supposed to stare at each frame. In addition, the script is very good and the performances of both main actors are impeccable and natural. It's a joy for all the senses.

This film is actually quite great. A beautiful Hemingway novel nicely translated here. It's a rich and beautiful film, but unlike most Hollywood films that attempt to aim for similar results. Thanks mostly to the original writer, this one is also very true to life, it's very down to earth. You can really feel the humanity and the characters in this film. The acting and direction are also mostly very strong. This is a story that has been in the works to be a film many times. Finally it's here, and it really is a rewarding result. This was entirely worth seeing on the big screen, as the Venice setting and the cinematography are stunning throughout much of the film.

8/10.