The Civil War is one of the most common themes in American films. However, American films are often successful not because of the historical events they use, but because of the details and nuances. Cold Mountain too, it's a movie with perfect details. The impact this kind of detail brings to us is the most powerful shock to the soul of this movie.
The Civil War is the first lesson we learn about the United States, at least in Chinese history textbooks, because our textbooks don't start with American blockbusters and rock music. Recently, my favorite director, Stephen Spielberg, made a biography of "Lincoln", which is also the subject. Although I have not seen it, I think the starting point is definitely different. For politicians and bigwigs, war is a means to an end. This purpose can be a noble ideal, or it can be a dirty self-interest. However, no matter what the purpose, war is definitely not a blessing for ordinary people. The war has made us lose a lot, and the first thing we lose is our humanity.
We knew from the beginning that the North Carolina soldier Inman, who joined the Confederate army against the North, was in a relationship with the priest's daughter, Ada. The two people only had very limited contact in peacetime, not many words, not many bridges, but the depth and concentration of their feelings were sufficient. After all, the two young people who were close to each other could not stay together for a long time. Because of the abolition of slavery, the southern states of the United States began to rebel against the federal government. And the ordinary people living in the southern states, even if many of them are just civilians and have no slaves at all, still have to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for this damn war.
The story itself is warm, the flames are about to burn out, and Inman, who has suffered from the baptism of war, finally decides to embark on a long journey home. On the other hand, the war made Ada go through the grief of losing her father, endure hardships and sufferings, face the downfall of her family, and face hunger and danger. Two miserable souls, the only thing that can comfort each other is the black and white photos, the faces of their unhappy lovers. However, this photo and the name of the hometown of Lengshan have become the strongest sustenance and consolation in each other's hearts in the dark, so that they can persevere and not be swallowed up by suffering.
However, the larger context of the story is war. This background allows us to see many evil aspects of human nature. For example, just for the sake of reward, they tricked Inman and other southern deserters, and then went to the ordinary southern people who reported to the deserter arrest team; to just for the sake of eating, they were extremely cruel to ordinary orphans and widows, and swaddled infants. Throwing into the snow and trying to rob the hostess of all the necessities of life and the northern soldiers who tried to rape her. The reason for all this is simple: to survive. In order to survive, the ugliness of human nature is self-evident and obvious.
Many scenes were brutal, whether it was soldiers from the north planting explosives in tunnels, trying to completely wipe out soldiers from the south, or soldiers from the north and the south rolling and fighting on the muddy battlefield until blood was blurred. The war has made us see all the ugliness and witness countless sorrows. But if it was just ugly, just ugly, then the meaning of the movie would be mediocre too. How to save and heal may be the theme of the movie. The answer is simple, love. The love on camera, whether it's Inman and Ada's love, or Ada's friendship with Ruby, or even Ruby's forgiveness for her father and the Georgia singer who once betrayed them and killed Inman, is love. These loves are not spoken in words, but slowly revealed inadvertently. Inman and Ada's love and longing is a trickle. And other kinds of love are also trickle. These trickles flow into the gloomy background, into the tears of pain, into the brutal slaughter, and finally, let us keep the hope and the dream of the cloud and the rain. It is these trickles that allow us to finally be tough enough to face all the destruction of the chaotic world. As Ida said at the end of the credits: make pease with what we lost.
Ida's voiceover is the most impressive part of the movie, her voice is thin but not fragile, and as the story progresses, it becomes more and more tenacious and Courage. The 103 letters she wrote to Inman, the mutual admiration in the eyes of the two, and even a little embarrassed but natural body language, revealed her even feelings for Inman all the time. And Inman's monologue and the utterly battered book, with the three precious love letters in it, are proofs of his love for Ada.
The end of the story is beautiful, with Ruby's dad playing the harp and singing with the Georgia singer, celebrating the harvest and celebrating Easter. The farm is thriving, and the Georgia singer and Ruby are married and have a daughter. Although Inman passed away, his and Ada's children were very lively and lovely. More importantly, Ada saw the dark clouds from the well of prophecy, and the sun after the dark clouds.
When the war is over, all good things will be recast. Although we have lost a lot, as long as there is still a trickle of thoughts, we will not lose hope and will be able to wait until the moment the sun comes out.
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