Stellar cast warms Minghella’s “Cold Mountain”

Oscar winning Director Anthony Minghella of “The English Patient” fame has done it again with the $100 million Civil War odyssey “Cold Mountain.”
After moving with her father from the booming city of Charleston to the small country town of Cold Mountain, NC, Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman) falls in love with a local carpenter known only as Inman (Jude Law). Then, the looming clouds of civil war break loose in Cold Mountain, sweeping the men to the battlefields, leaving the women who love them to anxiously wait for their return.
Three years later, Inman is struck with a near-fatal wound that leaves him stranded in a crowded, make-shift hospital. Inspired by his love for Ada, Inman breaks from the hospital for a dangerous journey home.
Meanwhile, Ada, who knows nothing about gardening or keeping livestock, struggles to maintain her father’s farm. A neighbor notices her difficulties and subsequent breakdown and sends a local drifter to help.
Abandoned by her father and forced to fend for herself at an early age, Ruby Thewes (Renee Zellweger) is a wild caricature of back-country women. Through her strict regimen and quick wits she teaches Ada how to survive the harsh mountain winters. The two become fast friends while maintaining the farm, but Ada’s heart still longs for her long, lost soldier. Inman encounters a set of interesting characters on his journey home — some friends and some enemies, but audiences sit on the edge of their seats waiting to see if he’ll survive even the most hopeless situations.
Will the lovers ever be reunited? Can Ada and Ruby protect the farm from nature and a land-hungry home guard whose power can satisfy his greed?
In the hair-raising climax to “Cold Mountain,” audiences will find that not everything ends happily. A war that has torn men from their families and ravaged the countryside has changed the lives of Ada, Inman, Ruby and the people of Cold Mountain forever.
Kidman, Law and Zellweger are the top three names on an exciting list of actors featured in Minghella’s latest masterpiece. After seeing the rest of the cast, including Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi and Jack White (of the White Stripes), it’s no wonder the movie has been nominated for Best Picture and seven other Golden Globe Awards.
One of those nominations is for Zellweger’s flawless supporting performance as Ruby. From the moment she steps into the frame, Zellweger brings laughs to the audience with her over-the-top quips and one-liners. She plays a superb opposite to Kidman’s subtle Ada, whose classic beauty seems timeless. At times Kidman’s performance is overshadowed by Zellweger, but before Ruby’s arrival, Kidman shines as well. Best characterized by her delicate breakdown, Kidman’s nomination for Best Actress is also a no-brainier.
Every southern woman has her charming hero and never has there been a more charming hero than Jude Law, also nominated for his performance as Inman. The powerful, yet unassuming role is comparable to that of Adrien Brody’s Szpilman in “The Pianist.” Add a spoonful of a gentleman’s charm and you have Law as Kidman’s perfect counterpart.
The music in a good film plays like another character and the “Cold Mountain” score and soundtrack are no exception. Highlighted by performances such as Alison Krauss’s sweet bluegrass vocals and Jack White’s renditions of Dixie traditionals, the film’s music perfectly matches the Blue Ridge setting, exceptionally framing this tale of love and heart ache and garnering a Best Original Score nomination for Gabriel Yared and Best Original Song nomination for Sting’s “You Will Be My Ain True Love,” performed by Krauss.
Minghella’s directing and screenplay were also nominated.
“Cold Mountain” has remained in the top five in box office totals since its release on Christmas Day, but estimates say the film has yet to yield the money it took to make and market. The film’s estimated $100 million-plus cost is Miramax’s most expensive venture yet, but it isn’t the first time the company has bet on a nine figure film. 2002′s “Gangs of New York” garnered five Golden Globe nominations but won only two-not to mention a ten nomination snub at the Oscars.
Will “Cold Mountain” share the same fate? With stellar performances from Kidman, Law, Zellweger and the rest of the star-studded cast of previous award nominees and winners, combined with Minghella’s impeccable frame-story styling, it’s hard to imagine it possible.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Jan 16 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry