England,
1997, 115 min
Shown in 1998
CREDITS
- dir
-
David Leland
- prod
-
Simon Relph
- scr
-
David Leland
- cam
-
Henry Braham
- editor
-
Nick Moore
- cast
-
Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel, Steve MacKintosh, Tom Georgeson, Maureen O’Brien
- prod co
-
Greenpoint Films; Camera One/Arena
- source
-
Gramercy Pictures, 9333 Wishire Blvd., Garden Level, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. FAX: 310-385-4405
OTHER
The Land Girls is David Leland’s beautiful valentine to the women of World War II who took to the fields when all the farmhands were off fighting for their country. As part of a British government program, these women served their country in a way previously denied them. In this story, three such women grow up, fall in love and, most importantly, find lasting friendship during wartime. In 1941 England, three adventuresome girls have just arrived at Lawrence farm in the beautiful Dorset countryside: Prue, sexy and vivacious (Anna Friel); innocent, hopeful Ag (Rachel Weisz); and dreamy, romatic Stella (Catherine McCormack). Together they are a sight for the sore eyes of Joe, the Lawrences’ only son, who is soon to be enlisted. As the war rages on and the girls settle in to learn the finer points of milling and plowing, they form a bond that changes their lives forever. Adapted from Angela Huth’s riveting novel, The Land Girls provides a wonderful account of this often-overlooked faction of the war effort. Leland positions the heat of battle as a glow on the horizon in order to give full attention to his characters’ lives as they unfold amidst the glorious landscape. Just as the actual Land Girl program brought out the best in young women, Leland is at his finest in letting the Land Girls’ story be told as it should be: exquisitely and with unfettered honesty.
—John Cooper, Sundance Film Festival
FACTOID #1
The Festival has screened many debuts, both short- and feature-length, by some of cinema’s most influential artists including Juan Antonio Bardem, Jane Campion, Roman Polanski, Melvin Van Peebles and Lina Wertmüller.
