Field of Honor

Set during the Franco-Prussian War in 1869-70, this beautifully filmed French period piece follows the tribulations of Pierre (Cris Campion), a poor village boy, who sells his lucky number (excluding him from the draft) to a wealthy merchant who's son Arnaud (Eric Wapler) was not so lucky. Shortly after Pierre reports for duty, war breaks out, and the film cuts back and forth between Pierre's fearful experiences on the battlefield, and the guilt-ridden Arnaud working back in the village. After one bloody encounter which separates Pierre from his regiment, he meets up with a young Alsatian boy who speaks German. Their bond--despite the barrier of language--makes for the most interesting facet of this nicely photographed film. Field of Honor is an unassuming mood piece of a film that packs a fairly substantial tragic punch during its final reel. The gorgeous landscapes, fine acting, simple--but powerful--storyline, and excellent subtitles, make this a good choice for even those public libraries without strong foreign video collections. Recommended. (R. Pitman)