A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries

Rating:
Summary: Leelee Sobieski is my fav!
Review: A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries is a beautiful depiction of the different stages of a family's life through the eyes of the daughter Charlotte-Ann (Channe). The movie takes place, for the most part in France, where the young girl first experiences gaining an adopted little brother. From there, during her early teenage years she meets a character named Francis Fortescue who loves the opera and becomes Channe's best friend. The father (Chris Christopherson) is having heart trouble and decides to move the family back to the US. Both children handle this change in different ways, the adopted son (Billy) becomes a couch potato and antisocial. Channe reacts by starting to drink, have sex, etc... I won't spoil the ending but let me just say that this is a great traditional movie about how close a family be and how people can solve their problems by sticking together. I have to admit, however, the reason I gave this film such a high rating is because Leelee Sobieski who plays (Channe) is my favorite actress and she is awesome! The movie as a whole is also one of the best I've seen.

Rating:
Summary: Leelee Sobieski is my fav!
Review: A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries is a beautiful depiction of the different stages of a family's life through the eyes of the daughter Charlotte-Ann (Channe). The movie takes place, for the most part in France, where the young girl first experiences gaining an adopted little brother. From there, during her early teenage years she meets a character named Francis Fortescue who loves the opera and becomes Channe's best friend. The father (Chris Christopherson) is having heart trouble and decides to move the family back to the US. Both children handle this change in different ways, the adopted son (Billy) becomes a couch potato and antisocial. Channe reacts by starting to drink, have sex, etc... I won't spoil the ending but let me just say that this is a great traditional movie about how close a family be and how people can solve their problems by sticking together. I have to admit, however, the reason I gave this film such a high rating is because Leelee Sobieski who plays (Channe) is my favorite actress and she is awesome! The movie as a whole is also one of the best I've seen.

Rating:
Summary: Best of 1998, one of the best ever
Review: A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries is one of those few films that manages to transcend its existence as film and move out into the realm of poetry and high art...what film should be.

The film is based on the life of Kaylie Jones, marvelously retold from her autobiography by James Ivory who is at his absolute best here, standing back from the action, refusing to pass judgment (as too many directors do) on his material. The audience experiences the action as its protagonists do.

Add to this strong foundation a comfortably satisfying plot, outstanding acting (especially by upstart Leelee Sobieski who will surely carve out a place in art film -- and hopefully not fall prey to the false promises of mainstream Hollywood), a multilingual dimension that is telling and poingant (especially to those who speak French too), and a confident sense of cinematographic know-how--and you get one of the best films of all time, rivaling Godard's "Le Mepris" for apt poingancy and a deep, meaningful treatment of theme. This film is worth its inflated first-release price--a must own for anyone who loves art film and GOOD film.

--Justin Laird Weaver <[e-mail]>

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing story, great characters, much family love!
Review: Based on the autobiographical novel written by Kaylie Jones, daughter of James Jones who wrote "From Here to Eternity" and "The Thin Red Line", this is a unique family story. Kris Kristofferson is cast as the successful writer and Barbara Hershey as his wife. When the film opens they are living in Paris, and adopt a young French boy who is just a bit younger than their daughter Channe, then 7. Her parents drink a lot and live a rather flamboyant lifestyle but there is no doubt they love their children. As Channe matures, we share her ups and downs of growing up as an American in Paris. Leelee Sobieski, then only 14 years old, plays the role of Channe in her teenaged years. She develops a friendship with a boy her age named Francis Fortescue played by Anthony Roth Constanzo, whose colorful personality seem to indicate he will eventually turn out gay. When her father's heart trouble surfaces the family returns to the United States. It's culture shock for Channe and her brother, another interesting chapter in their lives.

Produced by Ismail Merchant and directed by James Ivory, the entire production is outstanding. The settings come alive as we experience Paris in the 1960s and America in the early 1970s. And the camera doesn't miss a chance to zero in on the emotional ties between the people, including a housekeeper who turns down a marriage offer in order to stay with the family. Perhaps the strongest scenes, however, exist between the father and the daughter as they discuss love and life. Every actor does such a good job that I forgot they were acting and became totally absorbed in the video which avoids the trap of being too melodramatic or maudlin. It's just a wonderful absorbing story with interesting characters and lots of family love. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing story, great characters, much family love!
Review: Based on the autobiographical novel written by Kaylie Jones, daughter of James Jones who wrote "From Here to Eternity" and "The Thin Red Line", this is a unique family story. Kris Kristofferson is cast as the successful writer and Barbara Hershey as his wife. When the film opens they are living in Paris, and adopt a young French boy who is just a bit younger than their daughter Channe, then 7. Her parents drink a lot and live a rather flamboyant lifestyle but there is no doubt they love their children. As Channe matures, we share her ups and downs of growing up as an American in Paris. Leelee Sobieski, then only 14 years old, plays the role of Channe in her teenaged years. She develops a friendship with a boy her age named Francis Fortescue played by Anthony Roth Constanzo, whose colorful personality seem to indicate he will eventually turn out gay. When her father's heart trouble surfaces the family returns to the United States. It's culture shock for Channe and her brother, another interesting chapter in their lives.

Produced by Ismail Merchant and directed by James Ivory, the entire production is outstanding. The settings come alive as we experience Paris in the 1960s and America in the early 1970s. And the camera doesn't miss a chance to zero in on the emotional ties between the people, including a housekeeper who turns down a marriage offer in order to stay with the family. Perhaps the strongest scenes, however, exist between the father and the daughter as they discuss love and life. Every actor does such a good job that I forgot they were acting and became totally absorbed in the video which avoids the trap of being too melodramatic or maudlin. It's just a wonderful absorbing story with interesting characters and lots of family love. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Daddy's Girl
Review: Ever like a movie, but have a hard time pinning down exactly why? That's how I feel about A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries. It isn't a great movie, but I ended up watching it every time it came on cable and I enjoy the hell out of it, but I'm not sure why.

I think it has to do with the charm of Leelee Sobieski, who I had never seen before. She is a lovely young woman, and she does a very good job here. Also, I loved the work of James Jones, the writer (From Here to Eternity; The Thin Red Line etc), and I found this glimpse of his life and family interesting. The adopted French boy, his flamboyant wife, an expatriate's life in Paris of the 60's, their attitudes and dynamics. It isn't BIG drama, but it rang true and I bought into it. And, finally their adjustment to American life after returning from France. The entire cast was fine, and the diverse anecdotes (the treehouse, her gay friend, the adopted boy, the French maid etc.) interesting.

Mostly, I think it was Leelee Sobieski and the interplay between her and Kris Kristofferson. Rarely do the movies show the great love that can exist by daughters for their fathers (To Kill a Mockingbird being the most notable). Well, this movie shows this most touchingly. Obviously, James Jones' daughter loved her father, and although the other relationships in the film are interesting and well done, this is the heart of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Daddy's Girl
Review: Ever like a movie, but have a hard time pinning down exactly why? That's how I feel about A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries. It isn't a great movie, but I ended up watching it every time it came on cable and I enjoy the hell out of it, but I'm not sure why.

I think it has to do with the charm of Leelee Sobieski, who I had never seen before. She is a lovely young woman, and she does a very good job here. Also, I loved the work of James Jones, the writer (From Here to Eternity; The Thin Red Line etc), and I found this glimpse of his life and family interesting. The adopted French boy, his flamboyant wife, an expatriate's life in Paris of the 60's, their attitudes and dynamics. It isn't BIG drama, but it rang true and I bought into it. And, finally their adjustment to American life after returning from France. The entire cast was fine, and the diverse anecdotes (the treehouse, her gay friend, the adopted boy, the French maid etc.) interesting.

Mostly, I think it was Leelee Sobieski and the interplay between her and Kris Kristofferson. Rarely do the movies show the great love that can exist by daughters for their fathers (To Kill a Mockingbird being the most notable). Well, this movie shows this most touchingly. Obviously, James Jones' daughter loved her father, and although the other relationships in the film are interesting and well done, this is the heart of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly thin for Merchant/Ivory
Review: I am sorry. I thought the picture was poor, however at least 3 actors gave stellar performances in spite of the film...Leelee Sobieski was excellent given her age and her acting experience...Hope to see more of her. This film has her acting as the school slut...hard to take given her comments about Joan of Arc virginity. Barbara Hershey, as usual gave an excellent performance as she has done down thru the years. The young actor who portrayed Francis was also quite good. The plot needed to go back to rewrite.....Chris Kristoferson was never and is not now a good actor..too stiff. Great singer..terrible actor.....I would have chosen Jon Voigt, perhaps or even the fellow who played the Colonel in "Sense & Sensibilities". Somebody with inate goodness...very hard for Kristoferson. Leelee is developing quite good...looking forward to seeing more of her. thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I loved this movie so much that I watched it 7 times in a row. Leelee Sobieski is one of the most talented young actresses I have ever seen. I can't wait to see more movies with her in them.

Rating:
Summary: A acting miracle by the young Leelee Sobieski!!!
Review: I saw this film in a small art house and didn't know what to expect. The movie is long, but it's one of those films that you sit through and can't realize the time and don't care. The young Leelee Sobieski character (Chane) was a smartly written role that only she could pull off. The film starts out with american ex-patriots who spend there time in France while writer Kris Kristofferson and family spend time as discontented americans partying and finding culture in there life. The relationship of the entire family is a telling portrait of people looking for something to cling to and realizing that they have each other. They grow; and we grow with them through the looking glass of the dark theather that takes us away and we want to stay!!!