The image of Clint Eastwood, firmly ingrained in the minds of the movie-going public is that of a man of few words and lots of actions to back up what little words he does employ. So to see this multi-talented and complex man directing himself and starring in an old fashioned romantic story is a pleasant surprise. Made even more pleasant in how well it was done.
The children of Meryl Streep are gathered for her funeral and are astonished at a request left by her not to be buried next to her husband and their father. Instead she wants to be cremated and her ashes thrown off a wooden bridge in the area and in the creek it runs over. Later on her grown children Annie Corley and Victor Slezak find a letter among their mother's effects and it's a lengthy one and she explains her reasons for this.
One day back in the early sixties when the kids and husband Jim Haynie left for the state fair, National Geographic Photographer Clint Eastwood stops by and asks Streep for directions. He's in the area to photograph the picturesque Bridges Of Madison County. Meryl is attracted by the stranger and it takes awhile, but before long she realizes she's found the true love of her life.
The issue of Meryl being Italian is there, but not overstated in the screenplay. She like thousands of others was a war bride brought over from Europe by GIs. There was a no fraternization policy that was enforced somewhat, but true love or true hormones obey no government edicts. A lot of these marriages worked. In fact Meryl's to Jim Haynie worked because no one found out about her indiscretion to Eastwood until after both of them died. She says herself that the transition from Italy to Iowa was a traumatic one, but she wanted to make it because she'd be going to America and a better life.
Meryl Streep received one of her sixteen Academy Award nominations for this role, the only recognition the Academy gave to The Bridges Of Madison County. Sad too because Clint Eastwood who is a man always challenging himself showed that their could be a tender a romantic side to Dirty Harry Callahan. In fact while watching The Bridges Of Madison County I guarantee you won't once think of any of Clint's action heroes.
Director Eastwood also exquisitely photographed the Iowa countryside on location in Winterset Iowa which already had its place in Hollywood lore as the birthplace of John Wayne. The Bridges Of Madison County is one of those tender romantic stories showing the fires of romance can still burn in people other than the young. But the film is for romantics of all ages.
The children of Meryl Streep are gathered for her funeral and are astonished at a request left by her not to be buried next to her husband and their father. Instead she wants to be cremated and her ashes thrown off a wooden bridge in the area and in the creek it runs over. Later on her grown children Annie Corley and Victor Slezak find a letter among their mother's effects and it's a lengthy one and she explains her reasons for this.
One day back in the early sixties when the kids and husband Jim Haynie left for the state fair, National Geographic Photographer Clint Eastwood stops by and asks Streep for directions. He's in the area to photograph the picturesque Bridges Of Madison County. Meryl is attracted by the stranger and it takes awhile, but before long she realizes she's found the true love of her life.
The issue of Meryl being Italian is there, but not overstated in the screenplay. She like thousands of others was a war bride brought over from Europe by GIs. There was a no fraternization policy that was enforced somewhat, but true love or true hormones obey no government edicts. A lot of these marriages worked. In fact Meryl's to Jim Haynie worked because no one found out about her indiscretion to Eastwood until after both of them died. She says herself that the transition from Italy to Iowa was a traumatic one, but she wanted to make it because she'd be going to America and a better life.
Meryl Streep received one of her sixteen Academy Award nominations for this role, the only recognition the Academy gave to The Bridges Of Madison County. Sad too because Clint Eastwood who is a man always challenging himself showed that their could be a tender a romantic side to Dirty Harry Callahan. In fact while watching The Bridges Of Madison County I guarantee you won't once think of any of Clint's action heroes.
Director Eastwood also exquisitely photographed the Iowa countryside on location in Winterset Iowa which already had its place in Hollywood lore as the birthplace of John Wayne. The Bridges Of Madison County is one of those tender romantic stories showing the fires of romance can still burn in people other than the young. But the film is for romantics of all ages.