Did anyone else think the scenes with Carr's grand-daughter were unnecessary? For me they ruined the film and cheapened it, especially that grave-side scene at the end. Very much in the Saving Private Ryan vain. Then again Loach is 100 times the director that Spielberg will ever be. Maybe it's just a matter of taste.
shareThis is not really an infantile framing device like the military cemetery scene SPR which is supposed to be a response to Hanks' character's ridiculously sentimental command to Ryan to 'earn' the sacrifice of his platoon.
Rooting Land and Freedom in David Carr's tiny flat in Liverpool gives the drama of his hitherto unknown heroism and the story of the love of his life incredible poignancy as his unsuspecting grandaughter uncovers it one letter, one episode at a time.
In fact, it's a cornerstone of the film, which is more of an elegy to all the forgotten soldiers of a forgotten war than a historical or political piece.
I love the final scene, as she throws the earth from Blanca's grave into David's, symbolically reuniting the warrior of the past with his heroine and his fallen comrades - a scene that has been attempted over and over again but never carried off so well as here, where it not only reminds us how little is left of the hope that Carr took to Spain but how much of their own courage people were once prepared to invest in it.
It was a good device as it gives us perspective on the courage and conviction of all of those went to Spain to fight the Fascists, it stops us from becoming de-sensitized to the events..."like oh just another war movie". My only complaint about the framing device is that it seemed like old Ken had allowed in a bit of product placement in the form of a bottle of becks beer which she keeps swigging in perfect view of the cameraman.
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