She went to kiss him moments after they met and they started shagging on the first date-- here the writer could have used that "infamous British restraint" to make the love seem like it was based in something more than sex. The dialogue was laughable-- "the war was the biggest pimp of all," "she was a tart to your religion," etc. The characters' interactions with one another with entirely cold and unbelievable. I understood the film logically, but it made no sense emotionally-- that is to say, the themes and ideas made sense, and it would make sense to talk about how this was a movie about promises, duty, loving something/someone you can't see, neverending love, God's love, etc, etc, but it was hard to empathize with the characters due to the stilted way they spoke and acted towards one another.
And come on, it was so obvious that it was all going to end with the woman dying from the first time they met again, when she started coughing. It wasn't tragic or "downbeat"-- it was escapism, a truly happy ending. She never had to take responsibility and live with the choices she had made. She got to keep both men until she died, never had to follow through on choosing between love and duty, and got to live happily ever after with God. I didn't even think of this movie in a cultural context until reading this thread, but now it makes sense. It's a British film.
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