Most films using WWII as the focus or backdrop of their story usually emphasize the male characters and their wartime exploits. Since women didn't serve in combat at that time, the omission of many strong female types in such films is somewhat understandable, but many women did serve other important functions during the war.
While baby boomers might be familiar with the WAAC's, nurses and other women who worked in the factories ("Rosie the Riveter"), few are probably aware of the Women's Land Army. With most of the male farmhands at war, the British ladies pitched in to keep the nation's agricultural interests operational. Using that as a backdrop for a period drama has potential, but "The Land Girls" is only moderately successful at pulling off a compelling story.
Like last year's "Paradise Road" that focused on women during the war (in a Japanese P.O.W. camp), this film is also surprisingly unable to elicit as much emotion or empathy from the audience as it could have. Now, that may be because this film is geared more toward women then men and I fall on the other side of that gender fence, but this film did nothing for me when I imagined and thought it should.
Likewise, while I didn't expect much wartime action in a film like this, it does feel quite detached from the conflict that's layered in the background. Sure, the period costumes are correct, there's a wartime dance with the soldiers on leave, and one of the women worries about her fiancé who's off at the front.
Yet, when the three women sneak off at night to observe a distant bombing, I didn't feel their horror or fright at the proceedings. It was almost as if that were occurring in another film, and the same holds true for a later scene when a German fighter plane crashes on the farm. The scene itself is okay, it just doesn't gel with the rest of what the movie is trying to accomplish.
That said, this certainly isn't a horrible film by any means and it does feature some decent scenes and moments. It also gets much better about half way through the proceedings when the screenplay by Keith Dewhurst and director David Leland ("Wish You Were Here") begins to focus more on just one of the three women.
Until then, the biggest problem is that despite the superficial differences between the young women (their different accents and societal backgrounds), we never really get to know or understand these ladies. Other than their differing, but radiant appearances and their "on the nose" characteristics, one is hard pressed to fully describe them beyond a one-line description.
A bigger problem arises from the obvious truncation of Angela Huth's source novel from which this film's been based. Especially apparent later in the picture (just when the movie's starting to settle down and focus on one character), scenes pop up out of nowhere and end just as abruptly. When this happens with a woman abruptly getting married to a soldier headed back to the front, one quickly knows his days are as numbered.
Just like any young G.I. who shows his buddies a picture of his new bride, girlfriend, or pet dog while spending some "down time" in the foxhole in any war movie, it's not long before we hear the bad news. Back to the point, many of those moments come off as if there's more to them than what we're experiencing, but the movie hasn't the time for that and must move on to other melodramatic and mildly manipulative scenes.
The performances, for what they are, come off as decent but certainly not outstanding. Easily the best is from Catherine McCormack ("Dangerous Beauty," "Braveheart") who succeeds in creating a strong and yet sympathetic character despite the limited way in which her character's been fleshed out.
The other actresses, Rachel Weiz ("Swept From the Sea," "Going All The Way") and Anna Friel, are okay in their roles, but they aren't developed enough beyond their stereotypical underpinnings to really get to know or care about them. Stephen Mackintosh delivers a decent take as the grounded wannabe RAF pilot who woos all three women, but the most amazing thing is that he's the same actor who so effectively played the transsexual in "Different For Girls."
The film's technical credits are good and Henry Braham's cinematography ably captures the beautiful English countryside, despite the near constant drizzly and muddy conditions and the chronic lack of sunshine. Brian Lock's score occasionally hits too many manipulative piano chords, but for the most part is adequately constructed.
While some may find the proceedings satisfying and maybe even emotionally moving, the film is too emotionally detached and flat for my liking. Easy enough to watch, but most likely destined for a quick trip to the video shelves just like its wartime sibling, "Paradise Road," the picture has its moments, but collectively isn't that great. We give "The Land Girls" a 4 out of 10.