Review of Antonia's Line (1995) by Jim H — 28 Jul 2011

A woman recalls her entire adult life on her deathbed.

This film is way too expository, relying almost solely on narration to tell the story. It's not really a film because it uses almost none of the elements inherent to film; rather, it's a short novel with pictures and actors.

A perfect example of the film's flaws is the impact of the second rape scene. Out of the blue, we hear that a character has been raped, and then we see Antonia's response to it, taking a gun and kicking the rapist out of town. But this sequence, ripe with emotional resonance, has almost no impact on the audience because there wasn't an adequate set-up, so that we can feel suspense and fear for the victim, and there wasn't any visual, graphic or implied, that allowed us to see the result of the crime. The sequence becomes mere Cliff's Notes, and the same problem pervades the entire film.

And the titular character is almost a minor role. I'm surprised that the film didn't center around her and the other interesting character, "Crooked Finger," more.

Overall, Antonia's Line is like the connective tissue of a Victorian novel, over-narrated, maudlin, and unspecific.