194. Courage Of One; movie review

 

 

COURAGE OF ONE

Cert 15

85 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong violence

It seems rather strange that I had no idea of Portugal's involvement on the Allied side in World War One.

But one of the great joys of cinema is knowledge expansion and, thanks to Jorge Paixão da Costa's Courage Of One, I am now up to speed with the campaign and one particular act of heroism.

I have learned that Aníbal Milhais was one of 75,000 Portuguese soldiers sent to the Western Front at Flanders and his actions saved hundreds if not thousands of his comrades.

His story is told through the eyes of an older Milhais (Miguel Borges) as war ravages Europe for the second time.

He is out hunting for a wolf near his home village with his daughter shortly before an annual presentation to celebrate his actions as a young man.

He flashes back to the Batte of The Lys in which many of his countrymen were killed.

Joao Arrais plays the younger Milhais who witnessed the physical and mental effect of the frontline on the soldiers and the futility of war.

Essentially, the Portuguese platoon seems to have little notion of why they are there at all and are ill-equipped in both temperament and equipment.

Somehow, however, Milhais manages to stand above all of them - although he is modest about his incredible act of bravery.

Courage of One piqued my interest but the problem is that it is impossible to watch a war film without comparing it to recent classics such as 1917.

Obviously, the budgets are incomparable but, frankly so are their effects on the audience.

Paixão da Costa's movie just didn't have the punch to hammer home the horrors of the trenches and even its limited power was diluted by the narrative jolting between 1916 and 1943.

I just didn't think the connection between wolf-hunting and the frontline was necessary.

But at least I know about Portugal's involvement in the Great War and its most inspirational moment so I am enlightened.

Reasons to watch: An untold story of First World War heroism

Reasons to avoid: Doesn't have the drama of similar movies

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Approximately 12,000 Portuguese troops died during the course of World War I, including Africans who served in its armed forces on the colonial front. Civilian deaths in Portugal exceeded 220,000: 82,000 caused by food shortages and 138,000 by the Spanish flu.

The final word. Eduardo Milhões Pinheiro (grandson of Aníbal Milhais): "From my grandfather's story I keep and try to transmit to my children two essential values: first that we must never abandon and turn our backs on adversity and, second, that sometimes the easiest solutions are not those that must be taken." 

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