All For Love - DVD review by Maggie Woods

“If you’re looking for a film to bring out
the romantic in you — and you enjoy a
good, period adventure film — All For
Love, which comes to DVD courtesy of
Acorn Media, will tick all the right boxes.
With a dashing Frenchman thrown in for
good measure!”

BASED ON A ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON NOVEL, All For Love is a sumptuous costume drama set against the backdrop of the turbulent Napoleonic Wars. With a superb all-star cast led by smouldering French actor Jean-Marc Barr (Dogville, The Big Blue), it is a compelling tale of action, romance, treachery and tragedy.

For fifteen years Napoleon Bonaparte has put Europe to the sword. But now the combined force of Austria, Russia, Prussia and England has driven the French Army back to the very gates of the capital.

Paris, 1813. Dashing French army Captain Jacques de Keroual de Saint Ives (Barr) of Napoleon's Hussars is 34 years old and has been fighting for his country since he was 13 — when he escaped the guillotine that wiped out most of his family during the French Revolution.

With a strong sense of honour, the captain accepts many a demand for satisfaction resulting in a number of successful duels. Amusing one-liners are scattered liberally throughout the smooth dialogue: "You realise that if you are killed, I shall never speak to you again," says his close friend François (Tim Dutton).

All For Love

Having literally fallen into the hands of the enemy, Jacques is imprisoned by the English and it is while he is incarcerated that he meets the lovely Flora Gilchrist
(Anna Friel: The War Bride, Me Without You) and her resourceful, worldly-wise Aunt Susan (Miranda Richardson: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, Blackadder).

But Jacques is not the only suitor for Flora's hand. Major Farquar Bolingbroke Chevening (Richard E Grant: Withnail And I, Bright Young Things) also has a gleam in his eye — but can he be swayed from Flora's charms?

Who is the elderly Count (Michael Gough) whose wastrel, womaniser son Alain (Jason Isaacs) brings dishonour to his name? Who betrayed the Saint Ives family? And will Flora get her man? This lavish romantic drama supplies all the answers, along with the intrigue and excitement that make All For Love a very entertaining romp.

Written by Allan Cubitt and Directed by Harry Hook, All For Love also features Cecile Pallas as Mathilde and has a beautiful score performed by The London Pops Orchestra. The Director of Photography was Robert Alazraki.

• All For Love makes its DVD debut courtesy of Acorn Media on 14 April (2008). Catalogue No: AV9649 | Running Time: 91 minutes approximately| RRP: £16.99.

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