
Watch All The Winters That Have Been
- TV-PG
- 1997
- 1 hr 36 min
-
5.1 (149)
All The Winters That Have Been is a romantic drama film released in 1997, directed by Lamont Johnson, and starring Richard Chamberlain, Karen Allen, and Ben Cardinal. It is a heartwarming story about the power of love, loss and memory. The film was adapted from a novel by Evan Maxwell. The story revolves around the character of Dane Corvin (played by Richard Chamberlain), an artist living in San Francisco, who often experiences vivid dreams of a man and a woman who appear to be deeply in love. He feels a strange connection to them, and the dreams are so intense that he becomes obsessed with finding out who these people are and what their story is. He enlists the help of his friend, Abbie (played by Karen Allen), to help him search through old photographs and archives to try and unravel the mystery. The mystery soon unravels as Dane meets a Native American named Nakai (played by Ben Cardinal) who tells him the story of his grandfather and the woman he fell in love with during the 1920s. The woman, called Kaya (played by Tantoo Cardinal), was a teacher at a reservation school, and the two of them developed a deep love for one another despite the disapproval of others around them. Unfortunately, their love was short-lived, and Kaya was diagnosed with tuberculosis and passed away. As Dane pieces together the love story of Kaya and Nakai's grandfather, he becomes increasingly haunted by memories of his own lost love, which he had shared with a woman named Rebecca (played by Mary McDonnell) who had passed away a few years earlier. He begins to realize that there are striking similarities between his own love story and that of Kaya and Nakai's grandfather, which forces him to confront his own feelings of loss and grief. Despite the film's relatively slow pace, it is a poignant and emotionally resonant story that explores the nature of memory, loss, and the power of love. The film's characters are well-developed and the acting is solid across the board, with particularly strong performances from Chamberlain and Allen. There are some minor flaws in the film, particularly in its pacing and some of its plot points which may feel a bit contrived at times. Nonetheless, the film's themes of love and loss are universal, making it a deeply moving and relatable work that will stay with viewers long after the credits have rolled. The cinematography is also worth mentioning, particularly in capturing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the stark contrast between the stark urban landscapes of San Francisco and the rural landscape of the reservation. Additionally, the score by Lee Holdridge is understated and beautifully evocative, complementing the film's emotional tone perfectly. In conclusion, All The Winters That Have Been is a moving and thought-provoking film that explores the complexities of love, loss and memory in a subtle yet powerful way. It may not be a film for everyone, but it is certainly worth watching for those who appreciate a well-crafted, emotionally resonant story.