Autumn Hearts: A New Beginning | 
| Director: Paolo Barzman
Actors: Susan Sarandon, Christopher Plummer, Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dupuis, Max Von Sydow
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Category: DVD
List Price: $27.98
Buy Used: $0.99
You Save: $26.99 (96%)
New (37) Used (34) Collectible (1) from $0.99
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 30905
Format: Color, Dolby, Dvd, Ntsc, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled)
Genre: none
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
ESRB: Teen
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 4994
UPC: 014381499421
EAN: 0014381499421
ASIN: B0017VG604
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: July 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Susan Sarandon Max von Sydow Gabriel Byrne and Christopher Plummer give powerful performances in this lyrical moving drama about the consequences of war. The past has cast a long shadow over the present reaching to the picturesque farm where the now-married Melanie (Sarandon) lives unhappily with her husband (Plummer). When Melanie invites fellow Holocaust survivor Jakob (von Sydow) to her home he unexpectedly brings Christopher (Byrne) whose love for Melanie has never diminished since their confinement in an internment camp. Old feelings and long-suppressed memories are stirred up and revealed at a climactic life-changing feast.System Requirements:Running Time: 99 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/LOVE & ROMANCE UPC: 014381499421 Manufacturer No: CEL4994DVD
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 It made me sleepy. December 28, 2008
AL.W PITTMAN (anderson, in United States)
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
How can such a terrible time in history be portraid in such a boring way, a farm full of nut cases, even the kid was unbalanced, I wanted to slap Susan silly!, get a grip!, start living for now!, a great cast, except for Susan, wasted! I bet the book is a crashing bore also, I hope to see no more "nutty" movies like this.
"I would have told them not to remember, but to LIVE" December 17, 2008
z hayes (plano,texas)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
"Autumn Hearts: A New Beginning" is a poignant movie that deals with three survivors of an internment camp during WW II. Though the pace of the movie is slow, it flows well and the story of three 'damaged ' individuals is poignantly told. The fine acting by a stellar cast makes this a riveting watch.
Susan Sarandon plays Melanie, a 50-something year-old woman who lives in Quebec with her retired college professor husband, David [Christopher Plummer], son Benjamin and young grandson Timmy. Melanie is an emotionally-disturbed woman, a legacy from her traumatic childhood experiences during WW II. As a child, Melanie was sent to the transit camp Drancy in France, and never saw her parents again. She meets a young Irish boy, Christopher [Gabriel Byrne] and both youngsters are taken under the protective wings of an older young man, Jakob [Max Von Sydow]. The three form a life-long bond even after the end of the war.
Fast forward 35 years later - Melanie has invited Jakob to spend some time with her, and to her surprise, Christopher tags along too. Painful memories are stirred up - and things are made more awkward and difficult given that Melanie's husband David is resentful of the two visitors and jealous of Melanie's closeness to Christopher. The rest of the story deals with how the three survivors make peace with their past, especially Melanie and answers whether closure is something they can achieve.
The acting in this movie was top-notch. Susan Sarandon credibly portrays a survivor who is wracked by guilt [common amongst many survivors of the Holocaust] and who is extremely determined not to forget. Her pain is so palpable and yet frustrating because we can see how her pain and determination to live in the past has taken a toll on her family life. Max Von Sydow is amazing in his portrayal of a selfless man who sacrificed his very happiness and life for the sake of his young charges - being shipped off to Auschwitz, and then enduring decades in Stalin's Gulag before finally resuming some semblance of a normal life. His most striking dialogue in the film is the phrase "If you ask me if I believe in God, I ask you does He believe in me?" is profound indeed.
Gabriel Byrne's Christopher is no less compelling. He plays a man who still holds a torch for his first and perhaps only love, Melanie and how he too has been traumatised by their camp experiences, though he chooses to dwell on the positive [meeting Melanie] rather than the bad. Christopher Plummer is also credible as the disillusioned husband who struggles to come to terms with his wife's emotional instability, choosing to distance himself rather than extend comfort.
All in all, I loved this movie - it deals with the difficult themes of 'survivor guilt' and the emotional toll on the survivor's family. Yet, the movie explores these themes without actually showing any gruesome footage of the actual wartime experiences. Instead the principal actors are able to convey this pain and emotional baggage through their facial expressions and dialogue delivery.
The cinematography is breathtaking, and provides a vivid contrast to the deep pain and emotional scars within the three actors. The score is haunting and truly captures the emotions evoked by the movie. I highly recommend this to all those seeking a well-acted human drama.
 Historical fiction in a powerful story. December 6, 2008
Harold Wolf (Wells, IN United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
If you enjoy history from the personal point of view, try this DVD. If you have to have blood, sex, and violent action to hold your interest then this is not the movie for you.
"Autumn Hearts-A New Beginning" is about 3 Holocaust survivors meeting after years separated by countries and time. Melanie (awesome Susan Sarandon) and Christopher (Gabriel Byrne) are both children in a camp which also held older Jakob (Max von Sydow). All have had to deal with their experience alone and in different ways. All have lost something because of their confinement.
Reuniting on the beautiful scenic farm of Melanie and her husband, the 3 eventually are able to come to grips with some of the hurt they yet deal with. Healing begins in other areas, also with Melanie's family members, & even secret areas of their inner most feelings.
The strength of this movie is through the characters that have been portrayed by a superior cast. This is a story that steps well beyond simple film entertainment.
The cast is everything! December 5, 2008
Jan R. Schulman
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a fascinating story, as are stories about long lost loves and lives and coming to grips with what has been left unfulfilled. But it is even more than that, and this cast brings all of their exceptional skill and beauty to portraying the complex issues at hand. It's not necessary for me to rehash the story here since it has been done quite well by other reviewers, but the only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it does actually drag in a few spots. Not that this is an action film, except for being emotionally active, but the energy flags now and again. Still, I would highly recommend this film for people who like the subject matter and who appreciate the outstanding acting skills of Susan Sarandon (my favorite), Gabriel Byrne (another favorite), Christopher Plummer and Max Von Sydow (excellent job here). Enjoy the movie. I have not read the book, but plan to.
 Slow movie. Don't expect too much excitement. October 5, 2008
E. Chan (oakland, ca)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Gives an interesting viewpoint of victims of the holocaust. However, the movie is not all too exciting. I think I would prefer to read the book on a lazy afternoon.
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