The Officers' Ward is an unusual war movie in that it contains almost no action from the battlefield. Instead, it chooses to focus on the true horror of war - the human sacrifice and struggle in the face of life-destroying events.
Set during World War I, the film follows the fortunes (or misfortunes) of dashing young French officer, Adrien (Eric Caravaca), who has barely started his tour of duty before his war cut disastrously short. While on a standard reconnaissance mission he and his platoon are struck by a stray shell miles from the battlefield. His men are killed outright but Adrien clings to his life, severely injured and facially deformed.
Adrien becomes the first patient in the officers' ward in a Paris hospital that specialises in rebuilding the shattered men that are brought in from the front. We, like Adrien, whose continual requests for a mirror are politely shrugged off, are unable to see the extent of his injuries, thanks to subtle and effective camera work. Soon he is joined by others who have experienced a similar fate. Adrien can only look at the band of freaks that are brought into the ward and wonder how he compares. The bravery shown by these men is both touching and inspirational - the steadfast faith of Pierre (Grégori Dérangère), for example, both saves him from despair and prevents fatigue during his self-appointed 'suicide watch'.
These hospitals were set up to both help the patients and keep them from the public eye - the sight of facially disfigured soldiers was considered bad for morale. The film remains respectful of the victims (known as 'gueules cassés' or 'broken faces') and their struggles are presented with sympathy and tact. Not only do they themselves have to come to terms with their injuries but so too do their families and society at large. Adrien, ever the optimist, handles the reactions to his wounds with undying humour and understanding.
If the film stumbles at any point it is in its attempt to create an up beat ending, which rings a little hollow considering its earlier tone. Writer Marc Dugain tells the story through personal experience - his grandfather having been one of these soldiers and still going on to be happily married - so, in this case, perhaps, the optimism is well founded. The exquisite cinematography works in contrast to the visually unnerving characters on screen. Within the microcosm of a hospital, The Officers' Ward captures both the personal sacrifices incurred during war and the hypocrisy of the system that causes it, shown beautifully when a pompous politician (Guy Tréjan) greets a group of broken and dejected men by asking them if they're "ready to get back to the front." Allowing them to claw back some semblance of their former lives would be a more fitting tribute.
Reviewed by Paul Clarke
Reader comments about The Officers' Ward
Adam (Email address withheld) writes:
I have just watched the film and found it very moving.
It made me think about all aspects of facial disfigurement.
It was very good.
Liz Owen (lizowen99@yahoo.com) writes:
Perhaps the most moving part of the film was in the tenderness the head nurse showed to her ward and especially to Adrien. Eric Caravaca's performance would make any woman want to comfort him for ever and it showed the first world war from a French point of view, their losses were as great as the Brits and the Germans. The pompous and trite politician who visits the ward shows an attitude and incomprehension that one would hope no longer exists socially, but sadly does, in the way our leaders think less of the outcome of their illegal wars than the immediate result and it is rarely immediate.
Derek (Email address withheld) writes:
This was a great film to watch and, as an A-Level English student, found it very useful as a source for war literature. Very well done.
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