Officer's Ward cover art

Officer's Ward Details

2001 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 745 members

THE OFFICER'S WARD, a masterful adaptation by director Francois Dupeyron of the novel by Marc Dugain, is set in Paris during World War I. Adrien (Eric Caravaca) is a youthful engineer with his whole life ahead of him who waits anxiously for the war to begin. He watches soldiers leaving on trains for the front line, and is .. Read more

Starring Denis Podalydes, Eric Caravaca, Sabine Azema, Isabelle Renauld
Director Francois Dupeyron
Genres Drama, World Cinema

Sign up Officer's Ward DVD

Buy From: £5.93

loading loading...

Officer's Ward cover art

Officer's Ward

THE OFFICER'S WARD, a masterful adaptation by director Francois Dupeyron of the novel by Marc Dugain, is set in Paris during World War I. Adrien (Eric Caravaca) is a youthful engineer with his whole life ahead of him who waits anxiously for the war to begin. He watches soldiers leaving on trains for the front line, and is smitten with a young woman, Clemence (Geraldine Pailhas), with whom he passes one tender, desperate night. Soon after, while on patrol, a bomb lands just next to him, knocking him unconscious. When he awakes, he realizes that he cannot speak, though he can move his arms and legs. The only injury he has suffered is to his mouth and one side of his face. For an entire 35 minutes after this tragic event, Adrien's face is not shown. He is placed in a specialized ward for officers with facial disfigurements, and every nurse and doctor that looks at him cringes in astonishment. It is not until Adrien dares to confront himself by looking at his reflection in the glass of the window that the viewer sees the horrific condition of his face. The other men in the ward support and encourage each other, helping each other to endure what was once unimaginable. A sweet and nurturing nurse, Anais (Sabine Azema), offers Adrien motherly compassion, but he worries that no woman will ever look at him again the way that Clemence once did. Through masterful filming, moving performances by each and every cast member, and a beautiful, artistic script, THE OFFICER'S WARD makes a monumental statement both about the horrors of war and the resiliency of the human spirit.
This film was included in the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2002 festival organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City.

Starring Denis Podalydes, Eric Caravaca, Sabine Azema, Isabelle Renauld, Guy Trejan, Andre Dussollier, Geraldine Pailhas, Gregori Derangere, Catherine Arditi, Xavier De Guillebon, Circe Lethem, Paul le Person
Director Francois Dupeyron
Studio OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 14 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Genres Drama, World Cinema
Language French
Subtitles English
Released DVD: 26 Aug 2002
Production year: 2001
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (4) of Officer's Ward

    View all
  • 4 stars out of 5

    Adapted from the novel by Marc Dugain, this is a sensitive yet unflinching examination of human indomitability. At the outset of the First World War, Eric Caravaca is hideously disfigured by a bomb blast to the face and spends the rest of the war in a Parisian hospital where he undergoes painful and primitive reconstructive surgery. The extent of Caravaca's disfigurement is not revealed for nearly an hour, so the reaction he elicits on the faces of the hospital staff is our only source for the severity of his plight. By refusing to capitalise on the visual horror of the officers' injuries, director François Dupeyron lends dignity to both their determination and despair, and thus ensures more than knee-jerk pity from the audience. Moreover, it enables those caring for the soldiers — including the ever-cheerful surgeon André Dussolier and maternal nurse Sabine Azéma — to share in their quiet courage. Though unnecessarily trite in its optimistic resolution, this is both an affecting condemnation of warfare and a powerful tribute to the human spirit.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 08 Oct 2007

  • "...An admirably sensitive and quietly moving drama....[The] score heightens the poignancy of the impressive ensemble performances. Captivating..."

    • Total Film
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Most helpful member's review of Officer's Ward

    View all
  • 12 out of 12 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Stunning...

    Soldiers have to come to terms with horrific facial injuries in a hospital ward during World War I. Beautifully shot and scripted with incredibly moving performances from all concerned. Not for the faint hearted or those needing cheering up, but an extremely satisfying experience for those who give this film a try.

      • Andrew from Scotland
      • Posted 01 Jul 2004 10:09

  • Most recent members' review of Officer's Ward

    View all

  • Rated - 5 stars

    Officer's Ward (2001)

    Dificult to fault. I thought this film was dilivered brilliantly. Not to be watched if you are feeling down, it's not meant to uplift your spirits.

      • A customer from London
      • Posted 22 May 2005 08:08

  • Image gallery

    View all
    Showing 1 to 4 of 5

    loading

  • More like this

    View all
    Showing 1 to 4 of 20

    loading

Find cinemas


Rating breakdown

745 Member ratings
  • 100
92
  • 90
86
  • 80
155
  • 70
128
  • 60
103
  • 50
65
  • 40
42
  • 30
31
  • 20
27
  • 10
16

Related user collection

The War Film (10)

Average rating: 5.00   100% from 1 member

Showing 1 to 3 of 10

View all

loading

by: A customer from London

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop

    • Officer's Ward

    • Officer's Ward
    • DVD: £5.93
      Free Delivery
    • RRP £19.79 (you save: 70%)
      • THE OFFICER'S WARD, a masterful adaptation by director Francois Dupeyron of the novel by Marc Dugain, is set in Paris during World War I. Adrien (Eric Caravaca) is a youthful engineer with his whole ...