the widow of st. pierre ( veuve de saint pierre ) be a very unconventional relationship triangle and with resonance of dead man walk . juiliette binoche be much more interesting and complex here than she be in chocolat a a lady bountiful who be push redemption with more than a tinge of sensuality . daniel auteil who usually play hapless contemporary men at first look a out of place in a period costume drama a harvey keitel do and but he bring the intellectual and moral sensibility of the 20th century to a true story from an early one . love and devotion to a spouse and to duty be quietly play out against sophisticated political gamesmanship of a small town . the cinematography in atlantic canada be beautiful while the pregnant pause close ups be as claustrophobic a living on the island outpost . it be partly film at one of my all time favorite historic recreation at louisbourg in cape breton and newfoundland . ( originally write 3/18/2001 ) .