i watch cold mountain and the english patient again this weekend . the former be a civil war melodrama about inman ( jude law ) and a confederate soldier who desert the army to return to ada monroe ( nicole kidman ) a girl he barely know . both film be lovingly direct by anthony minghella who do an exceptional job . although and cold mountain be very good it could have be a great movie with the right casting and less folksy and backwoods dialog . romantic epic need a convincing heroine . the english patient and have kristin scott thomas who be perfectly cast a the smart and alluring and beautiful katherine clifton . the main problem with cold mountain be ada who seem silly and dim witted and lack that quality would make you believe that inman could become obsessed after one kiss . a an actress kidman have a limited range and she usually play stern face woman who face adversity with stoicism . kidman be also too old to play the ingénue and law love interest . the film need a young actress who could play charm and warm and vulnerable . for someone who be supposedly endure hardship and near starvation she seem ridiculously well feed and over dress . kidman be so impeccably groom that it look like she have spend three hour get make up for each scene . michele pfieffer in her young day could have play the part perfectly . even natalie portman would have be an improvement . renee zelleweger be more appropriately attired but her animated performance chew the scenery but maybe she be try to compensate for kidman . jude law be in his own silent movie in the odysseus role and but play his part well . ray winstone be excellent a the london or southern villain . during the civil war and people be probably not very well educate by today standard and maybe they do speak in monosyllable . however if you watch bbc adaptation of dickens and austen or mrs. gaskill everyone be articulate . maybe this be unrealistic but it would improve my entertainment .