Delectations: Late Discoveries

DELECTATIONS Late Discoveries Visnji¢ as Risto, the Brits’ chauffeur sucked into combat. Plenty of humor, too, at the Miss Besieged Sarajevo beau- ty contest, or in the constant repartee with which the journalists battle their fatigue. Winterbottom has a keen sense of how to use light. Many shots are in partial or near-total darkness suddenly irrupted into by blinding sunshine that, however, brings anything but comfort. A good person says that killing his first enemy feels therapeutic; someone ob- serves: “I used to think life and the siege were different things. Now I real- ize there is no life in Sarajevo apart from the siege.” A cellist proposes a concert, but hell wait until his city is declared the number-one trouble spot.

We see also historical figures making TV speeches: Bush, John Major, Karad- zi¢, Boutros-Ghali. Some speak horrible lies; some, horrible truths. Often the camera (superbly handled by Daf Hob- son) is in extreme closeup but, endan- gered, pans away at such speed that we don’t know what we are seeing. The gift of three eggs to five hungry people turns an omelet into a solemn ritual. For it, a stove is lit with a page torn from a pre- cious illustrated book. Explanation: “If you must burn books, you should at least enjoy it.” The truest horror is in the understatement. Henderson tells Emira’s delinquent but belatedly repen- tant mother hell take the child to England. “Just for a short time,” says the anxious woman. “Yes,” he answers,

About the Author

Linda Bridges

Ms. Bridges is the former editor-at-large of National Review.

DELECTATIONS Late Discoveries Visnji¢ as Risto, the Brits’ chauffeur sucked into combat. Plenty of humor, too, at the Miss Besieged Sarajevo beau- ty contest, or in the constant repartee with which the journalists battle their fatigue. Winterbottom has a keen sense of how to use light. Many shots are in partial or near-total darkness suddenly irrupted into by blinding sunshine that, however, brings anything but comfort. A good person says that killing his first enemy feels therapeutic; someone ob- serves: “I used to think life and the siege were different things. Now I real- ize there is no life in Sarajevo apart from the siege.” A cellist proposes a concert, but hell wait until his city is declared the number-one trouble spot.

We see also historical figures making TV speeches: Bush, John Major, Karad- zi¢, Boutros-Ghali. Some speak horrible lies; some, horrible truths. Often the camera (superbly handled by Daf Hob- son) is in extreme closeup but, endan- gered, pans away at such speed that we don’t know what we are seeing. The gift of three eggs to five hungry people turns an omelet into a solemn ritual. For it, a stove is lit with a page torn from a pre- cious illustrated book. Explanation: “If you must burn books, you should at least enjoy it.” The truest horror is in the understatement. Henderson tells Emira’s delinquent but belatedly repen- tant mother hell take the child to England. “Just for a short time,” says the anxious woman. “Yes,” he answers,