Jeremy Brett makes a memorable performance here as the good soldier who is the ideal good man to everyone around him but who has terrible inner conflicts to battle worse than any war. The two couples meet at a German spa and spend a lot of time together associating with other prominent guests as well in an ideal environment with perfectly idyllic music (very much Schubert) and splendid weather, everything is beautiful, but it is all only appearances. The good soldier's wife has some outbursts, and then suddenly there is a drama present. The story and events are not very dramatic, although there are some surprising deaths and two suicides and a case of permanent insanity, but the appearances keep constantly in perfect style, there is no breach of etiquette, the constant politeness keeps dominating all the relationships and their innocent activities in a perfect paradise of idylls, while the tragedy ends up definitely dominating everyone's lives and future, while we naturally must wonder: whatever will the widow finally make of the whole thing?
Review of The Good Soldier
