Map of the Human Heart (1992)

Fantastic improbabilities, happenstance and the undying bridge of love are part of this romantic fantasy about an Inuit who crosses years, oceans and the ravages of WWII to find his ... See full summary »

Director:

Vincent Ward

Writers:

Louis Nowra, Vincent Ward (story)

Stars:

Jason Scott Lee, Anne Parillaud, Patrick Bergin

3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Scott Lee	...	Avik
Robert Joamie	...	Young Avik
Anne Parillaud	...	Albertine
Annie Galipeau	...	Young Albertine
Patrick Bergin	...	Walter Russell
Clotilde Courau	...	Rainee
John Cusack	...	The Mapmaker
Jeanne Moreau	...	Sister Banville
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Farmboy
Jerry Snell	...	Boleslaw
Jayko Pitseolak	...	Avik's Grandmother
Matt Holland	...	Flight Navigator
Rebecca Vevee	...	Inuit Cook
Josape Kopalee	...	Inuit Elder
Reepah Arreak	...	Avik's Girlfriend

Storyline

Fantastic improbabilities, happenstance and the undying bridge of love are part of this romantic fantasy about an Inuit who crosses years, oceans and the ravages of WWII to find his childhood love, a Metis girl, but finds that their cultures are the most difficult spaces to gap.

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Plot Keywords:

30 year time span | year 1965 | year 1931 | montreal quebec canada | year 1941 | 

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Taglines:

Born in the magic of youth. Forged by the passions of war. Their love knew no boundaries.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and a scene of sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Australia UK Canada France

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Avik e Albertine

Filming Locations:

Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,806,881

Company Credits

Production Co:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC), Les Films Ariane, Map Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Falling behind schedule and over-budget, Vincent Ward regularly loaded the camera just before the day was scheduled to end so they could continue filming. Law stipulated filming could continue until film ran out but could not be reloaded.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Avik: Holy boy, the cavalry's here.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: What Dreams May Come/A Night at the Roxbury/Snitch/Antz (1998)

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Soundtracks

Song of Angutiatuk
From "Musique et Chants Inuit"

User Reviews

Sweet stuff for romantics and sentimentalists

In "Map of the Human Heart", a down and out middle aged Eskimo man recounts his life story to an Arctic cartographer (Cusack, who has only a few minutes on screen) which constitutes the bulk of the film via flashback. His story begins with his puppy love relationship with a young half-breed girl in a hospital. From there the adorable child couple are torn apart only to have fate bring them together again as adults under the less than idyllic circumstances of WWII. The film meanders from the dramatic to the poignant to the romantic to the horrific and back to square one where it continues the story in present day. Beautifully filmed and well executed though a bit clumsy at times, "Map..." spackles up its many plot holes and provides a thoughtful fantasy camouflage for its lack of resolution in the end while serving up very pretty Kodak moments such as making love on a barrage balloon or dancing in the rafters high above an orchestra. "Map..." is sweet stuff for romantics and sentimentalists who can overlook it continuity and credibility issues in the interest of the human heart. (B)