One of the many beauties of this film is the exquisite simplicity. Filming, acting, directing, costuming - all have been distilled to their essence so that the viewer is never distracted from the superb story. I watch this film several times a year (and have given it as gifts to friends) and no longer bother to read the sub-titles, so clear has the story become to me. We lost a great deal when we stopped sitting around fires telling stories to one another; this film can give some of that back to us.