I have to praise the acting and visceral impact of this film, but the theme of the lead female character being "plain" was a case of miscasting. Have you seen photos of Ms. Swank on the beach, etc? She has a bit of a strong jaw but is hardly dull to look at.
I suppose her lack of makeup was part of it, but the men who refused her were not in some league above! The interactions seemed staged in that regard. Another actress with no shape and a truly harsh face would have made it more plausible.
There's also a thread of extreme callousness throughout, but it comes off as realistic for those harsh times, given what we know of human nature.
P.S. I wonder if the film crew had to edit out wind turbines or oil rigs from vista shots? Wide open spaces uncluttered by machines are increasingly rare.
I suppose her lack of makeup was part of it, but the men who refused her were not in some league above! The interactions seemed staged in that regard. Another actress with no shape and a truly harsh face would have made it more plausible.
There's also a thread of extreme callousness throughout, but it comes off as realistic for those harsh times, given what we know of human nature.
P.S. I wonder if the film crew had to edit out wind turbines or oil rigs from vista shots? Wide open spaces uncluttered by machines are increasingly rare.