This love story takes place in 1945 as a your soldier, Paul Sutton, (Keanu Reeves) gets home from the World War II only to realize that he made a big mistake marrying the girl he met the day before he shipped out (Debra Messing). The next day he sets out on a train ride to sell his chocolates (a less than satisfying job) and ponder his future. On the train he meets Victoria Aragon (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon), a sweet young woman and daughter of a successful vineyard owner. The two tangle with each other (literally) on the train, then by chance he sees her again on a bus, where he saves her from two men who are persistently pawing at her. They wind up meeting a third time on a dirt road in what appears to be Napa, CA after Paul gets kicked off the bus along with the two men he was protecting Victoria from. Victoria feels guilty for all that he has been through in the last several hours because of her and she too gets off the bus and waits for him on the road.
As their walk progresses they learn more about each other and Victoria discloses her dilemma. She is pregnant by a man who has left her and she is going home to live with her unsuspecting family, including her incredibly overbearing father, Alberto (Giancarlo Giannini), who she is afraid will kill her. Paul feels sorry for Victoria and offers to pose as her husband for one day, and then he will pretend to leave her, protecting Victoria from chastisement and her family from disgrace.
The couple arrives at the Aragon vineyard and is met by gunfire from her father who thought they were trespassers. Victoria is welcomed by her family and introduces her new "husband". Alberto, a very strong willed Mexican father and a very antagonistic character, is strongly apposed to the entire situation. As the protagonist grandfather, Pedro (Anthony Quinn) welcomes the young man to the family; Alberto subjects him to a battery of questions over dinner. When he finds out that Paul is an orphan with no lineage Alberto is upset. When he finds out that Paul sells chocolates for a living Alberto belittles his existence. When Pedro asks Paul for a sample of chocolates, Alberto is outraged. Paul refuses to take the abuse and leaves the dinner, followed closely of course, by Victoria.
A honeymoon suite of sorts is prepared for the newlyweds. As Alberto reluctantly enters the room to wish the couple a good night, he discovers that Paul was preparing to sleep on the floor. Very early the next morning Paul attempts to sneak out, leaving his new bride, ending their charade as planned, only to be greeted by Pedro. Pedro like Paul and has decided to take him under his wing. He teaches Paul about grapes and about the family. Pedro shows Paul the most important vine, the vine from which the roots for all of the vines in the Aragon vineyard were started, the "root of the Aragon life". During their conversation, Pedro tells Paul that he is no longer an orphan, accepting him into the family. Paul decides to stay for one more day.
By this time it is apparent that Paul and Victoria are beginning to fall in love, and as much as he would like to be with her, he reminds her that he is not free. They are both heartbroken and Victoria angrily sends Paul away and tells him she will deal with her situation and her father. He makes it as far as the cellar when he is again greeted by Pedro, who pulls him into the tasting room for a drink, or two, or three... With persuasion from the grandfather, Paul tries to win Victoria her back with a drunken serenade, but she responds too late. He is gone.
When Paul returns home to San Francisco, he finds his wife, Betty in bed with another man. Paul is angry and Betty tells Paul that their marriage was a mistake. She hands him annulment papers and Paul goes on his way. When he gets to the street he realizes that this, although it came as a shocking surprise, was in fact a blessing.
Up until now, the movie is pretty good. I would give it a 4. A good fluffy romance, if you like that sort of thing. Here is where the director, producer, etc., took a coffee break...
Paul, a free man, immediately returns to the Aragon vineyard where he is confronted by Alberto and a fight breaks out between the two. The angry Alberto throws a lantern at Paul's head, missing of course, landing in the vineyard and setting the entire vineyard ablaze. This was the quickest burning, most unrealistic fire I have ever seen. After the fire has burned out the entire suit covered Aragon family sits on the foundation of what used to be their home and ponders the tragedy. The heroic Paul marches off to the special place were the "root of the Aragon life" once grew. He pulled with great strength and unearthed the century old fine taking it back to the family. The discovered that the roots were not dead and they could start their lives all over again. Really sappy. At this point the father realizes the value of family and finally tells Victoria how much he loves her. Paul is welcomed into the family and they all live happily ever after.
I think the movie could have been a solid 4 if the ending was stronger, but it just got mushy. In my opinion, the ending brought the movie down to a 3.
However, this movie did have some strong points. It demonstrated how people from different socioeconomic backgrounds view and accept or reject each other. The father had a hard time accepting Paul because he was not Mexican, he had an inferior job, and he did not have ancestors to prove his lineage. It also displayed the father as being so wrapped up in the vineyard that he did not have time to let his daughter know that he loved her, when in fact this is the was he felt he was showing his love, by working hard to leave her a legacy. This is very common is today's society, especially when both parents have to work full time to make ends meet.
This movie displayed love, hate, challenges, tragedy, dedication, and prejudice, all of which we can see in every society throughout history.
