Cold Mountain (2003) - 7 questions

Question: Does anyone know what the book is that Inman carries Ada's picture in?

Answer: Its short title is "Bartram's Travels". The complete name of the book is: Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws. Containing an Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions; Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians.

Question: Why does Bosie's (blonde Home Guard) nose bleed whenever there's shooting going on? It happens when he's at the Swanger's house and shoots the sons and again at the end when there's the big shootout with Inman.

Answer: Bosie is an Albino. One of the symtoms of Albinism (but only a very rare type) is unsusal bleeding which might include frequent nose bleeds. Gunfights clearly bring these on in him.

Question: Who is Maddy? She is listed as a character on imdb.com (4th billing after Ruby) and I don't remember this character from the book or the movie. Maybe I am losing my mind, but I think I would remember a character more important than Ruby's dad.

Answer: She is the old lady with the goats.

Question: Why is the pale blond man not considered a deserter? He looks old enough to fight, and not too old not to, but I don't understand why he didn't go to war.

Answer: He was part of the "homeguard" which was the group of men who stayed behind to guard their towns during the war. It was basically a legal excuse to not fully participate in the battles.

Question: I just loved the music. Can anyone tell me whether there's a soundtrack or anything, or who are the main performing artists?

Answer: There is a soundtrack to the movie which has two oscar nominations for best original song and a nomination for original score - go to amazon.com to find out the artist info.

Question: What does Ada say to her daughter at the table at the end of the film?

Answer: I don't know the exact words, but she says something like, "No one told you to eat yet, Miss Inman." This was probably just to let the audience know for sure that she was Inman's daughter from their one night together.

Question: I saw a rough cut of Cold Mountain, and in the scene with Natalie Portman, her baby dies, and she kills herself, as in the book. In the movie as released, the scene stops after Portman shoots the yankee soldier. Why did they cut the baby's death and her suicide?

Answer: SPOILER: The director is building up to the peak of pathos of Inman being killed. While it is good to have many other sad scenes prior to this to foreshadow it, he probably felt that a dead baby and its mother's suicide might actually trump the hero's death in the sadness stakes which would make the real ending an anti-climax.