The Bridges of Madison County (film)

The Bridges of Madison County is a 1995 American romantic drama film based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Robert James Waller. It was produced by Amblin Entertainment and Malpaso Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment. The film was produced and directed by Clint Eastwood with Kathleen Kennedy as coproducer and the screenplay was adapted by Richard LaGravenese. The film stars Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

In the present, siblings Michael and Carolyn arrive at the Iowa farmhouse of Francesca Johnson, their recently deceased mother, to see about the settlement of their mothers estate. As they go through the contents of her safe deposit box and the will, they are baffled to discover that their mother left very specific instructions that her body be cremated and her ashes thrown off the nearby Roseman Covered Bridge, which is not in accordance with the burial arrangements they had known from their parents. Michael initially refuses to comply, while Carolyn discovers a set of photos of her mother and a letter. She manages to convince Michael to set aside his initial reaction so they can read the documents she has discovered. Once alone, they go through a series of letters from a man named Robert Kincaid to their mother. The siblings find their way to a chest where their mother left a letter, a series of diaries, and other mementos.They discovered in 1965, their mother, an Italian war bride, had a fourday affair with Robert Kincaid, a photographer who had come to Madison County, Iowa, to shoot a photographic essay for National Geographic on the covered bridges in the area. The affair took place while her husband and children were away at the Illinois State Fair. The story in the diaries also reveals the impact the affair had on Francescas and Roberts lives, since they almost ran away together, but she intervenes at the last minute in consideration of a bigger picture that includes the consequences on the lives of her children and husband, while he finds meaning and his true calling as an artist. The story also has deep consequences on the lives of Michael and Carolyn, both of whom are facing marital issues their mothers story helps them to find a sense of direction in their lives. At the end, the Johnson siblings comply with their mothers request. ........

Source: Wikipedia