Sure it may be a pretentious prescription, but I really think that you have to stay up until about 1 or 2 in the morning in an empty house and then watch the movie the whole way through. Around 4 or 5 you will have a whole new appreciation of the film (at least I sure did).

Also, brilliant film adaptation of a great literary work. Enough differences to distinguish itself as original, but still enough similarities to do the book a great service. Possibly the greatest book adaptation ever. It's definitely on the short list.

Second best war film I've seen to A Thin Red Line.