The film contains no depictions of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy. It operates strictly within the heteronormative domestic and martial structures of 1919 France.

Women are primarily portrayed through lenses of domestic suffering, grief, and maternal loss. While they serve as emotional anchors, they lack the agency to disrupt traditional gender hierarchies.

The ensemble is predominantly homogeneous, mirroring the demographic realities of the French military and civilian populations of the era. There is no evidence of intersectional casting.

Gance excels in critiquing Western institutions and nationalist fervor. The narrative deconstructs the perceived glory of state-sanctioned violence, prioritizing human cost over patriotic ideals.

The film offers a visceral depiction of psychological and physical trauma caused by combat. It studies shell shock and broken spirits, though these are framed as wartime tragedies.