Films you've seen lately

[smittims]

Next Sunday evening on TalkingPictures Tv is a rare showing of The Deep Blue Sea, the 1950s film of Terence Rattigan's stage play, with Vivien Leigh and Kenneth More. When I first saw it I was disappointed; I had high hopes for it with this cast, and it's one of my favourite plays. I think I was too influenced by repeated viewings of a TV version with Penelope Wilton, so I'm looking forward to giving it another chance. I think I'd say this is Rattigan's masterpiece, even finer than The Browning Version.

[LMcD]

Next Sunday evening on TalkingPictures Tv is a rare showing of The Deep Blue Sea, the 1950s film of Terence Rattigan's stage play, with Vivien Leigh and Kenneth More. When I first saw it I was disappointed; I had high hopes for it with this cast, and it's one of my favourite plays. I think I was too influenced by repeated viewings of a TV version with Penelope Wilton, so I'm looking forward to giving it another chance. I think I'd say this is Rattigan's masterpiece, even finer than The Browning Version.

Penelope Wilton is always likely to be my first choice for any role she's ever played. The fact that Geraldine 'Panhandle' Sommerville is also in the 1995 version is an added bonus.

[Pulcinella]

Penelope Wilton is always likely to be my first choice for any role she's ever played. The fact that Geraldine 'Panhandle' Sommerville is also in the 1995 version is an added bonus.

Even as Creepy Crawley in Downton Abbey?
I guess she was a good foil to the dowager duchess though.

[LMcD]

Even as Creepy Crawley in Downton Abbey?
I guess she was a good foil to the dowager duchess though.

Trying to keep the wonderful Maggie Smith in check was never going to be easy!

[richardfinegold]

We saw Conclave yesterday. I had been looking forward to it but I hadn’t realized until the opening credits that it was based on a Robert Harris novel and the disappointment continued throughout.
The acting is generally excellent. Ultimately there wasn’t much required of Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow and so it’s Ralph Fiennes and some of the supporting actors that carry the story.
The score was doom laden and portentous. We hated it.
The “Bad Cardinal” like all Harris villains, is a trope and difficult to perceive as a threat because he is so uncomplicated. The Harris plot twist is interesting is implausible.
Ultimately this is an Agatha Christie story. Have a plot contrivance that forces a group of individuals to be isolated and pressed together under pressure and wait to see bad traits emerge under pressure.
It was entertaining but hardly essential

[Ian Thumwood]

Richard

I had a really negative perception of Robert Harris but a mate of mine is a big fan and often talks about books he has enjoyed. As a consequence I picked up .'Oblivion' which is based on genuine characters who were involved in the execution of King Charles and fled to America after the end of the Commonwealth. I found that the historical context was fascinating. It would make a brilliant film as it is about a pursuit. I might try another book by Harris although the new novel does not really appeal.

[richardfinegold]

Richard

I had a really negative perception of Robert Harris but a mate of mine is a big fan and often talks about books he has enjoyed. As a consequence I picked up .'Oblivion' which is based on genuine characters who were involved in the execution of King Charles and fled to America after the end of the Commonwealth. I found that the historical context was fascinating. It would make a brilliant film as it is about a pursuit. I might try another book by Harris although the new novel does not really appeal.

I started Oblivion but wasn’t drawn in . I kind of liked his Pompeii book but not the rest of that trilogy.
I really hated Munich. Harris must be the only man on the planet who thinks that Neville Chamberlain was an incredible genius that snookered Hitler