Masterpiece Theatre production, originally aired on TV in 1991,
starring three of my faves, the fabulous Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud
and Patrick McGoohan. The Best of Friends was such a special treat,
I bought myself a copy from Amazon and watched it again last week.
I adore the art of letter writing and books written in letter form, so
this was right up my alley. It's an adaptation from the journals and
correspondence between a Benedictine nun, Dame Laurentia
McLachlan (Hiller), the director of the Fitzwilliam Museum
Cambridge, Sydney Cockerell (Gielgud) and the legendary Irish
playwright, George Bernard Shaw (McGoohan). The screenplay was
written by Hugh Whitemore, whose work you remember from All
Creatures Great and Small.
The sparkling dialogue, taken directly from the trio's intimate letters
and journals, is brought to life by the performance of these veteran
actors. I enjoyed reliving their vigorous discussions on everything
from the existence of God to the finer points of tango dancing. This
peek into their amazing 25 year friendship is intelligent and poignant.
I couldn't help but compare their relationships to those I have with
my own bloggy friends through our long distance correspondence.
Our blog posts, as well as comments, are a rich and intimate mode
of sharing in the same style of letters and journals, only intensified
by the speed and extent of the internet. Isn't it amazing how quickly
we can become the best of friends in the blog world?
You have such a way with words, my friend Willow, of putting your finger right on it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the head's up about this film. This is just the sort of film I adore. From your description I am sure I will love it - and will purchase it immediately.
ReplyDeleteI treasure each and every friendship I have made by corresponding in written form.
ReplyDeleteI am someone who is more of an observer, a listener when it comes to in person conversation..I let stronger personalities take the floor.I'm not shy but I don't always get to say what I want to say.
But when I write I can get all of what I need to say out there. And I am always floored by the response....
"I was addicted to sayin' things and havin' them matter to somebody"- Waitress
Aren't we all?
Peace - Rene
Interesting premise for a story--& you're so right--blogging is at least a distant cousin to these sort of "letter friendships." Will be on the look-out for this one!
ReplyDeleteOh Willow,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you brought this film to my attention. I will look for it. I also love the pen pal,journal, and letter mode for storytelling. The blogosphere is the new place for correspondence based long distance relationships.
Have a lovely week.<3
This sounds like a great film, with a perfect cast (really, could it get any better?). As for the bogging/commenting/letter writing/friendship connection, you are absolutely right. You even say so on your sidebar: "we blog to know we're not alone."
ReplyDeleteI've not seen the film but I have put it on my must-see list now.
ReplyDeletewill order on netflix. sounds great. my first book was written with 2 other friends and taken completely from letters we wrote to each other albeit edited for the book.(due to the lengthiness of the original letters)
ReplyDeleteLove your review of The Changeling in Manor Events. Another one to stay away from is the recent Around the World In 80 Days with Jackie Chan... the number of anachronisms and 3rd-rate double entendres is just painful. I usually love your antics, Mr. Chan, but this film got up my nose for the way it butchers history.
ReplyDeleteSuki, I didn't realize your book was taken from correspondence. Fascinating. Of course, I love that! What is the name of your book?
ReplyDeleteSounds perfect, I'll have to get a copy. I used to live near Cambridge and spent many a happy afternoon at the Fitzwilliam. I always stopped to pick up a box of Chelsea buns from the baker Fitzbilly's across the street before heading home. I haven't had one of those buns for years now. Oh no, I've gone all nostalgic!
ReplyDeleteEryl, a box of Chelsea buns from the baker Fitzbilly's? Now how charming is that? That sounds like something from a novel that I would adore doing.
ReplyDeleteOur library carries so many good pieces - may see if they have this one. Thanks, Willow!
ReplyDeleteI have a box of letters between my great grandmother and great aunt written back and forth when the aunt went to school and then to the sanitarium for TB.
By the way, she survived the TB and lived to be 95.
Boomer, sadly, my handsome young great-great uncle died from TB at the age of 27. Your great aunt was one of the lucky ones.
ReplyDeleteintrigued by the film...and yes i agree on the friendships made by blogging...to me it seems like tribes...pockets of people that when you connect with one the others will invite you in...funny how we see a lot of the same people around the same places...even beyond the TT crowd..
ReplyDeleteI'd like this one and those turkey sausages sound delish!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great film. I have all of my mother's letters that she faithfully wrote to me, when I lived out of state for twenty years. They are one of my greatest treasures.
ReplyDeleteBlogging is a lot like writing letters, except faster and without the postage. :)
Willow, I'll have to put this on my list. Don't remember watching it(then)but Mom and I both are big Whitemore fans and to have these three particular talents on-board( especially Sir Gielgud ); fantastic. I visit the library Tuesday, so can see if they have a copy(hopefully)...
ReplyDeleteAnd you're spot on with the second part. That reminds me (in case you didn't see it), Alan left you a complement(well, both of us)over my place. :)
This production is one of my favourites! I'm so happy you got one for your very own!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lead. Friends in blogland tend to be quite special, bringing out the best in each other.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds good, Willow! I never saw that, and I'm a huge Masterpiece Theater buff, so that surprises me! We just watched "The Girl in the Cafe," with Bill Nighy last night--what a wonderful little movie that was--have you seen it?
ReplyDeleteHm. I'm really not sure if that's my type of movie, but I'm still intrigued by it!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to find that one of these days and give it a watch :D
Thanks for the recommendation!!
hi willow - the blog world that my blog is one small part of has some amazing people and i've said this many times on the blog just how incredible it is that these connections have been born and maintained. i ove gielgud's work and the connection to hugh whitemore's work makes this one a definite to add to the rental list. thanks my dear. steven
ReplyDeleteI'll have to put this on my must see list - sounds like just my kind of flick. As one would sit to write one's daily letters in another age, one now blogs, updates Facebook status, and comments on other blogs and status updates. But what of all this will be saved (or is worth saving) for future generations and historians?
ReplyDeleteBrush, yes! I loved The Girl in the Cafe. It's been a while and need to watch it again. It's on the queue, thanks, Sue.
ReplyDeleteHilarywho, that's a very thought provoking point. I seriously doubt future generations will be reading our blogs. They'll probably be gone just as quickly as we write them.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is saying rain for us for most of next week and we will be looking for an interesting movie to watch. Thank you for suggesting The Best of Friends. I like sparkling dialogue. We will enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteYou always have the loveliest posts. I will be reuniting with a friend from grade school that I haven't seen since 9th grade. Since I'm older than dirt that is 45 years ago. We'll meet at the airport. She has a long layover here in Atlanta so I am very excited. I feel the same way about bloggy friends. We don't see each other, but share so much.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brian, bloggers seem to travel in groups, and usually the groups overlap with a blog with a lot of readers like your own. You always have your core group of people that you associate with, but appreciate everyone who follows you!
ReplyDeletethanks Willow - heading for netflix :)
ReplyDeleteThank you...I'll go to my little store that has a wide selection...I just know it will be great.
ReplyDeleteOn Changeling...Pablo and I walked out half way through...very unusual for me to quit a movie but it was that awful and the asylum scenes were beyond upsetting.
Some of my favorite books have been books of letters. Some people are so easily able to articulate their thoughts and feelings on paper. I envy that. I'm writing this one down.
ReplyDeleteI too have been thinking about the quick (and deep) friendships that develop through blogging. I wrote a post about the concept of "witnessing" in relationship to art and blogging. If you're interested, it's here. Thanks for your thought-provoking blog... I'm so pleased to have discovered it!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you find these wonders of the not so modern world. Wherever you do, I am certainly grateful for this one.
ReplyDeleteCiao sweet Willow, That's the beauty for me of blogging. I can appreciate things I know and comment, but I can also read something new, and have new perspectives, or new interests, new pièces, new movies, new films. For this I have to thank you: I take your posts, like cultural advice. I will search now on internet this "the best of friends" (Of course in Italian :((( )
ReplyDeleteI must look out for that, it sounds like my cup of tea!
ReplyDeleteAlso love books in letter form, when they're well done. Will check this out as Masterpiece Theatre ususally does really good stuff!
ReplyDeleteToday am announcing a FUN giveaway thingie on my post which will begin next Monday... come visit and see what I'm talking about!
I've never heard of this film but after your recommendation of 'Sunshine' recently which I then ordered and thoroughly enjoyed (although bits were so sad),I'm willing to give this a go too.
ReplyDeleteI love your new header - constantly ringign the changes on here, willow
First of all, the film sounds great, I'll have to see if I can find a copy.
ReplyDeleteBut secondly, I totally agree about blog friends. Relationships between blogging friends can be extraordinarily rich and meaningful.
I wonder if it has something to do with the written word and expressing complete ideas instead of the short cuts and interruptions that characterize our normal verbal communication?
Barry, I think it has a lot to do with the written word and the fact that we are encouraged to express our total thoughts and ideas. Our posts and comments don't contain the interruptions of phones ringing and bustle of our daily routines. And the fact that we blog nearly every day. Even with our best of friends, we usually don't share ideas on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteMost interesting. I will try to find this video and watch it!
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Thanks for the heads-up. -Jayne
ReplyDeleteI agree with Otin. We do kinda find our spot of friends in blogland. We make friendships that our amazingly tight for being mostly over the internet. Folks who do not blog will never understand it.
ReplyDeleteI am adding this movie to my Netflix list. I currently have the art house movie THE CLASS- I believe it was nominated for best foreign film this past year. I enjoy reading your movie and book reviews--- very astute.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember seeing this, and I thought I was Ms.Masterpiece! Loved all the stars,now gone, never to be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteAbout bloggy friends, so quickly found, so selectively watched..pen and ink on paper perhaps has a bit more soul..
Oooo...this sounds like a keeper. Thanks for the tip. I never heard of it before, but it sounds like something that I would totally watch and enjoy over and over again. Heading to Amazon now :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right- the written word is so powerful. I will look for this film- it sounds "right up my alley"- thank you for posting about it... and I too, treasure my new blogging friends.
ReplyDeleteSO I am assuming you've read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society .. fabulous
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree willow - all our words sailing through cyberspace and landing in peoples' living rooms and building up new friendships - can't be bad can it.
ReplyDeleteOff to Amazon... love a movie recommendation, so thank you. xv
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a real treasure... .
ReplyDeleteone which I'll adore and my
husband will suffer through.
( he's taken to doing a bit of a dance and singing -
"is it BBC night dear??" in response
to all the endless series of period dramas which find their way from Netflix to our house)
Absolutely true. I have made so many friends in the blogging world. This movie sounds wonderful, Willow and I love it when you introduce us to something new and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI must try to get this.
ReplyDeleteI love Patrick McGoohan and just watched him in The Three Lives of Thomasina this afternoon - I rented it to share with granddaughter Jasmin. Susan Hampshire played Lori and the delightful Scottish schoolboys were a hoot! It's a kids' movie but so sweet.....I like to watch kind and gentle stories sometimes!
Hello Willow,
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that this would be excellent. I love Wendy Hiller too. I remember enjoying '84 Charing Cross Road'with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.
Yo may enjoy this copy/paste in your browser....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/11417707@N04/2544616437/in/set-72157602069466803/
Moor, yes, I surely DID! Thank you so very much. What a treasure!!
ReplyDeleteI agree this is a great movie, Willow. Being a Patrick McGoohan fan, I saw it first on PBS and bought the DVD at Amazon a few years ago. Checking now, it looks like "The Best of Friends" is out of print (or does that term only apply to books?!)but there are used ones available. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the film but as you say three great actors who are sadly no longer around. Thanks for this I'll keep a look out for it.
ReplyDelete