Georgy Girl (1966)

Before I begin I would like to say !!!!!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! to Monty over at All Good Things. If you haven't checked out his glorious blog, do so, it's totally worth it!

Homely but vibrant Georgina (Lynn Redgrave) has thus far been content with her inventive imagination, teaching children music, and living vicariously through her flatmate’s swinging conquests.  Though very smart and talented, Georgy considers herself plain and does little to try and improve that opinion which has propelled her into a life of solitary despite the people around her.  However, life is about to become very interesting.

First there is the proposition from successful businessman James Leamington (James Mason) for Georgy to become his mistress. It seems of little consequence that he has known Georgy since she was a child having employed her parents as his live-in servants. At the age of forty-nine,  Leamington has been living in a loveless and childless marriage with wife Ellen (Rachel Kempson- Redgrave's real-life mother) and confesses that though he used to love Georgy as his own child, his feelings have now changed. Creepy.

Then there is Georgy's flatmate the beautiful Meredith (Charlotte Rampling) a shallow woman who lives for her own pleasures. When Meredith discovers that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Jos Jones (Alan Bates)…for the third time, she decides they should get married. Jos, who has an odd relationship with Georgy, (he once took her out and they did some heavy petting before he broke away from her, claiming that to get involved with her would mean too many dramatics) moves to their flat. He promptly becomes disillusioned with Meredith and becomes attracted to Georgy who is more excited about Meredith’s baby than Meredith. After another argument in which Meredith once again begins to berate Georgy for being an ugly cow,  Jos defends Georgy, kisses her in front of Meredith and chases after Georgy proclaiming his love when she flees from the scene. They begin an affair and when Meredith gives birth to a daughter, whom Georgy names Sara, she and Jos take the baby. Meredith, who has no interest in the baby and plans to divorce Jos runs off with another boyfriend.

Then there is Georgy’s obsession over Sara. It drives a wedge between her and Jos who realizes that though he loves Georgy, he also loves to go out and have fun. Something Georgy refuses to do since there is a baby to care for. The relationship ends when Jos realises he is no longer the most important person to Georgy. Now threatened by Social Services who want to take Sara away, Georgy consideres Leamington’s proposal- somethings he has managed to avoid answering for the last six months. Leamington’s wife is now dead and he’s been readying his home for another woman- much to the curiosity of her live in servants, Georgy’s parents. They are convinced he will be bringing a ‘fancy woman” home soon. However, instead of becoming his mistress, Leamington proposes marriage thus allowing Georgy to keep Sara. Georgy accepts and when she calls for the baby immediately after their wedding, you can see how their relatinship is going to turn out by the look on Leamington’s face. Poor man.

I cannot believe it took me this long to see this fantastic film! Lynn Redgrave is such a treasure that I had to look up her other early films and I am currently watching Smashing Time (1967) -also featuring my new discovery Rita Tushingham- it's on YouTube for anyone who's interested. This film has a lot of great moments and dialogue. Capturing the essence of life in London in the sixties with it's sexual revolution, the consequences of that revolution, and the breaking away of old ideals concerning gender, Georgy Girl is a wonderfully poignant and entertaining film. Kudos to Redgrave and Alan Bates (another absolute delight), who manage to carry off some pretty animated (and complicated) characters without being corny or campy. It was also nice to see a young and gorgeous Charlotte Rampling in a moderately normal role.

Tonight on TCM!

Splendor in the Grass (1961) Sexual repression drives a small-town Kansas girl mad during the roaring twenties. Cast: Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty, Pat Hingle. Dir: Elia Kazan.

Good and Awful...

They Were Sisters is a story of three sisters Lucy (Phyllis Calvert), Vera (Ann Crawford), and Charlotte (Dulcie Gray) who marry into three different lifestyles. Lucy and her husband are devoted and support one another in every aspect. They want children, lost the only one they had but after seventeen years they are still in love. Vera's husband is aware that she does not love him, she told him so before they were married. He thought he could change her mind but despite his affection and their daughter, Vera's string of suitors still come around until she finally falls for one of them. Charlotte married Geoffrey (James Mason) impetuously. Thinking he loved her, he was really after her money and a position with her father's business. For seventeen years he has mentally abused her, driven her to drink and eventually causes all three of their children to despise him. This is the marriage the story revolves around.
James Mason plays his part spectacularly. You cannot help but hate him and what he does to the pitiful looking Dulcie Gray. Phyllis Calvert is the other main lead and I find that Elizabeth Shue has a striking resemblance to her. I really enjoyed the movie mainly because Geoffrey is such a despicable husband and father and he eventually gets his comeuppance.


In Blonde Fever restauranteur Peter Donay (Philip Dorn), is happily married to the pleasant but plain Delilah (Mary Astor). Approaching "that certain age", Donay finds himself lusting after a waitress Sally Murfin (Gloria Grahame). Sally, though young, knows how to play games. First she comes off shy and coy but really turns on the charm when Donay wins the $40,000 lottery. Meanwhile, Delilah, with little help from the inexperienced but indignant Freddie (Marshall Thompson), Sally's fiance, plots to ruin any relationship that may come about between her husband and Sally. First she tries to convince Sally that the restaurant is doing poorly, but then Donay wins the lottery. Then she hires Freddie as a waiter and even offers up the apartment over the garage as a place for Freddie and Sally to live once they're married. Neither trick works. So, Delilah concedes to a divorce but she still has one trick up her sleeve- no divorce unless she gets the $40,000. Peter, though upset about it, wants to prove to Delilah that Sally is not marrying him for his money so he gives her the check. That same evening Peter realizes how foolish he is being and how much he loves his wife. How will he rectify the situation? Thankfully he has a smart wife who does it for him.
This movie wasn't awful per se. It ran very quickly and didn't require much thinking, proving to be a perfect escape film on a B level. Imagine, Mary Astor in a B movie! I just took a strong dislike to Gloria Grahame's character. Her baby voice and attempts at being seductive were more annoying than alluring. However, the film plot was clever, proving Delilah not only to be the bigger person but the smarter one of the relationship as well.

Tonight on TCM!

Summer Under the Stars: Red Skelton