THE GREENGAGE SUMMER
UK, 1961, 99 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth More, Danielle Darrieux, Susannah York, Claude Mollier, Jane Asher, Maurice Denham.
Directed by Lewis Gilbert.
The Greengage Summer (Loss of Innocence) is a charming and engaging film. It is based on the novel by Rumer Godden. It introduced Susannah York in a star role - and indicated her strong screen presence and her subsequent career. She has excellent co-stars in Kenneth More with his genial style and Danielle Darrieux as French and aloof. The film is beautifully photographed in the French Champagne countryside. It has a pleasing score by Richard Addinsell and was directed by Lewis Gilbert whose film credits range from British comedies and dramas and war tributes in the '50s to some James Bond films in the '60s to such blockbusters as The Adventurers and humorous entertainment like Educating Rita.
1. A film of charm? Entertainment? Point?
2. The title and the focus on the Greengages, trees and beauty, nature, summer? The alternate title as a subtitle and indication of theme?
3. The credits and their prettiness, colour, the introduction of the Champagne countryside,, romantic, the chateau, Paris? Richard Addinsell's light attractive score?
4. The surface prettiness and the audience being led deeper with the experience of Joss? Disillusionment, growing up? The food for memory?
5. Susannah York as Joss, the schoolgirl with the children. their mother's illness, the hostility at the hotel, her initial illness, age, sexuality? The holiday? The encounter with the proprietress and her assistant? Elliott and his growing charm. attractiveness. the exhilaration of the outing, the beauties of Paris, his humour and wit? Her jealousy? His attraction towards her but seeing her as young? Her being hurt? The drunk scene? Paul and his infatuation? Suspicions of Elliott, sending the photo? Paul's attack, her being rescued by Elliott, Paul's death? Her confessing the truth to the police? Her outburst against the hotel and the evil there? Her uncle, the telegram, the final gesture by Elliott? The final sequence and her wandering amongst the Greengages? An adolescent girl, change, becoming an adult, pettiness and immaturity, the change to womanhood? The influence of the characters? Her memories?
6. Hester and her age, primness, fascination by everything, girlish behaviour. shrewdness about Elliott? The initial fight with Paul. becoming friendly with him? Her enjoyment of the outing? The experience of the holiday? Friendship with Joss and comparisons with her? The sketch of the other children?
7. Kenneth More's affable charm as Elliott? The Englishman in France? His aplomb? Helping the children initially, delighting in their presence, a father-figure? The girls' fascination with him? His relationship with the proprietress? The suspicions about his hiding away, no photos, absences, the barge? The clashes with Paul? The infatuation with Joss? His hurting her unwittingly? Rescuing her at the dance, in her room? The truth and his handling of it? His escape? The gesture of the telegram?
8. The proprietress and her background, ownership of the chateau, management, shielding Elliott? Her infatuation with him? Jealousy? Her treatment of the children? Rebuking them? Her manager and the manager's infatuation with her? Jealousy? The highlighting of the relationship between the two women? The sketch of the staff?
9. Paul and his initial fight with Hester, his hopes for the truck, infatuation with Joss, the drinking sequence, humiliation at the dance, the attempted rape, the fight with Elliott, his death?
10. The uncle and his rescuing the children? The role of the police?
11. The holiday atmosphere, the guests, the tourist style of so much of the film? Happiness - yet sadness? Regrets? The loss of innocence?
