84 Charing Cross Road (starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins)

(Amazon UK link)

This film, the unusually titled '84 Charing Cross Road', was recommended to me by Amazon. It was probably because I so like films with Dame Judi Dench in them. It went on my wishlist, and I was very pleased to be given it for Christmas.

It's a twenty-year-old nostalgic film, based on a true story: the correspondence between Frank, clerk working at a bookshop in London (Anthony Hopkins) and Helene, a script editor (Anne Bancroft) in New York. The story begins in the late 1940s and continues over many years.

We thought that there were some lovely contrasts between American exuberance and British austerity, although they were done tastefully without exaggeration. The common factor between these two very different people is their shared love of good books.

There's no fast action, nor any high drama; yet we were drawn right into the story, which is beautifully done. The casting is excellent, and the film very well made. It was lovely and gentle film, suitable for all the family, with a touch of sadness.

The UK rating is U, reflecting this, although the more cautious US rating is PG. I doubt if it would be of much interest to young children, but there's nothing inappropriate - at least, not that we noticed.

Recommended.

Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews