Review: Alan Bennett's An Englishman abroad

Subject: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:00 PM

Alan Bennett`s brilliant film on Carol Brown`s meeting with the Cambridge spy Guy Burgess, this film can be downloaded from the BBC Site, a fascinating film, proving the genius of Bennett, acting at it`s best.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:01 PM

Hoping this works well worth a look,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074pqk/An_Englishman_Abroad/

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 09:50 AM

Refresh.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: alanabit
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 11:39 AM

I should take a look at this. All of the Beyond the Fringe cast went on to do great things and Alan Bennet was also a very funny man in his own right. Like the otheres, he has always been so much more than just a funny man. I just wish I was not up to my ears in work at the moment. Thanks for posting. I'll bookmark this and get back to it.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 01:54 PM

Alan, You will see two great actors, Alan Bates and Carol Browne, based on a meeting in Moscow between Brown who was touring with a Shakespearean Company, and Guy Burgess. Bennett`s brilliant adaptation of their meeting makes for a fascinating film.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: NormanD
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 02:46 PM

This week, there is an absolute wealth of Alan Bennett on BBC tv, including interviews, profiles of his life and re-showings of some of his classic films. Every one's a winner.

Enjoy and savour.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: akenaton
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 07:56 PM

Ard Mhacha...Thank you for posting this, I enjoyed it tremendously and as you say, the acting was top class.   I have been a fan of Bennett's work for many years.....I think the Wednesday Play series on BBCTV was my introduction to him, he has always been a wonderful observer of English traits and characteristics, including their ability to divorce themselves from reality, to simply close their eyes to that which may trouble them....to pretend that nothing is actually happening,while the world disintigrates around them.

I suppose nationals of all countries can delude themselves...certainly the Scots and Irish can, but in a very different way :0)
Bennett's "Talking heads" series was an experience which must be unforgettable to any who saw it. "A woman of no importance" a monologue by Patricia Routledge was repeated on BBC lately, and although I had seen and marvelled at the original transmission, it had lost none of its effect the second time around.

Patricia is a brilliant actress, but the characterisation of a completely self obsessed woman, refusing to acknowlege the inevitable, was at times physically painful.
The man is an absolute genious and thanks again for posting the film.....how did I manage to miss it.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: alanabit
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 03:09 AM

"...he has always been a wonderful observer of English traits and characteristics, including their ability to divorce themselves from reality, to simply close their eyes to that which may trouble them....to pretend that nothing is actually happening,while the world disintigrates around them."

That's a smashing bit of writing. It immediately reminded me of Shaw's "Heartbreak House", which is a soap opera on one level and a creepy prophecy on another.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 05:22 AM

Too good to miss Ake, the captions at the beginning were very clever, Bennett was a genius.

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: Mr Happy
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 05:26 AM

ard mhacha,

I'd just wathed the Bennett interview last night & wanted to know more, so this am checked out WPedia, its here:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Bennett

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: GUEST,Dáithí
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 06:37 AM

...also watched Thora Hird this week in one of his Talking Heads monologues - her last performance on TV at the age of 90...totally captivating and stunningly moving.
D

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Bennett`s An Englishman abroad
From: ard mhacha
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 02:29 PM

Mr Happy plenty of info there thanks.