From what I can glean on Wikipedia, this appears to be Mike Leigh’s breakup movie. Where the evils of co-dependency are laid bare. Where self-sufficient singles have taken their lumps but are ultimately better for not pairing up - shutting the door on a horrifying future and buying gigantic vases to celebrate their ex being in Algeria.
The scene where Spall and Manville are finally honest and open about their feelings is so truthful it’s hard to watch. Resentment, disappointment…
You know a film is great when you're sad that you can't spend more time with the main characters. For all their very human faults, Cyril and Shirley are wise, charming and understanding of eachother and the craziness around them. I (highly) hope they lived a long, content life together. And maybe got out prior to Brexit.
Strange but true: the film that got me into film. It’s sure not a five star in quality, but it’s high up there in enjoyment level. It’s one hour, has Myrna Loy as an evil vamp, and of course poor Peg Entwistle. The ending is quite top notch. One day maybe an unedited version will roll down the tracks.
So, I didn’t plan on having a Time Bandits/obscure silent Oz film double-feature, but here we are. And ya know what? This here is the film for kids of all ages that Terry Gilliam wanted to make, but couldn’t cause of his bloat. I wish that more films had the effortless anarchic streak of Patchwork Girl of Oz. And horniness - tons of flirty side-eyes, cross-dressing and Furries on this ride. I truly enjoyed every bit of its 50-or-so minutes,…
