I'd never seen Roger Livesey in anything before, but oh my giddy aunt… that voice, that look, and that one embrace really did it for me. He made my toes curl, and in a very good way.

Yes, he is a toe curler for me now too.

I’d never seen Roger Livesey in anything before, but oh my giddy aunt… that voice, that look, and that one embrace really did it for me. He made my toes curl, and in a very good way.

I’ve seen the David Niven one, as well as Col Blimp and have to concur that P and P had a magic touch in their films. I’ll have to try to track down Black Narcissus on the strength of your recommendations.

Thank you Jayne for your thoughtful review of one of my all-time favourite films

As to Massey's character, well, he dates from the time of the War of Independence, so even as a Brit, I can make allowances!

I could make allowances for the first few minutes of his ranting then it got to be too much. As Cate said, we were allies then! What, I wonder, were P&P trying to get across with this?

Oh, and re. Geordie – can you region-free your DVD player? I have the same issues with R1 product, but managed to find a way to do it ;-)

I’ve heard of doing this but have no idea how to go about it. And would worry I’d break something. There are a couple more R2 DVDs I’d love to get though….

Jayne, I have to disagree with you about the use of colour for “heaven” in AOLAD. The way I’ve always seen it, the richness of life with it’s uncertainties and limitless possibilities is represented by the richness of technicolour – one of the things I’ve always loved about P&P’s movies is the superb use of colour; The Red Shoes is another prime example – whereas “heaven”, which is more limiting, more certain, more stilted, where everything literally is black and white was filmed in monochrome (which allows for more subtlety than b&w). As to Massey’s character, well, he dates from the time of the War of Independence, so even as a Brit, I can make allowances!

Oh, and re. Geordie – can you region-free your DVD player? I have the same issues with R1 product, but managed to find a way to do it ;-)

Cate – A Canterbury Tale really is an overlooked gem, isn’t it? Again, I first saw it as part of a P&P series on TV and was completely bowled over by it. Sure, some of the plot is a bit odd (the glue!) but it’s still a fabulous film.

But the Raymond Massey character made me want to reach through the screen and slap him. Prosing on and on about how dare this young Englishman think a Mass. girl of Good American Stock could fall in love with him? Get over yourself, pal. The Battle of Bunker Hill was over ages ago and if Kim Hunter wants to fall for David Niven (and I would have done it myself), then let her!

try A Matter of Life and Death. Another P&P spectacular. Made during WW2

as a morale booster. Stars David Niven, Roger Livesy & Kim Hunter…. & a

very,very young Richard Attenborough in one of his first roles.

The basic story is that of a young pilot whose plane is severely damaged

on a bombing mission. He spends what hould be his last minutes talking

to a young American aircraft controller, & in the way of things falls in

love.Following the crash, he is – amazingly- still alive. Heaven , it seems,

has …to put it bluntly… cocked up !

The film follows his fight with his Heavenly messenger to stay alive.

The film is now slightly dated, but Southern England has never looked

more glorious, & the use of colour & black and white film is fabulous.

Although to my mind, earth should’ve been the B&W sequences, and

heaven in colour…… See what you think.

I also recommend another P&P film. A Canterbury Tale. Another morale

booster from the early 40′s. A “modern”(for 60 yrs ago) take on Chaucer.

Ah – here we go; I found it on Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geordie-DVD-Bill-Travers/dp/B001TJKVQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1244885270&sr=8-1

Wee Geordie – (UK, 1955)
Charming little British film about a skinny little Scottish boy, who everyone calls Wee Geordie. He is pictured as a boy 10-years of age and of course wears nice shorts, cords I think. He is picked on by the other boys at school who chase him and tease him. His only friend appears to be a little girl. Geordie has a lovely Scottish accent and is a very sweet little boy. Unfortunately the sequences with him as a boy only take up a part at the beginning of the film, but there is a substantial sequence. He sends off for a body building course and grows up to be a huge strapping lad that shakes the house when he stomps about and towers over his parents. Everyone still, however, continues to call him Wee Geordie.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be out as a DVD.