This afternoon, Fee and I went to see A Single Man (based on Christopher Isherwood's novel). Don't miss it. Colin Firth, as the aging English teacher George Falconer, is marvelous, and the film is visually enthralling.
One of the first things I noticed on George Falconer's book shelves was a copy of The Dyer's Hand by W.H. Auden. I have loved this book of essays (a most personal and enjoyable collection of Auden's literary criticism) for years. The book Falconer has assigned his class is Alduous Huxley's After Many a Summer Dies the Swan. All kinds of literary and film tropes are wrapped in A Single Man.
I rarely enjoy watching movies more than once, but this is one of the movies that I really want to see again. I definitely intend to read the novel.
Someone I work with was just talking about this--she heard an interview with Colin Firth on NPR. I hadn't even heard of it, but I will watch for the DVD!
ReplyDeleteDanielle - Wonderful experience!
ReplyDeleteI love Colin Firth. He is such a great actor. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI loved A Single Man too.
ReplyDeleteI could spend weeks reading your blog and then following all your previous posts, but right now I can't. I hope to in the future. We like the same reads.
You're amazing.
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Great to hear this recommendation, I want to see the film. An interesting new departure for Colin Firth to play a gay man. I heard him on British radio recently, joking he was going to put Rupert Everett out of business.
ReplyDeleteFramed - I always love Colin Firth, but this is the first time that I almost wouldn't recognize him. Well, except for those eyes and that voice.
ReplyDeleteSharon - Wasn't it well done? A beautiful movie!
Katherine - I think it was so successful because of the inherent humanity of George. I fell in love with him and knew it was happening.
I also wondered about the name Falconer. The lines "the falcon cannot hear the falconer" kept running through my head, but the rest of The Second Coming is much too dark for the movie.
Colin Firth is so wonderful! I heard an interview with him on NPR and I must see the film. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI love The Dyer's Hand too. I'll make sure to see A Single Man -- it sounds really good.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I was quite sure I wanted to see it, and now I know I do. I had to look up 'tropes' :<)
ReplyDeleteiliana - Colin Firth is so interesting to watch in this film. I'm going to the NPR archives and see if I can catch that interview!
ReplyDeleteDorothy - I love Auden's personal, comfortable touch in these essays--and I like his poetry as well. When I saw The Dyer's Hand on the bookshelf, I knew I'd love the movie.
hydroponics - I guess the title of this blog can be misleading. It comes from the Chinese proverb, "A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." On my other blog, I do have pictures of my garden, though. I love gardening.
Nan - I really liked the movie. It was sad and funny and satisfying!