Rating: 
Summary: Good adaptation of the book
Review: The whole book is a collection of correspondence between Helene Hanff an avid book reader and Frank Doel an agent for British bookseller. Not being able to find the books she wanted to read for a reasonable price she turned to a book seller in Brittan. In the process of buying books they strike up a friendship.
Not having any background on the movie, characters or actors, I was waiting for the action to take place. At one point Hannibal Lector (oops), I mean Frank Doel says "Very nice,,, very tasty." When the final credits appeared, I realized this was not that kind of movie. Since then I have repented to the point that I am tracking down the books that are mentioned. Interestingly the movie is almost word for word the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Woman of Mystery
Review: There are many people who come into our lives as a result of books. That common love of books can spark many a friendship. Imagine living in the middle of a society so unaware of the books you crave. Imagine no Amazon. No free shipping! No forums dedicated to your favorite authors. Finding a friend who shares your love of the newest self-published novel is rare enough. Imagine finding a soul mate who understands your love for books written a century ago. Imagine finding someone who shared your love of inexpensive rare editions and could find them for you for under $5. Helene Hanff (Anne Bancroft) shows all the signs of being a hopeless bibliophile. She is an eccentric script reader who makes just enough money to survive and yet dreams of owning copies of old books from an antiquarian bookstore. She is quite the character with a delicious sense of humor and always speaks her mind. "I never can get interested in things that didn't happen to people who never lived." -Helene When she is told that readers in New York are not reading British books by British writers, she can't believe that English literature is not read in New York! She finds an English bookseller's address and writes a letter asking for a few books to be sent to her in New York. She first contacts Frank Doel (Anthony Hopkins) on October 5th, 1949. Through the years Frank is able to find books she is dying to read and Helene shows her appreciation by sending small packages to his office for all the employees and for his family. She ships food to them they never see or only can obtain through the black market. Some of Helene's letters are so hilarious. I think I laughed almost once every time she was writing. It is such a brash contrast with Frank's very British formality. Helene seems quite infatuated with all things British and even attempts a Yorkshire Pudding for her friends in New York. They are all most impressed. What struck me most boldly about this rather serene movie was the beautiful way in which Frank and Helene touched one another's lives through simple sentiments and occasional packages. A gift, a word, a sentence of encouragement. The letters are read while scenes play out in each country. Frank's wife is played by Judi Dench who looks most radiant. She also writes occasional letters to Helene. While Helene and Frank write beautiful letters back and forth, Helene's true love really seems to be books. Frank is just one of the only souls alive who seems to understand her constant obsession with reading. A beautiful expression of pure friendship.
Rating:
Summary: simply wonderful
Review: This adaptation of Helane Hanff's book is
simply perfect. Anne Bancroft and Anthony
Hopkins give you wonderful performances of
Ms. Hanff and Frank Doel, in fact after seeing
this film a few times I would imagine their
voices when I would go back and re-read the
book. If you haven't read 84, Charing Cross
Road then you will want to go out and get
it after watching his presentation of it.
Don't delay, do yourself a favor and watch
the film
Rating:
Summary: Bring a Box of Tissues...this movie WILL make you cry
Review: This film is watchable a hundred times over. It is one of the Most Romantic stories ever told. If you cherish the written word and find unrequited love unbearable but intriguing, then this Anthony Hopkins/Anne Bancroft movie is for you!
As you watch two strangers fall in love through letters (and over twenty years of time), you will realize that the epistolary relationship these two had was incredibly special and bittersweet as they never got to meet face to face. A heartbreakingly true story, let us hope that Helene and Frank have now met on the "other side" as both of them have passed on. Beautifully acted, well directed, and as a nice touch, the occasional speaking to the audience makes you feel privaleged to know them.
Rating:
Summary: Frankly speaking a classic
Review: This film will definitely not disappoint fans of Hopkins, Bancroft, and boiled ham. Hopkins delivers a performance that hints at the greatness he would later achieve opposite Brad Pitt in "Legends of the Fall," while Bancroft has not been this alluring since "The Graduate." But while both stars deliver Oscar-worthy performances, they are both, in one particularly moving scene, nearly upstaged by a third "character" in the film - a lovely ham sent by New Yorker Bancroft to Hopkins' mild-mannered London book-shoppe owner. After repeated viewings, it still looks delectable, though I am not sure of the variety. Disappointingly, the Bancroft character does not reply in kind, and ham makes no further appearance in the film Another particularly affecting scene involves Hopkins dropping cocktail franks into a pot of boiling water, the franks playing an admirable supporting role to this all-star cast of Americans, Brits, and hams. As Hopkins thoughtfully drops the mini-franks into the water the viewer is dazzled with thoughts of mustards, relishes, perhaps beans? And who is his butcher? But who cares! Do yourself a favor: throw a ham in the oven, get in your favorite easy chair, and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: GOES FOR THE HEART!!
Review: This is a caliber drama based on experiences of a real journalist. ANTHONY HOPKINS and ANNE BANCROFT are an excellent team. It's a classical melody in motion toward your heart. Enjoy!! I always do, watching this movie.
Rating:
Summary: One good film!
Review: This is a very well made film! It has such a nice story and makes you think. This is my favorite Anne Bancroft film! She gives a very honest performance. Hopkins is just as good, and fans of Silence of the Lambs won't believe what a nice guy Hopkins can play!
Rating:
Summary: A Charming Movie Based on a True Story
Review: This is a wonderful film. No violence. No swear words. No blood and gore. Instead you have a fantastic film about post-war Britain and America and the relationship between Frank Doel (Anthony Hopkins) in England and Helen Hanif in America(Anne Bancroft. He works in a bookshop in Charing Cross Road in London, she is a brash New Yorker with a passion for old books. Their relationship is purely platonic, he is happily married, but their friendship blossoms and for many years Helen and Frank correspond with each other as she increases her old book collection and the Post War Countries they reside in slowly head for modern times.
The story follows the lives of Frank, the staff at the bookshop, Helen in New York and a variety of amusing incidents that will have you laughing and crying in the same breath. Anthony Hopkins is delightful as the gently pompous Frank and Anne Bancroft breathes life into her character Helen, funny, very Jewish and very tactless.
With Post-War austerity severe in Britain Helen sends American food packages to her new friends who recieve them with delight. One funny moment is when Helen realises that the owners of the bookshop Frank works in are Jewish and that she has just sent a huge ham to them! Frantically she writes to Frank, explaining though she is Jewish herself, she isn't orthodox and that she hopes his employers aren't too horrified with half a pig turning up on their doorstep! I had to chuckle at that.
This is a delightful film, and well worth buying as you can watch it again and again. The book it is based on is very good too, well worth reading as it has all the letters that went between Frank and Helen during their many years of correspondence.
Rating:
Summary: If you are a lover of books
Review: This is one movie I continue to watch over and over. I think because like Helene I am a lover of old books and the lost art of letter writting. A True love story which sent me to read the books Helene wrote!! Used of course!!
Rating:
Summary: This is an intelligent romantic movie.
Review: This is one of my most favorite movies. It is both intelligent and romantic. The characters are endearing. You remember Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins and the other actors/actresses in their roles long after you've watched the movie. This is definitely a movie for those who enjoy literature amd letter writing.
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