Girl With Green Eyes

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Films-Ever!
Review: GIRL WITH GREEN EYES is a Woodfall film, one of those slice-of-life-in-the-UK pictures produced by Tony Richardson in the 60's, Britain's answer to the French New Wave. All are generally worthwhile views; this one is marvelous, with wonderful dialogue by Edna O'Brien from her novel, THE LONELY GIRL. Frequently laugh-out-loud funny and also quietly touching, not the easiest combination to pull off, but managed beautifully here. Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave are simple and simply perfect as the country girls trying to make a go of life in Dublin, while Peter Finch strikes the proper note of bruised, reluctant romanticism as the object of Rita's pursuit. Almost forty years old, GIRL's as fresh as paint, could have been made yesterday. Tonic, rich and rewarding.

Rating:
Summary: Kitchen Sink, Glistening and Brilliant
Review: GIRL WITH GREEN EYES is a Woodfall film, one of those slice-of-life-in-the-UK pictures produced by Tony Richardson in the 60's, Britain's answer to the French New Wave. All are generally worthwhile views; this one is marvelous, with wonderful dialogue by Edna O'Brien from her novel, THE LONELY GIRL. Frequently laugh-out-loud funny and also quietly touching, not the easiest combination to pull off, but managed beautifully here. Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave are simple and simply perfect as the country girls trying to make a go of life in Dublin, while Peter Finch strikes the proper note of bruised, reluctant romanticism as the object of Rita's pursuit. Almost forty years old, GIRL's as fresh as paint, could have been made yesterday. Tonic, rich and rewarding.

Rating:
Summary: Rita Tushingham is superb in one of her best roles
Review: I can't say enough good things about Rita Tushingham's performance as the lonely, pining-for-love heroine in this adaptation of Edna O'Brien's second "Country Girls" novel. The film's entire storyline rests upon her shoulders, and she carries it with the true grace of a professional.

She portrays Kate Brady (Kathleen in the movie, Caithleen in the book), a quiet and gentle girl on the verge of womanhood, who wants nothing more out of life except to love and be loved. Kate becomes involved with Eugene, an older and world-weary writer played by Peter Finch, who initially is hesitant to involve himself in this May-September romance.

In the highly intolerant Ireland of the early 1960's, Kate faces criticism from all sides for her "wicked involvement with a divorced man". But in her innocent romanticism, true love conquers all, and she breaks ties with her family to be with Eugene. Their differences in age, values, and upbringing are major stumbling blocks against which they struggle mightily to overcome.

Though only 21 years old at the time, Rita Tushingham turns in an absolutely stellar performance. She displays her character's emotional rollercoaster with complete vulnerabilty and transparency. In film after film, Rita totally immerses herself in her characters, and thus her reactions to other characters always seem spontaneous and true. The shame of it is that in her long career, this superlative actress was not given many roles like this one that could showcase her tremendous acting ability.

Beautifully photographed, directed, and especially acted, Girl With Green Eyes (though Rita's eyes are actually deep blue) was made on location in Dublin, Ireland, in 1963. Thirty-three years later, Rita would return to Dublin to film the beautifully melodic and innocent tale of childhood, "The Boy From Mercury".

Edna O'Brien published the three novels of her Country Girls trilogy between 1960 and 1964. In 1986, she attempted to satisfy the requests of readers who wished to know what happened to Kate and her friend Baba, by publishing a short Epilogue. These works can be found together as "The Country Girls Trilogy plus Epilogue".

However, if you like happy endings, you may not wish to read the Trilogy & Epilogue. Edna O'Brien's depressing, man-hating attitude pervades her novels. She portrays her women as noble martyrs, her men as drunken good-for-nothings, and her girls as precarious heroines one step away from having their hearts broken by one of those dastardly men! The story of Kate and Eugene is the only hopeful story in the Trilogy & Epilogue, and I agree with the filmmakers that this was the love story that deserved to be made into a film. So, in my humble opinion, watch this outstanding essential film and forget the book.


Rating:
Summary: it gave me a headache
Review: I can't say enough good things about Rita Tushingham's performance as the lonely, pining-for-love heroine in this adaptation of Edna O'Brien's second "Country Girls" novel. The film's entire storyline rests upon her shoulders, and she carries it with the true grace of a professional.

She portrays Kate Brady (Kathleen in the movie, Caithleen in the book), a quiet and gentle girl on the verge of womanhood, who wants nothing more out of life except to love and be loved. Kate becomes involved with Eugene, an older and world-weary writer played by Peter Finch, who initially is hesitant to involve himself in this May-September romance.

In the highly intolerant Ireland of the early 1960's, Kate faces criticism from all sides for her "wicked involvement with a divorced man". But in her innocent romanticism, true love conquers all, and she breaks ties with her family to be with Eugene. Their differences in age, values, and upbringing are major stumbling blocks against which they struggle mightily to overcome.

Though only 21 years old at the time, Rita Tushingham turns in an absolutely stellar performance. She displays her character's emotional rollercoaster with complete vulnerabilty and transparency. In film after film, Rita totally immerses herself in her characters, and thus her reactions to other characters always seem spontaneous and true. The shame of it is that in her long career, this superlative actress was not given many roles like this one that could showcase her tremendous acting ability.

Beautifully photographed, directed, and especially acted, Girl With Green Eyes (though Rita's eyes are actually deep blue) was made on location in Dublin, Ireland, in 1963. Thirty-three years later, Rita would return to Dublin to film the beautifully melodic and innocent tale of childhood, "The Boy From Mercury".

Edna O'Brien published the three novels of her Country Girls trilogy between 1960 and 1964. In 1986, she attempted to satisfy the requests of readers who wished to know what happened to Kate and her friend Baba, by publishing a short Epilogue. These works can be found together as "The Country Girls Trilogy plus Epilogue".

However, if you like happy endings, you may not wish to read the Trilogy & Epilogue. Edna O'Brien's depressing, man-hating attitude pervades her novels. She portrays her women as noble martyrs, her men as drunken good-for-nothings, and her girls as precarious heroines one step away from having their hearts broken by one of those dastardly men! The story of Kate and Eugene is the only hopeful story in the Trilogy & Epilogue, and I agree with the filmmakers that this was the love story that deserved to be made into a film. So, in my humble opinion, watch this outstanding essential film and forget the book.


Rating:
Summary: One of the best Films-Ever!
Review: I saw this first in 1975 and still remember the haunting scenes with Rita Tushingham. She plays sensitively yet without maudlin excess as the young single woman pregnant with her Jamaican boyfriend's baby, supported by her local friends including a Gay neighbor. An honest view of life in 60's Manchester,as well as the film debut of an excellent actress.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful artifact from the mid-Sixties
Review: This is a very stylish story of a young Irish girl's affair with an older man. Part sad, part whimsical, and all around very refreshing, the film winds up being more light and fun than dark and tragic, as one might expect.

The film is wonderfully photographed in glorious black and white, both in a documentary format and a dash of a somewhat "New Wave" style. It's an interesting mixture, anyway. In fact, the entire film appears to have been shot on location in Dublin and the surrounding countryside, lending even further creditbility to the documentray styling.

The well-written dialogue is full of engaging double-meanings, and may remind one of "The Prisoner", as the lines can be both cryptic, yet very deep and telling. The actors all deliver, too.

The film is very much a product of its time, and captures the feeling of what it must have been like to be a youth in 1963 Dublin. It very much conveys the atmosphere of a "slice of life" during the era, as the young girl comes of age.

This is a little-known gem that aspiring film students may find inspirational. Lynn Redgrave's debut film.