PeterRS Posted April 18 Posted April 18 With a 6-decade career, the gorgeous actor Julie Christie is 85 this week. Exactly 60 years ago she graced cinema screens as Lara in David Lean's epic movie "Dr. Zhivago". That same year she was the undoubted star of the lesser movie "Darling". The film that has most entranced me, though, was her portrayal of Marian in Joeph Losey's 1971 "The Go-Between" with its wonderful cast including Edward Fox, Alan Bates, Margaret Leighton and Sir Michael Redgrave. Set in a large aristocratic country house during a blisteringly hot summer at the turn of the century, Christie plays the older sister of a boarding school boy of around 12, Marcus, who has invited a schoolfriend from a more ordinary background, Leo, to spend the summer holidays. Marian weaves her charms on the innocent Leo for she neeeds him for an urgent mission. She has fallen in love with one of the farmers, Ted Burgess - a definite no-no in those days - and wants Leo to be her 'go-between' taking letters to and from him. Leo himself has developed a schoolboy crush on Marian and happily agrees. The affair between Marian and Ted progresses. Poor Leo has no idea that they are love letters until one day he sneaks a look at one. He is utterly shocked and his reaction is seen by Marian's mother who has long suspected something was going on. The end result is that the affair is discovered when the mother drags Leo to the barn and discovers Ted and Marian having sex. This leads to a whole series of complications, one being that Ted kills himself. Among the worst is the total devastation felt by Leo. 50 years later he returns to the House, a somewhat empty shell of a man having been unable to form intimate relationships all his life. Once again Marian asks him to be her 'go-between' - and to find out why you have to watch the movie! Michel Legrand's hauntingly beautiful score only adds to the power of the movie. Before moving to Asia, I frequently had to visit London. Friends and I often used to have dinner in a small restaurant the Trattoria Imperia opposite the entrance to the London Coliseum, home of English National Opera. On one occasion Julie Christie was dining at a slightly raised table at the end. I wanted to tell her how much i enjoyed her performances - but chickened out! I didn't think it appropriate that a member of the public interrupt a star just because she was in a public space! tm_nyc and bkkmfj2648 2 Quote
Members tm_nyc Posted April 18 Members Posted April 18 Thanks for the news about Ms Christie & the reminder about The Go-Between, which is an excellent movie. Very impressive list of her best films (not that I agree w/all the rankings): https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/apr/17/julie-christie-at-85-her-20-best-films-ranked On 4/18/2025 at 1:59 AM, PeterRS said: I didn't think it appropriate that a member of the public interrupt a star just because she was in a public space! Expand Good for you! reader 1 Quote
