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Friends (1971 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Friends' is a 1971 British-French teen-romance film directed and produced by Lewis Gilbert and written by Gilbert, Vernon Harris and Jack Russell. The soundtrack, with music composed by Elton John and Paul Buckmaster and lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, was released as John's 'Friends' album, and John's recording of the title selection charted when released as a single in the United States.[http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1971-04-24 Billboard chart 24 April 1971 - peaked at number 34]
Plot
Neglected 15-year-old English boy Paul Harrison, living in Paris with his wealthy businessman father, befriends an orphaned 14-year-old French girl named Michelle Latour who has recently arrived in Paris to live with her cousin. However, Michelle finds the situation in her cousin's Montmartre apartment to be disturbingly unwholesome.
Together, Paul and Michelle decide to run away. They travel to the idyllic marshlands of the Camargue where Michelle has a very small cottage to which she and her recently deceased artist father periodically escaped from their home in Arles. Paul and Michelle settle into the house, become lovers, have a baby and play at being responsible adults. Along the way, they each discover many of the troubles of family life.
The couple's adventure ends when the police finally find Paul and Michelle.
Sequel
In the 1974 sequel, 'Paul and Michelle,' the young family has been reunited, and Paul must cope with not only Michelle's new love interest but also the difficulties that he faces balancing work, college and family.
Reception
The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best English-Language Foreign Film at the 1972 Golden Globe Awards. It was also nominated for a Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture at the 1972 Grammy Awards.[https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=940CEEDA1530E73BBC4D51DFB566838A669EDE New York Times]
Roger Ebert awarded the film a one-star rating, heavily criticizing it for its portrayal of teenage sex: "The archness of their 'innocence' toward sex is, finally, just plain dirty. And the worst thing is that the movie seems to like it that way." Gene Siskel of the 'Chicago Tribune' also gave the film one star and called it "a saccharine story" that teases the payoff of the two characters sleeping together until "the audience are made to feel like Peeping Toms."Siskel, Gene (August 30, 1971). [https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/clip/89037075/gene-siskel-movie-reviewfriends/ "Friends".] 'Chicago Tribune'. Section 2, p. 19. Arthur D. Murphy of 'Variety' agreed and found the film's plot "requires a sensitive adult mind" but "lacks by a wide margin the requisite treatment, more often than not being patronizingly voyeuristic."Murphy, Arthur D. (March 24, 1971). "Film Reviews: Friends". 'Variety'. 26. Howard Thompson of 'The New York Times' called the film "rather exasperating" until the "deeply touching finale" when it finally makes its point about pure love with the birth of the baby.Thompson, Howard (March 25, 1971). [https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/25/archives/friends-at-the-paris.html "'Friends' at the Paris".] 'The New York Times'. 46. Brenda Davies of 'The Monthly Film Bulletin' wrote that producer-director Gilbert "sometimes seems to be inviting guffaws rather than sympathy. The story itself is riddled with improbabilities, and the dialogue seems out of touch with the contemporary teenage idiom." Anice Alvina, however, was singled out by Davies for praise as an actress with "an alarmingly precocious charm, and she manages to survive the most embarrassing situations with aplomb."
Kevin Thomas of the 'Los Angeles Times' wrote a positive review, calling 'Friends' "a film of rare tenderness and charm" with "winning performances" from both leads.Thomas, Kevin (September 15, 1971). [https://latimes.newspapers.com/clip/89037231/ "'Friends' Opens at Picwood".] 'Los Angeles Times'. Part IV, p. 11. Scott Murray, writing for the April 2005 issue of 'Senses of Cinema', challenged the largely negative critical reception to 'Friends', believing that the movie's greatest strength is "its evocation of Arcadia, that magic, protected place where life may be lived as the rest of us can only dream."
Cast
*Sean Bury as Paul Harrison
*Anice Alvina as Michelle Latour
*Ronald Lewis as Mr. Robert Harrison (father of Paul)
*Toby Robins as Mrs. Gardner
*Joan Hickson as Lady in Bookshop
*Pascale Roberts as Annie
*Sady Rebbot as Pierre
References
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