[Afamilyatwar-list] Episode 25

Fri Nov 9 10:43:30 CST 2018

I agree, Richard's comments are fantastic. 

Richard, you've once or twice mentioned the film "A Summer Story," and coincidentally I recently read a novel (set in 1988 in the midlands) in which two characters go to see it. I looked at the synopsis of the film, and thought that James Wilby was the ideal person to play that character!

Christine

-----Original Message-----
From: afamilyatwar-list-bounces at baylor.edu [mailto:afamilyatwar-list-bounces at baylor.edu] On Behalf Of John Finch via Afamilyatwar-list
Sent: 09 November 2018 15:51
To: afamilyatwar-list at baylor.edu; Veit, Richard
Subject: Re: [Afamilyatwar-list] Episode 25

On 09.11.2018 14:40, Veit, Richard via Afamilyatwar-list wrote:
> EPISODE NO. 25, “GIVING AND TAKING”
> 
> I CONSIDER THE BLACK AND WHITE EPISODES (NOS. 25-32) TO BE SOME OF THE
> STRONGEST SCRIPTS IN THE ENTIRE SERIES. ONE SOON BECOMES ACCUSTOMED TO
> THE ABSENCE OF COLOUR, SO IT REALLY IS NO PROBLEM FROM A DRAMATIC
> POINT OF VIEW. INDEED, IN A STRANGE SORT OF WAY, BLACK AND WHITE
> ACTUALLY SEEMS TO ADD A CERTAIN FILM NOIR “EDGE” TO THE
> PRODUCTIONS THAT I FIND QUITE APPEALING. I AM TEMPTED TO SUGGEST THAT
> THEY MAY BE EVEN MORE POWERFUL THIS WAY, SOMEHOW BETTER SETTING THE
> ACTION IN THAT WWII PERIOD OF TIME. I WILL STOP SHORT OF THAT,
> HOWEVER, BECAUSE I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE EFFECTIVE USE OF COLOUR IN
> THE OTHER 44 EPISODES, AND, AFTER ALL, PEOPLE LIVING THROUGH THE WAR
> YEARS (DESPITE THE VINTAGE MOVIES WE ENJOY) ACTUALLY DID SEE THINGS IN
> COLOUR! THAT SAID, I AM GLAD THAT THE SERIES CONTINUED PRODUCTION
> THROUGHOUT THAT DIFFICULT TIME OF THE TRADE UNION DISPUTE, AND I AM
> CERTAIN THAT THE ORIGINAL AUDIENCE FELT THAT WAY TOO, AS CONTINUITY
> WAS MAINTAINED RATHER THAN HAVING TO ENDURE A TECHNICAL HIATUS OF
> SEVERAL WEEKS. COME TO THINK OF IT, I SUPPOSE THAT MOST VIEWERS WERE
> NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE CHANGE, AS MOST TELEVISION SETS BACK THEN WERE
> BLACK AND WHITE ANYWAY.
> 
> “GIVING AND TAKING” CONCERNS ITSELF WITH FOUR TROUBLED
> RELATIONSHIPS: EDWIN-JEAN / DAVID-SHEILA / MICHAEL-MARGARET / AND
> TONY-JENNY:
> 
> (1) DISPARITY OF CLASS RESURFACES WHEN EDWIN AND JEAN ARE AT THE OLD
> ASHTON HOME IN YORKSHIRE, AND SHE COMPLAINS THAT THE HOUSE SMELLS, THE
> BED IS DAMP, AND (REFERRING TO EDWIN’S SIDE OF THE FAMILY) “THEY
> WEREN’T MY PEOPLE.” HE TAKES EXCEPTION TO THESE INSENSITIVE
> REMARKS, AND THEIR MARRIAGE IS DAMAGED AT ITS FOUNDATIONS—THEIR VERY
> IDENTITIES AS HUMAN BEINGS. AT ONE POINT, EDWIN BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS
> AND CONFESSES TO HIS WIFE THAT HE IS LOST. CHARACTERISTICALLY, SHE
> OFFERS HIM NO COMFORT. WE SENSE THAT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION
> BETWEEN THEM HAVE BECOME SEVERED. IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR MARRIAGE,
> BOTH OF THEM SOMETIMES ARE GUILTY OF CHANGING THE SUBJECT OR EVEN
> OPENLY REJECTING THE OTHER’S ATTEMPT AT PEACE OVERTURES, BUT JEAN IS
> PARTICULARLY GUILTY OF SUCH SELFISH BEHAVIOUR. HOWEVER, WE SHOULD BEAR
> IN MIND THAT SHE IS NOT WELL. IT IS TWO MONTHS AFTER ROBERT’S DEATH
> AT SEA, AND THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TOLL ON JEAN ASHTON IS BY NOW
> CLEAR TO SEE. WHETHER DUE TO A MINOR STROKE OR DEPRESSION, SHE SUFFERS
> FROM MALAISE AND FITS OF FORGETFULNESS, AND HER MIND OCCASIONALLY
> WANDERS, CAUSING HER TO BECOME UNAWARE OF WHERE SHE IS. ANOTHER
> MANIFESTATION OF HER ILLNESS: AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, FOR NO APPARENT
> REASON, SHE HAS RESUMED SMOKING CIGARETTES, AN AIMLESS DECISION THAT
> STRIKES BOTH FREDA AND EDWIN AS SINGULARLY ODD.
> 
> (2) JUST WHEN DAVID ASHTON IS MAKING SOME HALF-HEARTED EFFORT TO
> SALVAGE HIS MARRIAGE, IN WALKS COLIN WOODCOCK, AND ANY POSSIBILITY OF
> RECONCILIATION IS DASHED. SHEILA IS INNOCENT OF ANY WRONGDOING, BUT I
> SUPPOSE IT IS ONLY NATURAL FOR DAVID TO SUSPECT OTHERWISE IN THE
> CIRCUMSTANCES. STILL, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GRANT HIM MUCH SYMPATHY, IN
> VIEW OF HIS OWN PROCLIVITY FOR INDISCRIMINATE LIAISONS.
> 
> (3) LITTLE DOES MICHAEL ARMSTRONG REALISE HOW HOPELESS HIS SITUATION
> HAS BECOME. EDWIN HAS LEARNED FROM MAJOR DIMMOCK THAT JOHN PORTER IS
> INDEED ALIVE, AND THAT REALITY ALL BUT SEALS MICHAEL’S FATE. THOUGH
> EDWIN MAY INSIST TO JEAN THAT THERE IS SOME DOUBT AS TO WHERE
> MARGARET’S AFFECTIONS WILL RESIDE, MY FEELINGS ARE THAT SHE IS TOO
> LOYAL, TOO DECENT, TOO FIRMLY GROUNDED IN MORALITY TO ABANDON HER
> HUSBAND FOR THE ARMS OF ANOTHER MAN. SHE WILL ATTEMPT TO DO SO AT
> FIRST, ENJOYING THE BOGUS FREEDOM OF CHOICE, BUT ULTIMATELY THERE CAN
> BE NO QUESTION OF ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT HOME LIFE WITH MICHAEL.
> 
> (4) I FIND IT QUITE SAD TO WITNESS THE DISSOLUTION OF LOVE BETWEEN
> TONY BRIGGS AND JENNY GRAHAM. SHE IS SUCH A CHARMING, CLASSY LADY THAT
> I WISH THEIR PLANS FOR A LIFE TOGETHER COULD HAVE BEEN REALISED. BUT
> IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE. TONY, THAT MOST LIKEABLE, ELIGIBLE, AND
> DESIRABLE OF BACHELORS ON “A FAMILY AT WAR,” IS THE ONE WHO WILL
> REMAIN SINGLE AT SERIES END. I CAN SEE THE OBVIOUS AND INSURMOUNTABLE
> PROBLEMS WITH HIS COUSIN FREDA AND, IN “FLESH AND BLOOD,” WITH
> BARBARA (MOTHER OF LITTLE STEVIE), BUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH JENNY WAS
> ON ANOTHER LEVEL ALTOGETHER.
> 
> SOME OTHER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT “GIVING AND TAKING”…
> 
> IN THIS EPISODE, WE LEARN THAT SEFTON’S LATE WIFE WAS NAMED EDITH.
> 
> THERE IS A FUNNY SCENE BETWEEN SEFTON AND TONY, WHEREIN TONY TRIES TO
> GET HIS FATHER TO ADMIT THAT HE SLEPT WITH THE DOOR OPEN TO MAKE
> CERTAIN THAT HE AND JENNY DID NOT BECOME TOO AMOROUS DURING THE NIGHT.
> EVER WILY, THE ELDER BRIGGS ATTRIBUTES HIS NEW-FOUND ATTENTIVENESS TO
> “THE BURGLARY.”
> 
> HOW NICE IT IS TO HAVE MARGARET BACK WITH US AGAIN AFTER HER TIME
> AWAY, RECUPERATING IN SHROPSHIRE. MY EYES ALWAYS SEEM TO GRAVITATE TO
> LESLEY NUNNERLEY WHENEVER SHE IS ON SCREEN.
> 
> HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED THAT THE YOUNG BOY WHO PLAYS JOHN GEORGE
> PORTER HERE, BEN GRIEVE, IS ALMOST ALWAYS CRYING? THE SAME HOLDS TRUE
> IN LATER EPISODES, TOO. WAS HE AFRAID OF THE CAMERAS, THE SOUND
> EQUIPMENT, AND THE LIGHTS? IT DOES NOT DAMAGE THE PRODUCTIONS VERY
> MUCH, AS CHILDREN OF THAT AGE DO CRY, BUT I WONDER WHAT THE
> CIRCUMSTANCES WERE FOR SELECTING HIM FOR THE ROLE. (IS HE, PERHAPS,
> RELATED TO KEN GRIEVE, A DIRECTOR OF CORONATION STREET?)
> 
> THE TOUCHING SCENE WHERE MARGARET AND FREDA ARE IN THE KITCHEN,
> DISCUSSING YOUNG ROBERT’S DEATH, IS ONE OF THE MOST SHATTERING IN
> THE SERIES, POWERFULLY ACTED BY LESLEY NUNNERLEY AND BARBARA FLYNN AND
> BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BY JOHN FINCH. ANOTHER MEMORABLE MOMENT COMES
> LATER IN THE EPISODE WHEN FREDA DISCOVERS THAT SHE IS LYING IN
> ROBERT’S BED. HER LOOK IS UTTERLY BELIEVABLE, AND I AM IMPRESSED BY
> ACTOR COLIN CAMPBELL’S PERFECT TIMING HERE, AS DAVID TELLS HER,
> “NO, THAT WASN’T MY BED. IT WAS ROB…” HE STOPS SHORT OF SAYING
> HIS BROTHER’S NAME, BUT OF COURSE NO ONE CAN REVERSE HER PANGS OF
> SORROW.
> 
> WHAT A MAJESTIC CAMERA PAN DIRECTOR GERRY MILL CHOOSES IN THAT BLEAK
> ESTABLISHING SHOT OF THE YORKSHIRE MINING TOWN.
> 
> MARGARET AND DAVID ARE VERY SWEET TOGETHER, MOST CONVINCING AS SISTER
> AND BROTHER, WHEN SHE MAKES HIM PROMISE TO SEE SHEILA. HERE WE ARE
> GIVEN A GLIMPSE OF DAVID’S SOFTER SIDE.
> 
> NOT LONG AFTER THE ASHTONS HAVE LEARNED OF ROBERT’S DEATH AT SEA,
> JEAN IS IN THE BOYS’ BEDROOM. AS SHE TURNS OVER ROBERT’S MATTRESS,
> IT TOPPLES SOME BOOKS OFF THE NIGHT STAND. SHE LEANS DOWN TO PICK THEM
> UP AND NOTICES ROBERT’S OLD SCHOOL SUPPLY BOX, ON WHICH IS SCRIBBLED
> (IN THE BOY’S OWN HANDWRITING) “ROBERT ASHTON / AIGBURGH /
> LIVERPOOL / LANCASHIRE / ENGLAND / EUROPE / THE WORLD / THE UNIVERSE /
> SPACE.” THERE SEEMS TO BE ANOTHER WORD THERE AS WELL (SEPARATED FROM
> “SPACE” BY A DASH OR HYPHEN), BUT IT IS OBSCURED FROM VIEW BY THE
> PLASTIC TRIANGLE. CAN ANYONE DECIPHER WHAT THAT WORD MIGHT BE? I HAVE
> ATTACHED AN IMAGE OF THE BOX AND A CLOSE-UP OF THE AREA IN QUESTION.
> _______________________________________________
> Afamilyatwar-list mailing list
> Afamilyatwar-list at baylor.edu
> https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list
Dear Richard,    What a pity you aren't a programme controller in a 
major network.  Your comments on the various episodes are so perceptive 
they add a dimension to viewing.    I am not thinking purely of the 
writing, but also yur appreciation of the acting and the outstanding 
talent of some of the directors. Sorry I can.t hrlp you with the last 
word on Robert;s supply box.  I wrote it, and it was probably derived 
fro something I wrote in  my schooldays, but I just can't remember the 
word.   Agree your comments on black and white transmissions;  these 
would apply even more to the production of SAM.  Regards,    JOHN
_______________________________________________
Afamilyatwar-list mailing list
Afamilyatwar-list at baylor.edu
https://mailman.baylor.edu/mailman/listinfo/afamilyatwar-list