American Friends
My favourite film of Michael Palin of which I made a fanvid on youtube, gif's and a lot of screencaps.
Here are some gif's of the movie and more...
that was too cute... Francis Ashby in love *lol*
"What shall you take back with you, Mr. Ashby?"
it is somehow difficult to make a choice:
A very cute smile of Michael ...
Elinor Hartley - "Do you know the first time i saw you?"
Francis Ashby - "Oh, yes, I remember exactly what you said - did i disturb you, Sir?"
Elinor - "No, no, it was before that"
Ashby - "Never was a truer word spoken"
Elinor - "You looked so cool and care free - what were you singing?"
Review:
It's about an Oxford University Professor, Francis Ashby, who decides to go on holiday to Switzerland where he meets Mrs. Caroline Hartley, whose father was the author of a book which isn't well-known but she believes it is (at least a copy of it stands in the library at Oxford, as the viewer later gets to know)...
Ashby also gets himself aquainted to an 18 year old girl, who is an orphan from Ireland and has become the ward of Mrs. Caroline Hartley.
But before they really meet, Elinor sees Ashby with her telescope, while he is taking a bath and sings a song.
Elinor amuses herself about all sorts of things and while she wants to go up the Alps, Mrs. Weaks who had paid the guide to take them up their, feels ill and decides to go back. "Can't we go on?" - Elinor insists on going up without the guide and Ashby, who had been interrupted by her while sitting in the silence, offers the two women to guide them "without having to pay a penny for it"
Anyway, Ashby gets confused by his map and soon they loose their way, Elinor even starts shouting "We're lost", but suddenly she sees the way back and tries to tell Ashby, who suddenly slips and rolls down the hill, hurting one of his legs and gets injured in his face as well.
The next day, Elinor decides to visit him and excuses for her behaviour, Ashby seems rather suprised to see her and all of a sudden they become friends.
A few days later, they have a little party at the village and Elinor is very disappointed that Ashby dances with her aunt, but not with her. She follows him, tells him of her life and that she lost her brothers and sisters due to the famine in Ireland... and suddenly he kisses her but they get interrupted by Doctor Weaks who wants to speak with him about his son, John and his chances to get into the college. Ashby receives a telegram the next day, that the president of the college is seriously ill and wishes to see him. He leaves without talking to Elinor or Mrs. Hartley.
His friends try to talk with him about his trip to Switzerland, but he just seems to block up everything which concerns this matter. "Switzerland is over". Probably a week later or so, the two woman arrive in Oxford, though they are not allowed to go inside the college, they wish to speak Mr. Ashby, who then shows them around. He doesn't seem to take any notice of Elinor, who is so frustrated that she leaves her aunt and him and goes trough the college on her own, where she is seen by a very young colleague of Ashby, who is a well-know womanizer, Mr. Symes.
After her aunt and Mr. Ashby have a dinner together, Elinor decides to run away from their hotel and goes to Ashby's home inside the college and waits there for him. Her aunt has already fallen in love with the handsome professor, but has not the slightest idea that he cares only for Elinor.
As he finds Elinor, she is soaking wet and he tries to warm her with a blanket. Then he speaks with her about the situation, she confronts him again with her feelings, but he resists and tells her that he would loose all he ever wanted - the chance to become the president of the college... therefore he brings her back home, where they are seen at two o'clock at the morning by the doctor, whose son wanted to attend Oxford - but was too dumb to do so. He then starts blackmailing Ashby but he still has a slight chance to become the president of the college as one of his friends finds out about the blackmailer as well and tells Ashby to leave college for a few days. "You have to give me a solemn taking never to see these American Friends of yours again"
While Ashby goes to his father's place, where he tries to write a letter to his dear Elinor... "my dear Elinor - dear Elinor..." Mrs. Hartley visits him there... and Elinor, who believes that Ashby is in love with her "aunt", gets seduced by Symes'.
Mrs. Caroline Hartley asks Ashby if they would ever have a chance and Ashby tells her that he cannot marry because of his promise to the college.
The president of the college dies, and suddenly there will be an election, while Ashby still wishes to become the president, he gets the terrible news by his former blackmailer that the young girl, Elinor, is pregnant.
"Miss Elinor is expecting a child" ... "What?"
Ashby tells his colleague and closest friends who simply says "that man is ruined - this is our day, Ashby".. when Ashby asks him what will happen to Elinor, his colleague tells him that he can't compare this silly little girl to the college.
In this moment, he realizes that he truly loves her and he tells Symes "she is to have a child" - but Symes' doesn't care and walks away... but before the election starts, Ashby's friend and colleague receives a written note.
He is on his way to Elinor and Miss Hartley who are packing to go back to America... he goes up to her room and talks to her about the situation.
Elinor - "When I realized that you loved her and not me"
Ashby - "No, it's not true"
Elinor - "Then why have you come?"
She knows that she has done a mistake, but she wouldn't be against a marriage of him and her aunt anymore... Ashby regrets his horrible faults as well and tells her that he has never loved Ms. Hartley but her.
Caroline Hartley has just gone upstairs and suddenly realizes that Ashby is in love with her ward, she goes outside and tells the man who are taking her things to the train station "Wait, the brown trunk can stay, the rest will go to the station"
At the end they talk about their first meeting and he reminds her of the first words she has ever said to him. "Did i disturb you, Sir?"... Elinor smilingly says that it wasn't the first time that she saw him - she thinks of the day where she saw him with her telescope and asks him happily which song he did sing in Switzerland... for a moment he wonders what she means and suddenly they begins to smile.
Symes' has become president of the college and his colleagues congratulate him. The following day, Ashby's friends wishes to see Ashby but he gets the information "he - they left.. first thing this morning" "Do you know where?" "Gone abroad - best thing for him in these circumstances"
His housekeeper says to his colleague "old bugger, and in my rooms too" - as he believes that Ashby has seduced the girl inside the college.
The movie ends with her and Ashby standing somewhere in Switzerland and she looks through the telescope again and seems very happy...
The Cast:
Michael Palin - Francis Ashby
Trini Alvarado - Elinor Hartle
Connie Booth - Mrs. Caroline Hartley
Alfred Molina - Mr. Symes
Actually the story was based upon the travel diaries of Edward Palin, Michael Palin's great-grandfather, who then married the girl and they had seven children. His grandfather had also met the girl in Switzerland, and she was Irish just like Elinor, but I doubt that she was actually pregnant with another man's baby at the time of their marriage... but Edward Palin had also been at Oxford at that time and left it behind for his love... but I saw a photograph of him in Michael's book 'Diaries 1969-1979'.. he wasn't as cute as Michael was..
Amazing movie and if it is on tv somewhere, it's really worth watching, probably the best movie i have yet seen of Michael... it was really professionaly made, hard to believe that he is a comedian.
You can find a fanvid of it on my youtube page here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aq-yg06X1U
And (thanks to Paul), the trailer of the film is now on youtube as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rW_V9QWRRo
ENJOY!!!!
Here are some gif's of the movie and more...
that was too cute... Francis Ashby in love *lol*
"What shall you take back with you, Mr. Ashby?"
it is somehow difficult to make a choice:
A very cute smile of Michael ...
Elinor Hartley - "Do you know the first time i saw you?"
Francis Ashby - "Oh, yes, I remember exactly what you said - did i disturb you, Sir?"
Elinor - "No, no, it was before that"
Ashby - "Never was a truer word spoken"
Elinor - "You looked so cool and care free - what were you singing?"
Review:
It's about an Oxford University Professor, Francis Ashby, who decides to go on holiday to Switzerland where he meets Mrs. Caroline Hartley, whose father was the author of a book which isn't well-known but she believes it is (at least a copy of it stands in the library at Oxford, as the viewer later gets to know)...
Ashby also gets himself aquainted to an 18 year old girl, who is an orphan from Ireland and has become the ward of Mrs. Caroline Hartley.
But before they really meet, Elinor sees Ashby with her telescope, while he is taking a bath and sings a song.
Elinor amuses herself about all sorts of things and while she wants to go up the Alps, Mrs. Weaks who had paid the guide to take them up their, feels ill and decides to go back. "Can't we go on?" - Elinor insists on going up without the guide and Ashby, who had been interrupted by her while sitting in the silence, offers the two women to guide them "without having to pay a penny for it"
Anyway, Ashby gets confused by his map and soon they loose their way, Elinor even starts shouting "We're lost", but suddenly she sees the way back and tries to tell Ashby, who suddenly slips and rolls down the hill, hurting one of his legs and gets injured in his face as well.
The next day, Elinor decides to visit him and excuses for her behaviour, Ashby seems rather suprised to see her and all of a sudden they become friends.
A few days later, they have a little party at the village and Elinor is very disappointed that Ashby dances with her aunt, but not with her. She follows him, tells him of her life and that she lost her brothers and sisters due to the famine in Ireland... and suddenly he kisses her but they get interrupted by Doctor Weaks who wants to speak with him about his son, John and his chances to get into the college. Ashby receives a telegram the next day, that the president of the college is seriously ill and wishes to see him. He leaves without talking to Elinor or Mrs. Hartley.
His friends try to talk with him about his trip to Switzerland, but he just seems to block up everything which concerns this matter. "Switzerland is over". Probably a week later or so, the two woman arrive in Oxford, though they are not allowed to go inside the college, they wish to speak Mr. Ashby, who then shows them around. He doesn't seem to take any notice of Elinor, who is so frustrated that she leaves her aunt and him and goes trough the college on her own, where she is seen by a very young colleague of Ashby, who is a well-know womanizer, Mr. Symes.
After her aunt and Mr. Ashby have a dinner together, Elinor decides to run away from their hotel and goes to Ashby's home inside the college and waits there for him. Her aunt has already fallen in love with the handsome professor, but has not the slightest idea that he cares only for Elinor.
As he finds Elinor, she is soaking wet and he tries to warm her with a blanket. Then he speaks with her about the situation, she confronts him again with her feelings, but he resists and tells her that he would loose all he ever wanted - the chance to become the president of the college... therefore he brings her back home, where they are seen at two o'clock at the morning by the doctor, whose son wanted to attend Oxford - but was too dumb to do so. He then starts blackmailing Ashby but he still has a slight chance to become the president of the college as one of his friends finds out about the blackmailer as well and tells Ashby to leave college for a few days. "You have to give me a solemn taking never to see these American Friends of yours again"
While Ashby goes to his father's place, where he tries to write a letter to his dear Elinor... "my dear Elinor - dear Elinor..." Mrs. Hartley visits him there... and Elinor, who believes that Ashby is in love with her "aunt", gets seduced by Symes'.
Mrs. Caroline Hartley asks Ashby if they would ever have a chance and Ashby tells her that he cannot marry because of his promise to the college.
The president of the college dies, and suddenly there will be an election, while Ashby still wishes to become the president, he gets the terrible news by his former blackmailer that the young girl, Elinor, is pregnant.
"Miss Elinor is expecting a child" ... "What?"
Ashby tells his colleague and closest friends who simply says "that man is ruined - this is our day, Ashby".. when Ashby asks him what will happen to Elinor, his colleague tells him that he can't compare this silly little girl to the college.
In this moment, he realizes that he truly loves her and he tells Symes "she is to have a child" - but Symes' doesn't care and walks away... but before the election starts, Ashby's friend and colleague receives a written note.
He is on his way to Elinor and Miss Hartley who are packing to go back to America... he goes up to her room and talks to her about the situation.
Elinor - "When I realized that you loved her and not me"
Ashby - "No, it's not true"
Elinor - "Then why have you come?"
She knows that she has done a mistake, but she wouldn't be against a marriage of him and her aunt anymore... Ashby regrets his horrible faults as well and tells her that he has never loved Ms. Hartley but her.
Caroline Hartley has just gone upstairs and suddenly realizes that Ashby is in love with her ward, she goes outside and tells the man who are taking her things to the train station "Wait, the brown trunk can stay, the rest will go to the station"
At the end they talk about their first meeting and he reminds her of the first words she has ever said to him. "Did i disturb you, Sir?"... Elinor smilingly says that it wasn't the first time that she saw him - she thinks of the day where she saw him with her telescope and asks him happily which song he did sing in Switzerland... for a moment he wonders what she means and suddenly they begins to smile.
Symes' has become president of the college and his colleagues congratulate him. The following day, Ashby's friends wishes to see Ashby but he gets the information "he - they left.. first thing this morning" "Do you know where?" "Gone abroad - best thing for him in these circumstances"
His housekeeper says to his colleague "old bugger, and in my rooms too" - as he believes that Ashby has seduced the girl inside the college.
The movie ends with her and Ashby standing somewhere in Switzerland and she looks through the telescope again and seems very happy...
The Cast:
Michael Palin - Francis Ashby
Trini Alvarado - Elinor Hartle
Connie Booth - Mrs. Caroline Hartley
Alfred Molina - Mr. Symes
Actually the story was based upon the travel diaries of Edward Palin, Michael Palin's great-grandfather, who then married the girl and they had seven children. His grandfather had also met the girl in Switzerland, and she was Irish just like Elinor, but I doubt that she was actually pregnant with another man's baby at the time of their marriage... but Edward Palin had also been at Oxford at that time and left it behind for his love... but I saw a photograph of him in Michael's book 'Diaries 1969-1979'.. he wasn't as cute as Michael was..
Amazing movie and if it is on tv somewhere, it's really worth watching, probably the best movie i have yet seen of Michael... it was really professionaly made, hard to believe that he is a comedian.
You can find a fanvid of it on my youtube page here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aq-yg06X1U
And (thanks to Paul), the trailer of the film is now on youtube as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rW_V9QWRRo
ENJOY!!!!