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35 out of 39 people found the following review useful: Hey There, Georgy Girl! - What a Wonderful Story!, 5 June 2004 Author: thursdays from Cleveland, Ohio
Lynn Redgrave and James Mason are perfectly cast as the pudgy, ugly duckling Georgy and the lonely, aging millionaire who adores the young woman without means. Redgrave's roommate is a cold-hearted and embittered woman, who banks on her good looks to get her what she wants out of life. Although the roommate becomes pregnant by her fiancee, the young man soon realizes that he fancys the homely but sweet Georgy over the constantly complaining woman about to give birth to his child. The baby is born and is instantly rejected by the mother. Georgy is determined to protect the innocent child and to bring her up by herself, if she had to. The ending is one of my favorite film conclusions ever. You will not be disappointed!This film was ahead of its time in 1966 England (and the world). Despite the progressive themes, both the film and its infectious theme song became enormous successes. If you know the song, look for a much more elaborate rendition in the film, featuring many extra lines. The same was done with the legendary "Song From Moulin Rouge" (1952). -- "Georgy Girl" receives my highest recommendation!*****
24 out of 29 people found the following review useful: its time for jumping down from the shelf, a little bit, 24 December 2004 Author: mosoul from San Francisco
Good performances from Redgrave, Mason, Rampling and Bates. A modest film that found international approval. In 1966, while it may have seemed shocking to hear UK girl Charlotte Rampling tell Alan Bates that she had "destroyed" two of his already, it's worth remembering that an American girl couldn't have a legal abortion unless there were extenuating circumstances. Roe v. Wade was still several years away. The wholesome longings of Goergie are sharply contrasted with her roommate, the ice cold Meredith. The lead was originally offered to Vanessa Redgrave and when she backed out her younger sister Lynne was cast. She was overwhelmingly brave playing Georgie as a girl you liked enough that when she does something embarrassing you can't help but flinch. It happens a lot. As she falls and fails she finds a life of her own. And that is oddly inspirational.
19 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Its Alan Bates film., 21 October 2005 Author: petersj-2 from Australia
It was wonderfully interesting reading the reviews; even the ones I disagree with. All the performances are wonderful and as for the Seekers title song it will always give me goose bumps. I think its this movie that really introduced Alan Bates, at any rate I certainly sat up and noticed. I love his performance in this film. He is a rogue that you cannot help but fall in love with. I love the way the film opens especially the pulse of a London that has sadly long gone. Lyn Redgraves big production number is a real hoot and I agree with the comments about James Mason. What a gifted actor he was. Bates is however the real reason why I love the movie. I confess I had an enormous crush on Bates in this role and that scene when you see his bum as he gets out of the bath well, enough said. Lyn Redgrave, James Mason and the remarkable Rampling are all marvelous.
20 out of 23 people found the following review useful: One of my personal cult movies, 22 April 2002 Author: llips from Ottawa, Canada
Reviews seem to miss the real theme of this film, which is about the voyage of self-discovery of a person who feels out of sync with her world and tries to define, or redefine, her own true self. This theme has a strange attraction for me -- I identify with Georgy's search, I think, because of my own feelings of misalignment with the world or alienation. Unfortunately, as a male, it seems that the principal characters in films addressing this theme with sensitivity are invariably women. Perhaps in our society men are expected not to have such uncertainties about themselves or to suppress them, so no films are made. Two other films I enjoyed because of their similar themes are "Muriel's Wedding" and "Thelma and Louise". If you like, you can tell me I'm reading far more into this film than was ever intended, reminiscent of Mark Twain's famous warning. But you won't convince me! Alan
16 out of 18 people found the following review useful: 60s London well worth a (re)visit, 24 January 2006 Author: warrenk-2 from Oakland, CA, USA
I enjoyed "Georgy Girl" at the time of its original release, but hadn't thought about it until I recently viewed the DVD version. This revisit was well worth it: "Georgy Girl" is a delightful film.Charlotte Rampling's Meredith is my favorite of the four main characters. Rampling has always been physically stunning, but it's her moody intellect within that keeps Meredith modern rather than a 60s icon who looks sensational in Mary Quant mini-dresses, a darker version of Julie Christie in "Darling" (a character who didn't have too much of a light side herself). Meredith is cool, in control, self-serving, brutal, and surprisingly honest about who she is. "You take me as me," she tells Jos (Alan Bates) as she cajoles him into marrying her, not so much because she's pregnant but because she's bored. It seems in Meredith's view, you can easily get rid of a pregnancy, but boredom requires more skill and is potentially a worse situation in which to find yourself. Other actresses could have successfully made Meredith a bitch, but Rampling makes her fascinating and thus strangely likable. When she exits the film, things go a bit limp, but then there's little left than to move the story to its inevitable conclusion.Alan Bates plays Jos with such high physical and verbal energy he seems to be all the Marx Brothers rolled into one. His facial expression at the culmination of his strip during the 'I Love You' sequence suggested to me a nod to the great Harpo.Lynn Redgrave made the role of Georgy so much her own it's difficult to believe the story that Vanessa Redgrave had been originally intended for it -- and even more difficult to imagine Vanessa playing scenes with Rampling.The title song became a big hit at the time. In the film, the lyrics vary somewhat from the pop version, serving to set up the plot during the opening credits and then comment on its resolution at the end. In between, the song politely vanishes, leaving the classically influenced score by Alexander Faris to take over with its harpsichord riffs and its subtle playfulness. I especially liked the violin solo that accompanies the transition from orgasm to morning sickness.The dialogue is often fast, overlapping, thrown away, or contains obscure (to me) cultural references, so it's worth enabling the English subtitles for DVD viewing. You wouldn't want to miss "Moss Bros", or Alan Bates' rapid-fire disrobing monologue, or Meredith's contempt for the concert at which she has just played violin: "Beethoven night. They're like animals."
18 out of 23 people found the following review useful: An anthem for heavy girls the world over, 6 March 2001 Author: aromatic-2 (aromatic@ivillage.com) from New York, NY
I was a teen when this first came out and as a little piglette, this movie struck a special chord with me. I saw it twice in the theatres, then did not see it again until about 3 months ago, and then again last night. It holds up wonderfully, both as an anthem and as a bizarre comedy-drama. Lynn Redgrave is magnificent in the title role, and Charlotte Rampling is nothing short of brilliant as her roommate Meredith. Alan Bates is equally brilliant in an eccentric supporting role. This is a marvelous time capsule, but the central elements still hold true today. See it.
15 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Undiscovered witty girl kisses toad; later finally finds prince, 24 May 2004 Author: knutsenfam from StJohn, IN
So fun! And a few other little gems in this mod 60's film!Other reviews here will give you a plot overview. Basically Georgy is the fun, vivacious but unpopular girl who eventually gets some of her dreams, tho with a price. I wouldn't have been allowed to see Georgy Girl when it came out. I was too young & the (by today's standards modest) 1960's bedroom scenes meant Mom would say "NO!" It's not a suitable family film. But now---I'd love to watch it with my teenage daughter & comment on how Georgy --hardly noticed by her parents---chased by her parents' employer---and loved by a ne'er do well "Peter Pan" finally comes out rather well!Georgy Girl is that odd little chick flick film where many of us women (girls) can identify with the fun, attractive, but slightly awkward lead, played marvelously by Lynn Redgrave. Some may root for Alan Bates' JOS character, but middle-aged me knows a "toad" --however handsome---when I see one. And James Mason's "rich James Leamington" is a prince with some moral "warts" to work out... but I cheer for him, because he is (however he might disguise it) essentially a chivalrous man, a shy man who absolutely adores Georgina and, as she says to him "you said you would do anything for me" totally devoted to her...Watch scenes where Mr. Leamington and Georgy's father discuss her. Watch Mason's facial expressions closely to see why he was Oscar nominated-- (the director was rather stingy with closeups in key moments). Georgy's parents don't particularly like her---and see only the duckling and not the emerging swan.Note that Georgy gradually assumes control of James, as she first shows fear when she sees Leamington, but later it's "Poor James". A foreshadowing of their future? And I love it in the scene when Georgy (and James in top hat & fancy apparel) haul the baby carriage he was asked to buy for Georgy's adopted baby Sarah up the many stairs to her apartment. She gets back at James by some cheeky comments in front of two proper elderly ladies. (Watch her interactions with both suitors... she can demonstrate wit and charm...)Tho the Georgy Girl film theme song by the Seekers sneers at Georgy "...a little bit", I suspect this film was big because it struck a chord with so many girls & women. Sort of like the Janice Ian song "At Seventeen" in the 1970's. Finally on DVD, but no "extras". But check Lynn Redgrave's site for more "Georgy" photos & info!
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: British Nouvelle Vague, 11 February 2008 Author: Aluísio Parondi (nem.freud.explica@gmail.com) from Winooski, Vermont, USA
I watched this movie mostly for Lynn Redgrave, expecting nothing more than an old, light-hearted British comedy. It was better than I expected; "Georgy Girl" is a lovely, bittersweet dramedy clearly inspired by American screwball comedies of the 30's and the French New Wave that was burning in the 60's (to see how much the Nouvelle Vague aesthetics influenced British cinema, check the also remarkable "Two for the Road", with Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn).Redgrave, fantastic as usual, plays Georgy, a scatter-brained working-class virgin with a golden heart. She shares a flat with a selfish, cold bitch (Charlotte Rampling), who gets pregnant of Jos (Alan Bates), and the three of them eventually move together; but things get complicated as Georgy is courted by Jos and James (James Mason), a much older man, at the same time.Bates (is it just me, or does he look like Jean-Paul Belmondo - one of the greatest Nouvelle Vague icons because of Godard's "Breathless" - in this?), Rampling and Mason are all great in their respective parts, but this is Redgrave's show all the way. Her anti-heroine is sweet and memorable, somewhat similar to Toni Collette's Muriel Heslop (from "Muriel's Wedding"), some sort of a British, less patient and clumsier Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou). Georgy singing "Whole Lotta Woman" is a classic scene. Lynn's performance alone would make this movie worth seeing, but she's not the only good thing about it, just the core. 10/10.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: I should see it again..., 18 April 2008 Author: miriamkgross9 from Canada
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This film gets seven out of ten on acting alone. James Mason is perfectly creepy, and yet you can still sympathize with him. Lynn Redgrave is just... perfect for the part. And Alan Bates.... yes I confess it, I had a crush on him too. Favorite scene: the alternating, silent close-ups between Georgy and Jos, as Jos slowly realizes that he is, in fact, in love with Georgy (before following her around half of London yelling "I love you!" at the top of his lungs!!!) I seem to recall that the ending was somewhat disturbing for me when I originally watched it... I wonder how I would feel about it now. Most reviewers I've read seem to believe that Georgy has found herself in the end; I disagree. I leave individual viewers to make up their own minds.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: overall, I recommend it, 22 July 2005 Author: San7799 from United States
Overall, I recommend this flick. I particularly liked the character of Georgy ...the way she tries to cover up any vulnerability with wit/ spunk..she MAKES the movie. But I can't help be bummed at the ending. Rationally, I approve of the ending, but find it disappointing at the same time..... It was more sensible,plausible and had more integrity than if they'd kept Georgy & Jos together...but...but... James Mason creeped me out through the whole movie (I mean, he watched her grow up..the old lecher!) and Alan Bates was soo ADORABLE (yes, he was selfish & immature too, I KNOW. He had potential for change??Maybe??) I supposed I'm just biased, Alan Bates (Alan Bates of the late '60s & '70s that is)being up there on my list of unconventional crushes.
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