El diario de la tortuga

(1985) Turtle Diary DRAMA

Adapted from the novel by Russell Hoban, simplistic formulaic plot with two middle age adults of Neaera Duncan (,Glenda Jackson) and bookstore clerk, William Snow (Ben Kingsley). With it's goal was to releasing three turtles back into the ocean from their captivated environment from a nearby zoo.

The characters of Glenda Jackson and Oscar winner Ben Kinglsey gives this film credibility, along as a great screenplay written by the author, Russell Hoban and Harold Pinter than the situation of freeing the turtles. Please do not expect a "Free Willy" type of scenario here because it is not.

Superb film. I have still have it on betamax! Must move it to safer media. I see it as a story of two aquariums, one is the zoo aquarium which contain the turtles, swimming around aimlessly attempting to satisfy their ancient migration, and the only slightly bigger tank with all of us in. Basically, the story is of two people in a humdrum life in 'bedsit land', who get it together to liberate the turtles, and in doing so, themselves. There are lots of quality cameos with superb actors, superbly chosen by Hoban, an Anglophile who knows us better than ourselves. In my experience only 10% of all films are worth making. This is one of them. Why oh why is'nt it on DVD?

Two withdrawn, pathologically shy Londoners, one a dedicated bachelor and the other an author of children's books, conspire to hijack a trio of sea turtles from a local zoo and liberate them into the English Channel, coming out of their own shells (so to speak) in the process.

It sounds trite, but what saves the film from becoming a starry-eyed promotion for Greenpeace is its refusal to rely strictly on charm. The screenplay by Harold Pinter (a refreshingly straightforward adaptation of the novel by Russell Hoban) is built entirely on small gestures and quiet epiphanies, with none of the expected emotional overkill or cheap inspirational grandstanding (there is, for example, no awkward romantic subplot tacked on to the adventure). Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley both give typically immaculate performances, and the film itself is likewise quite exhilarating, in its own understated, unassuming sort of way.

This is a film that takes its time to get where it's going, and you should savor every minute of it while it gets there. Nothing monumental happens in it, but it's a joy to watch the story unfold. As a shy and reclusive writer, Glenda Jackson watches the giant sea turtles swim around in their restrictive and small enclosure wishing she could set them free. Ben Kingsley is a shy and nervous book store owner who wishes he could do the same. These two eventually get together and plot to release them back into the wild, with the help of the turtle's keeper.

Watching these two consummate actors twitch, stare and fume through their roles is part of the charm of the film; there is obviously some mental condition that Jackson's character is suffering from, but we never get a clear idea of what it is. She was at one time was a successful author but seems not to be able to write anymore. Her mind is in some way cornered within a small space trying to break free, in a way that makes her relate to the plight of the turtles. Romance does figure in the film in a major way, but not between the two leads; this is also part of the film's allure. It is wonderful to see Richard Johnson doing even a small acting role; he's delightful as Jackson's neighbor. Kingsley's rooming house occupants are also a varied crew, and his battles with them form the more comic parts of the film.

In the end, this is a quiet, intelligent film about people with problems who struggle to overcome them and help several turtles at the same time. There are no explosions, no running gun battles, no catchphrases. What it does have is a great story and actors, wonderful music, and a marvelous aura to it that is ultimately more memorable than those blockbuster films. I highly recommend it.

Two lonely people, who desperately need to break out of their own confines, conspire together to free two sea turtles that have been imprisoned in an aquarium for thirty years. Harold Pinter's well-written script for "Turtle Diary" is spare, but Ben Kingsley and Glenda Jackson are such consummate actors that they bring a depth to their parts that goes well beyond words. Screen acting rarely gets better than these two performances. A glance, a half smile, and a shrug convey more than a page of written lines, and Kingsley and Jackson are masters of non-verbal communication. The supporting cast in this quirky film is equally skilled and ably fleshes out the sketchily written roles. Eleanor Bron is particularly memorable as a shadowy woman of few words, who lives in the same boardinghouse as Kingsley. She says little, but suggests much. Bron's character will haunt the viewer long after the film is over. Richard Johnson plays Jackson's neighbor, and he too creates a character far more real than his few lines of dialog would suggest. Nigel Hawthorne, Rosemary Leach, Michael Gambon, and Jeroen Krabbe also add idiosyncratic characterizations to this engaging film.

Set in London, "Turtle Diary" could be classified as a love story, although no romance develops between the leads and the lack of romance or interpersonal involvement constrains many of the protagonists. For the most part, the characters are solitary individuals, who exist alone and uninvolved when the film opens. However, as the story progresses, the fortunate form attachments, while those who do not remain confined by their loneliness. The story is slight and obviously intended to provide parallels between the plight of the turtles and those of the characters. Events move slowly, and character trumps plot. "Turtle Diary" is a glowing film for patient viewers, who will be rewarded for their time with excellent performances, memorable characters, and a gentle captivating story.