Separate Tables

A model causes a stir when she walks into a quiet and gentrified hotel in Bournemouth. Every guest at the hotel dines alone; every guest has a story to tell.

Unlike others here, I haven't seen any other film or TV adaptations, but I did see a stage play many years back.

I've seen a few plays from the series, all have offered much, this so far is the best I've seen. This convinced me to order a DVD of the earlier film adaptation.

This is a sumptuous, decadent adaptation from the golden age of BBC costume drama. The story is wonderful, the script is first-rate, but the acting is the standout feature. The supporting cast is outstanding, the likes of Pauline Jameson and Annette Crosbie; however, both Eric Porter and Geraldine McEwan are outstanding as well. The calibre of their performances... let's just say we see just how good both of them are. I've never seen McEwan look so radiant.

I must credit the production and costume teams; it looks very good. Eric Porter's makeup is sensational. Had I not watched the Forsyte Saga, I wouldn't have recognised the Major.

One thing though: was anyone else hearing the introduction to Fawlty Towers?

10/10.

The Hollywood version of this, though well thought of at the time, is pretty awful. So it's great that this version was done for TV, by the same folks who produced the often wonderful "American Film Theater" series some ten years before. Alan Bates was in three of those. He is typically fine here.... Julie Christie gets to stretch in the two parts She does here. Is it possible Julie Christie could have ever been such a repressed wallflower in real life?

It's great stuff. A few years back I picked up a copy (it's not on DVD) for nothing on ebay, now I see copies are going for forty bucks. Some things on VHS are bound to fall between the cracks when it comes to DVD. See this if you get the chance....

This twin set of plays, each entirely self-contained although tangentially linked in time and space, offer magnificent performances by inspired actors, perceptive dialogue, and a mirror. While the two one-act plays are somewhat dated, the principles that they delineate, including loneliness, a desire for dignity, bitter regret and the search for love are universal, and timeless.

Of particular note is Alan Bates, an actor who is able to convey a full-range of emotions, and creates two completely dissimilar characters convincingly. His retired army officer is exceptionally poignant; with the lift of an eyebrow, the clearing of his throat or the steeling of his shoulders, Bates inhabits the character of the lonely poseur with such grace and authenticity, that he makes you truly care about what happens to him, and makes you despise the hypocrites at the boarding house who condemn him for his shortcomings.

Julie Christie is equally brilliant, using her radiant beauty to stunning effect in the first play, and abandoning it in the second (quite bravely, for a woman and actress known for her legendary face)

This is, in the end, filmed theater, and the viewer feels as if he is actually sitting in front of the stage. While not taking anything away from the fine film version with David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Wendy Hiller and Rita Hayworth, this version is superior in all respects.

Alan Bates and Julie Christie take on Terence Rattigan's fine brace of stories and give lessons in the art of acting. Bates is wonderful and Christie is nothing short of miraculous. A must see.

I was extremely fortunate to see the original play in London with Eric Portman and Margaret Leighton when I was a student there. I was knocked out with it, especially as the two leads doubled the roles as indeed Julie Christie and Alan Bates do in this wonderful TV version. What a tour de force this is for any actor and you need actors of great quality to make these roles completely different and, more importantly, believable. For anyone who is not familiar with Rattigan's stage play then this is the version to watch. The film version with Burt Lancaster, David Niven and Deborah Kerr, was messed about with by combining the two separate plays and re-writing the characters to suit the American casting of Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth. In this TV production the casting throughout is superlative. They bring this tale of deep loneliness and pathetic hypocrisy to life without it being overly sentimental in any way. I have since directed the play on stage and the more you read the actual script you realize what a wonderful performance this TV version is. Clare Bloom is very effective as Pat Cooper, the hotel manageress. Irene Worth is just superb as the vicious Mrs Railton Bell and the rest of the cast are faultless. Alan Bates and Julie Christie make this a joyous feast of acting to watch. I truly don't know which is the better performance. Also I really loved the music used as the introduction and prologue to this film. A must for anybody who really enjoys first class acting.