Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing

I saw this film when I was 22, with my best friend. The protagonist, played by Timothy Bottoms, was so easy to root for, and Maggie Smith's "older woman" is a thing of beauty, comedic and touching, of course you love her, but, let's be real, what chance is there for THIS relationship... a film that was innovative for it's time, I thought. It's rather hard to find at video stores, so I think I'll try to buy it.

This heart-tugging April-August romance cannot be equaled for the lush Spanish scenery, excellent photography, haunting music, and courageous humor. A young Timothy Bottoms was fresh from his excellent performance in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, and Maggie Smith was in fine form portraying a spinster whose rose had lost its bloom. Her role is an excellent example of how a skilled, attractive actress enters a more mature, "seasoned" stage of her career. Both characters are slight misfits, fishes out of water on a cut-rate bus tour in the Spanish back-country who begin as antagonists but gradually draw closer. This is a tried formula, but in expert hands. It is a mystery why LOVE AND PAIN has never been marketed in any video format, or posted more prominently on the resume of either of its stars.

I saw this film for the first time when it was coupled with "the main film"...The Dove. Fortunately this film came on first and afterwards, during the preview of The Dove, most of the audience left. They clearly had come to see Maggie Smith. This is an absolutely perfect film and I would love to share it with other people.

After viewing Love and Pain nearly thirty years after it's initial release, I felt that this film had certainly passed the test of time. This sometimes overlooked film is an excellent vehicle for Maggie Smith in a dramatic role; even more believable than her classic, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Initially the film appears to be a very clever, dry comedy, accented by Maggie Smith's prim and proper British morals pitted against Timothy Bottom's portrayal of a rich, but socially awkward American student. From the hysterically funny camping-trailer scene to the bitter-sweet twist at the end, Love and Pain is a timeless treasure worthy of a place on your video shelf!

This is a great low key film. Maggie Smith is wonderful in this off beat drama/comedy. She did this I believe after " The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie " but her performance is clearly up to that standard. It really is a very sweet love story with the ups and downs of a relationship between Maggie and Timothy Bottoms. His performance is also very good and kept very low key much like the film in general. I don't know why it is not available on DVD or VHS? I happen to have recorded it off of a Canadian Broadcast years ago. I have also tried searching a number of rental house to no avail. If Mr. Pakula reads this please find away to make this little gem of a film available to everyone. Thank You.