Chronique d'un amour impossible

Catherine Cookson is a great writer but she has not been well served by Tyne Tees who made this TV film from the book of the same name. I think I read the book once but you get used to this sort of thing in a film adaption,that vast chunks are omitted . In this one a couple of kids are drowned in a boat and there's hardly a mention, The ending is totally stupid and unreal. Maybe this is Catherine Cookson's poorest story as there's little drama anywhere.Just a lot of people arguing about nothing much at all other than a lack of money and some rather silly reasons for scrapping. The 15 streets are supposed to be the divide between the rich and the poor,a common enough theme in Catherine Cookson

This is a magnificent piece of work. It's human. It's happy. It's sad. It's tragic. It's an improbable love story set in the grim world of the Newcastle England docks around the turn of the twentieth century. I'm not familiar with the author of the book. But I recognize dedicated, creative film work. We have plenty of that here! This is a film made by people who love making movies. It shows in every frame. The characters are strong and they're real. The grim atmosphere of the brick and concrete tenement district has been caught accurately, both its human and inhuman dimensions. Yet there are many warm and charming scenes among those that are bleak or tragic. The subdued colour, the rain and the snow at times, probably are more effective than black and white would have been. I would have given it a 10 save for two things. The ending is a little silly. And, surprising in a film which is is so historically accurate, one of the shots at the dock shows a modern overhead crane. But it's a keeper and one of those stimulating films that trigger interesting discussions and arguments.

A superbly balanced cast portray a story of love and loss in northern England. Excellent period piece that conveys the atmosphere of a rugged pre-war industrial town. Passions run high as love tries to cross the class divide. Performance which particularly stands out is that of a young Jane Horrocks.

I have also never seen such a beautiful, well balanced, and well, less- cliched Catherine Cookson! I am so glad I watched this- very lovely.

Fantastic acting ( and I have a soft spot for Ian Bannan, taken too early), but the production is generally excellent, with fantastic locations (as is the norm for these various Catherine Cookson productions). The mum and daughters of the O'Brien family were all excellent- and a poignant moment with dad (played by Leslie Scolfield ) later on in the film in itself justified his fee. The Bracken lad & Molly O'Brien were the best of the kids, Jane Horrocks needed more experience (which obviously later she got by the bucketful!)

I will go back to Beamish, and I will visit Blythe - this production demands me!

Such a WONDERFUL production. Very moving and atmospheric, authentic. When the haunting music came on at the end i remembered the stories and characters that we'd seen in the show. It reminded me that there were people who were like the o Brians in real life northern England and,like the people in real life, the characters have all been and gone too. The acting was great, even the smaller roles were great. This was made in 1989 and it was well made. I don't think they'd make such a brilliant job nowadays. It would be less tastefully made and more politically correct. Oh and the wonderful Claire Holman was amazing in every way