stanistreet

I read "Clochmerle", Gabriel Chevalier's classic novel, more than forty years ago & loved it. It was achingly funny in a very French way - irreverent; very political - and I wondered how it might translate to the screen. Apart from Macha Meril, the cast is wholly unknown to me, but the acting is universally of a high standard & the absurdity of a Government almost crashing - because of the building of a Vespasienne in the Beaujolais & siting it beside the local church - is well paced, never descending into "Carry On" farce. It keeps to the original in a scrupulous fashion & retains the wonderful sense of period - 1923. I would award it a 9.

Artur Rubinstein has that knack of connecting immediately with his audience. The twinkling eyes & the mischievous comments, not always what one expects. When he went to Moscow, in 1964, there was an expectancy, which permeated the hall. When he finished the first of many Chopin pieces, the hall erupted & it was difficult to hold back the emotional reaction one felt, as a mere TV spectator. I am unsure how the grapevine works if one wants to set up a plea for the reissue of this classic film. It was made in France, so perhaps that should be the starting point? RCA produced an LP of the music. Whatever, one might ask IMDb to lend a bit of weight to those of us who would pay serious money to obtain a copy? Is there a Post Box somewhere - or an amateur who has a copy & might weigh in? I tried eBay, but, so far, no response. I would like to open a dialogue here.