• A strong supporting cast (including Jessica Tandy, Lina Hunt, Wallace Shawn) but this is Vanessa Redgrave’s show. She’s superb—so much so that it magnifies the unremarkable work of Madeleine Potter and Christopher Reeve as her co-leads
  • Strong adaptation of Henry James
  • Love the details of the organ instrument on the opening credits
  • It’s really a love triangle with Reeve and Redgrave competing for Potter- lesbian film- there’s intelligent insulations throughout “a friendship that means so much to you” as someone says to Redgrave
  • If played for comedy (and he’s smiling) Reeve has some lines here—like “she looks so pretty when she says it” talking about Potter’s gift for speech on feminism
  • Love the old map drawings of Boston and NYC for establishing shots
  • It’s a detailed period look- costume- Ivory should be complimented
  • Love the exterior photography of the sunset, boat on the lake—has an idyllic Renoir- A Day in the Country feel to it
  • There is real pain in Redgrave’s eyes- great performance
  • The ending isn’t open but it’s an intellectual mix of bitter sweet for all three leads
  • The narrative is strong- Merchant Ivory clearly have a love for James but are not standing back in awe of it
  • Recommend- not in top 10 of 1984