The other day, I watched The Shop Around the Corner,
the 1940 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as two
quarrelsome shop employees who don’t realize that they’re falling in
love with each other through correspondence. I presume this movie was
the reason my eyes settled upon 84 Charing Cross Road when I was
browsing Netflix’s Instant Viewing selections last night. It’s also the
main reason I expected a romance - though Netflix’s categorization
explains some of that too. This engrossing film starring Anne Bancroft
and Anthony Hopkins really isn’t a romance at all, but it is the story
of a profound friendship blooming between two people on different
continents.
Bancroft plays Helene Hanff, a fiery script reader
(and eventual writer) scraping a living in New York City. Her great
passion is English literature, and we watch her pound the pavement,
checking out every bookstore in town and finding that each comes up
short on offering what she’s really looking for. In desperation, she
writes to an "antiquarian" bookshop in London with a list of books and a
request to send her any that can be sold for less than five dollars a
piece. Frank P. Doel, senior bookseller at this establishment, sends two
of the requested books immediately, and at a very reasonable price. And
so an international friendship is born.
This movie, based on a
true story, spans about 20 years and is told almost entirely through
letters. Usually it’s Bancroft or Hopkins speaking, but eventually
others in the bookshop, along with Frank’s wife Nora (Judi Dench), write
to Helene as well. All of them are fascinated by her letters, written
with such spunk and wit, and grateful for the packages she sends for
holidays, particularly because of the food rationing going on in England
at the time. I was a little disappointed when I realized that Frank was
married; I envisioned a fairly lengthy correspondence, followed by
Helene finally coming to London (which we see her do in the film’s
opening scene) and throwing herself into Frank’s waiting arms. Not
quite. But the fact that half a dozen others are caught up in the
excitement of this letter exchange makes it even more interesting. Frank
is still her primary correspondent, but eventually she has a sizable
group waiting to welcome her to London for a visit.
I found myself reminded of the opening scenes of Up
as I watched, since Helene’s dream of going to London is so often set
aside for mundane expenses like rent and root canals. Initially, she
intends to visit a couple of years into their correspondence, but life
gets in the way. As the years wear on, various members of the bookstore
staff die or move on to other jobs, and the big question becomes whether
she will make it to London in time to meet Frank, a typically reserved
Hopkins character whose emotional attachment to Helene is nonetheless
plainly apparent as he reads her letters and composes his.
Bancroft is very funny in her role as this independent woman who knows
exactly what she wants. Her letters are often bitingly sarcastic; she
never bothers to hide her disdain for poorly edited or abridged copies
of books, and her caustic observations bear the mark of a high
intellect. Yet Frank, who nearly always sends the books first and
encloses an invoice, never gets any of the books back. Even if she
loathes the copy he found for her, she keeps it and pays him
accordingly, though usually sternly instructing him to find her
something better. His letters are much more restrained than hers; he
never loses his professionalism, though he sometimes allows himself a
sly remark or two. Even more than his words, his tireless efforts to
find the books she desires, and his refusal to charge her a penny more
than necessary, demonstrate his dedication to his vocation and his
special fondness for her.
Because this movie stretches across
two decades, there is a bittersweet edge to it, but it’s a lovely film
that never becomes boring, at least for someone who loves literature and
who understands the power of friendships born through correspondence.
It’s also an interesting peek into history, as significant events, from
the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to protests at Columbia University,
punctuate the more intimate details of Frank and Helene’s lives. The
supporting cast all do a fine job, especially Ian McNiece as Frank’s
right-hand man, Bill Humphries, but this movie really lies in the hands,
or rather tongues, of Hopkins and Bancroft, two celebrated actors who
I’ve rarely enjoyed more. Next time you’re looking for a cozy,
intellectually stimulating movie, consider a visit to 84 Charing Cross Road.
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