Accurate portrayal of the last days and the fall of Saigon.
I purchased this movie because I am a Judi Dench fan. She plays a British bank employee named Barbara Dean. Barbara is a strong, independent, smart, sexy, caring woman. She and an American CIA employee at the American embassy fall in love. There is an immediate connection between these two. As their love affair develops, the political situation goes from bad to worse. The American ambassador arrives in Saigon, but refuses to believe that things will not improve. He does not listen to advice from anyone and waits until the last possible moment to make decisions involving the evacutation of both embassy employees, American military personnel, and Vietnamese. Papers must be shreaded and lives must be saved. I just saw this bit of history shown on Peter Jennings' The Century on the History channel.The movie shows almost exactly the same panic of people trying to get on some of the last helicopters to leave Saigon, the crowds at the front of the embassy, the shreaded documents, and the indecision of the American ambassador that I saw on The Century. Kissinger spoke about the ambassador on the Century. E.G.Marshall portrayed him accurately. This movie told it like it really was. I especially enjoyed Judi Dench's subtle, yet passionate relationship with Frederic Forrest. Her character showed great compassion for her Vietnamese co-workers. I would recommend this movie to all those who enjoy Judi Dench and to those who would like to know more about this period in history. If you have seen Mrs. Brown and Shakespeare In Love and would like to see Judi Dench in a modern role, this is it.
Very poor movie with a weak plot and boring story line.
I was an extra in this movie but hadn't seen it until I received the video as a gift. Big disappointment.
This is a movie about a love affair between the characters of Frederic Forrest and Judi Dench that occurs in the final days of the Vietnam conflict.
There seemed to be so much action in this movie when it was being filmed but that doesn't come through in the final product. The pace of the movie is extremely slow and the atmosphere of most of the scenes tend to induce sleep rather than the excitement of that era. Further, there are good people in the cast--as can be seen in E.G. Marshall and Judi Dent--yet this is one of the slowest, least interesting movies I've ever viewed. Even the two characters that are supposed to be in love show no real chemistry.
I'll keep the movie but only because it's fun to go through the scenes looking for my friends and myself that were in it--not for any artistic reason.
Every series of British sitcom As Time Goes By is an astonishing pleasure. Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer star as Jean and Lionel, two long-ago sweethearts who fell out of touch during the Korean War, then--due to a chance re-meeting--rekindled their romance in their late middle age. Series 6 mostly revolves around Jean's reluctantly retiring from her business, along with the stumbling romance of her daughter Judith (Moira Brooks) and their friend Alistair (Philip Bretherton, particularly strong this series). The plots of the show are often gossamer-thin--one entire episode revolves around circumventing the nosiness of Jean's sister--but it doesn't matter. The rapport between Dench and Palmer holds a treasure trove of alternating comfort and prickliness. It only... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Sydney Lotterby DVD Release Date: Released the 03 February 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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A Fine Romance, Set 2 contains the nine episodes that comprise the second season of this popular 1980s Britcom. Judi Dench (that's Oscar-winner Dame Judi Dench to you) and real-life husband Michael Williams star as prickly translator Laura and "grubby little gardener" Mike, who tentatively navigate their fledgling romance. In these episodes, the mismatched couple move in together, deal with jealousy, throw an ill-fated dinner party, fret over Mike's struggling business, meet Laura's parents, and in the poignant cliffhanger, contemplate parenthood (she wants a baby, he does not). Don't look for any Sam-and-Diane sexual chemistry here. Like the song says, this is a fine romance with no kisses (Mike, while a decent chap, is not the most stimulating of characters). You don't have to... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Simon Cellan Jones - Graham Evans (II) - Don Leaver DVD Release Date: Released the 23 September 2003 Usually ships within 24 hours
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there is a difference in style, vocal and presentation between British and american, but this is really worth it. Dame Judy Dench in long wig doing "Sixteen" is FUNNY. "10 cents a dance" is it the song, the singer, or the dress? Ruth Henshall, Claire Moore and most of the rest are new to me, but that is the fun part. And Aunt Ellers comment on Hugh Jackman from Oklahoma rehearsals, well I won't spoil it. Broaden your horizon to talent from across the pond. More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 18 November 2003 Usually ships within 24 hours
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