The Greengage Summer
| The Greengage Summer | |
|---|---|
Movie poster
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| Directed by | Lewis Gilbert |
| Produced by |
Edward Small (executive) Victor Saville |
| Written by |
|
| Starring |
Kenneth More Danielle Darrieux Susannah York |
| Music by | Richard Addinsell |
| Cinematography | Freddie Young |
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Production
company |
PKL Productions
Victor Saville-Edward Small Productions |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release date
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4 April 1961 (World Premiere, London, UK) 1 May 1961 (UK General Release) 20 September 1961 (United States) |
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Running time
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99 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Greengage Summer (called The Loss of Innocence in the USA) is a 1961 British drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Kenneth More and Susannah York (in her first leading role). It was based on the novel The Greengage Summer (1958) by Rumer Godden. Set in Épernay, in the Champagne region of France, it is the story of the transition of a teenage girl into womanhood.
More later named it as his favourite film, stating, "She [Susannah York] was just twenty-one and an adorable creature...it was one of the happiest films on which I have ever worked."
Joss Grey (Susannah York), a 16-year-old English girl, finds herself responsible for the care of her three younger siblings on a summer vacation in France when their mother is suddenly taken ill and rushed to the hospital. When they go to the Hotel Oeillets, proprietress Mademoiselle Zisi (Danielle Darrieux) does not want the responsibility of unchaperoned children, but her enigmatic English lover Eliot (Kenneth More) persuades her to accept them. As the days pass, she wishes she had stuck to her original answer; she is increasingly jealous of the attention Eliot pays to the children—especially to Joss.
Meanwhile, hotel employee Paul (David Saire), becomes suspicious of Eliot, snoops in his room, and finds a pistol. Eliot catches Paul and gets Zisi to fire him, but Joss's 13-year-old sister Hester (Jane Asher) has taken a liking to Paul and begs Joss to get Eliot to reconsider, which he does. But later he becomes angry when shutterbug Hester takes his picture. Then he rushes out of a tour of caves where champagne is stored to avoid famous guest Monsieur Renard (Raymond Gérôme), the best policeman in France. He also insists on turning away potential guests.
Tensions come to a boiling point when Zisi throws a glass of champagne in her rival's face. Eliot chases after her, saying—within Joss's hearing—that she is only a child. Gleaning from a newspaper article that Eliot is a notorious jewel thief, the outraged Joss mails Hester's photo of him to the police.
Eliot has already decided to leave. He sneaks out late at night and, hearing a drunken Paul attack Joss, rushes up to her room. He punches Paul, who tries to climb down a drainpipe but falls to his death. A remorseful Joss tells Eliot what she did to endanger him. At her request he gives her a grownup kiss. Then he disposes of Paul's body and absconds.
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Wikipedia