American girlfriends
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | American girlfriends |
| Original title | American Friends |
| Country of production | Great Britain |
| Publishing year | 1991 |
| length | 95 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Tristram Powell |
| script | Michael Palin , Tristram Powell |
| production | Steve Abbott , Patrick Cassavetti |
| music | Georges Delerue |
| camera | Philip Bonham-Carter |
| cut | George Akers |
| occupation | |
| |
American Friends (Original title: American Friends ) is a 1991 British comedy film directed by Tristram Powell . The script is based on leading actors Michael Palin and Tristram Powell.
action
The 46-year-old Francis Ashby, classical philology teacher and vice-president of Oxford University , as a representative of the conservative wing of the teaching staff, has a good chance of inheriting the frail university president Rushden.
Ashby spends the summer holidays of 1864 in the Swiss Alps . Here he met the two Americans Caroline Hartley and their 17-year-old foster daughter Elinor. He is less uplifted about his acquaintance with Dr Weeks and his family, who also come from Oxford and who hope that their son will be accepted into the university through him. Condemned to inactivity by a leg injury sustained during a mountain hike, Ashby gets to know the two Americans better. He is particularly drawn to the attractive Elinor. A telegram informing Ashby of President Rushden's poor health abruptly interrupts his vacation.
Back in Oxford, the conservative and reformist wings of the faculty begin to field their candidates. University teachers are not allowed to marry. The declared reformer Oliver Syme, Ashby's rival candidate, has poor prospects of success due to his numerous female stories. Suddenly, Caroline and Elinor show up on campus to visit Ashby on their return trip to the United States. Ashby is uncomfortable with their appearance as dealing with them calls into question his suitability as president. He leads the two women through Oxford and dines with Caroline Hartley on the eve of their departure, who is secretly beginning to raise hopes of a relationship with Ashby. Elinor feels neglected and wanders through Oxford at night. She barely escapes the Victorian police, who see the unaccompanied young woman as a prostitute . Elinor manages to escape to the university campus, where Ashby, returning home, hides her in his private rooms. He brings her back to her quarters late at night. You meet Dr Weeks of all people, who has a grudge against Ashby for his son's failed entrance exam. One of Ashby's partisans succeeds in intercepting the denouncing letter from Dr Weeks to the university administration.
Elinor and Caroline have now made the acquaintance of Oliver Syme. Syme, clearly interested in Elinor, offers the two of them his remote cottage . While Ashby thinks the Americans are on their way back to the United States, the two extend their stay in Oxford. Elinor finds the draft of a love letter from Caroline to Ashby and sees her hope of living with him destroyed on her part. Eventually she gives in to Syme's courtship and sleeps with him.
After the death of President Rushden, the question of succession will come up. Dr Weeks, grateful for Ashby's intercession on behalf of his son at another institution, confides in Ashby that Elinor is expecting a child from Syme. This misstep of Symes means Ashby's safe presidency. However, he decides not to run for the office that falls to the surprised Syme. He goes to Elinor and confesses his love to her. To avoid the scandal, the couple travels to Switzerland, where it all began.
background
The plot of the film is based on the travel diaries of Edward Palin, the great-grandfather of the main actor and screenwriter Michael Palin . Edward Palin (1825-1903) was a fellow at Oxford University, where he finished his work in order to marry Brita Gallagher, an American of Irish descent who was 19 years his junior and who he had met in the Swiss Alps, in 1866. The couple had seven children together.
The script won the 1991 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award.
Locations
Most of the film was made in the English cities of Oxford and London . The Swiss photographs were taken in the canton of Valais in the towns of Imfeld and Fiesch .
criticism
“Credible performers. But Palin is not quite up to the role. "
Web links
- American Friends in the Internet Movie Database (English)