rsubber
This justly famous short story is surprisingly simple in its construction and densely emotional in its impact. There are familiar plot elements: ugly old man meets beautiful young girl, they develop a close relationship. In some ways one is moved to think of Silas Marner, there are both rich and rigid qualities in their love, never consummated, sharply constrained. The eroticism of Rhayader's relationship with the girl, Fritha, is almost totally suppressed but it is bursting out of the story repeatedly before the final scenes. It's like the sensual heat of Girl With A Pearl Earring, deeply heartfelt and almost completely unexpressed. Vermeer painted the girl from life; Rhayader painted his girl from memory, a symbolic reflection of his restrained character and the repressed relationship. The story line of Snow Goose is mostly mundane, Gallico easily sustains a dramatic tension, although the Dunkirk evacuation scenes are almost disembodied, almost a charade with the forced Cockney accents dominating the dialog. Snow Goose is eminently poetic, the ending that every reader can anticipate occurs with realistic sadness and realistic revelation. Fritha feels the words in her heart: "Philip, I love 'ee." The long-patient viewer is finally released to wordless exultation. Read more on my blog: Barley Literate by Rick
Nigel Roberts
I watched this heart breaking film as a callow youth and was enchanted by it. Since the film is so rare, read the book. (It's a novella and you can read it in an evening) The film was a BBC and Hallmark joint venture and was an acclaimed success. Therefore the BBC has never repeated it and Hallmark, who has the rights apparently, have never considered re-releasing it. Considering the rubbish around today this is a little mystifying. Richard Harris plays the hunchback, Phillip Ryader brilliantly. The young Jenny Agutter nicely underplays the part of the girl leaving as much unsaid as stated. These two damaged, shy people are thrown together in their common cause to look after a wounded snowgoose. Time passes and their relationship grows but events impinge on their world as Europe descends into war. How will these events affect them? Have the hankies ready....
vironpride
I have always associated The Snow Goose with Christmas, as I believe one of the few times I saw it was at this time. Unfortunately, this was before the VCR came along, so it is now lost to me and everyone else who was lucky enough to have seen this masterpiece. I have read the story upon which it is based, and one of the few changes was that the injured snow goose was named, by Philip, "Le Princesse Perdue," or "The Lost Princess." In the film she is called by Frith (Jenny Agutter), "Fritha," after herself. The casting could not have been better. I must admit that I have never liked Richard Harris, but I make a very big exception here. He is brilliant beyond description, as is Jenny Agutter. I remember reading that the story caused quite a bit of controversy when it first came out, as some people thought it was unfitting for a "normal" girl to have a (you know what kind of) relationship with a deformed man. This was not stressed in the film, as I recall. In any case, the end is just heart-wrenching. Please, please, whoever has control of this gem, make it available again to all of us who remember it, and to those who will fall in love with it as we have!
Akclegs
Though it's been years since this last aired i can still FEEL the haunting theme song and the spray of the sea - and the tears i shed watching this film! Richard Harris and Jenny Agutter are wonderful and perfect in these roles. I hope Hallmark one day will see fit to re-air it or release it in some format for purchase. I look vainly each week when the TV listings come out, just in case.Few books are translated well on screen - this film version is a true "better than" candidate!
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