84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Remember Audio books?
I certainly do and that is why I bought a CD with a novel "84 Charing Cross Road" as a gift for a friend. Needless to say, its still here with me almost 2 years after, unpacked, waiting to be sent eventually. So last night I decided to hear it for myself as I had actually never read the novel. What I do remember is the almost purring pleasure of listening something that has been recognized as a quality story, read by excellent actors with the just perfect acting ability. I also remember having some audio tapes long ago (bought in London's bookshops) and listening "radio-drama" program in my childhood it is probably grown up equivalent of storytelling.

"84 Charing Cross Road" moved me profoundly. I listened and listened, smoked and smoked, gulped the tears, laughed out loud with joy and sighed heavily with emotions ready to burst - I have almost forgot that post WW2 UK was impoverished country and packages with foods that bookworm lady from New York was sending to this little bookshop was like best Christmas present for all the people who worked there. Being bookworm myself I easily identified with Helene Hanff who lived trough her books and educated herself trough them, this is exactly what I always did without anybody ever showing me the way or pointing how to do it, it just comes naturally to some of us. The story about correspondence between New York writer and employees of little bookshop in London is truly a fascinating one, I love it dearly.


Than I saw the movie. Twice in one day.

It is very interesting how this story had so many lives - first letters, than a novel, TV drama, stage play, radio play and finally the movie. Obviously it had moved and touched many people over the years. The movie rights were a birthday present for Anne Bancroft who clearly loved it and immersed herself so much in the role that is difficult to imagine anyone else doing it afterwards. It is a lovely story - a decades long correspondence between eccentric, lovable New York writer and a British gentleman working in London's little bookshop - that some describe as love story but for me its about humanity, passion and life. To make it clear here, neither side ever writes love letters, they communicate strictly trough book orders but with time their letters get more and more friendly, relaxed and casual. Where impulsive Helene Hanff affectionately sends food parcels to bookshop staff in post-war London, they respond with heartfelt gratitude and make sure she gets rare, ancient and out of print books she loved so much.

Movie is surprisingly powerful, not only because it faithfully follows the original but also because it adds certain carefully placed scenes that spotlight other supporting characters and perhaps explain things a little better, like British neighbour who informs Hanff about food shortage in England or a very powerful hospital scene where Anthony Hopkins read her letter to his elderly colleague on a sickbed. Both Hopkins and Bancroft are excellent, so are countless little supporting roles with one notable exception of Judi Dench who has a very ungrateful role as a mousy housewife and there was nothing she could really have done besides quietly serving food on a table - as ever, Dench is spotless in her portrait of a servile, self-sacrificing 1950s mother but the movie simply does not need her, its more of a cameo.