Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Absolutely the worst movie.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

True story of a transatlantic business correspondence about used books that developed into a close friendship.Roger Ebert somewhat humorously wrote, "Miss Fiske was the librarian at the Urbana Free Library when I was growing up. She never had to talk to me about the love of books because she simply exuded it and I absorbed it. She would have loved this movie. Sitting next to her, I suspect, I would have loved it, too. But Miss Fiske is gone now, and I found it pretty slow-going on my own." That Ebert was a funny guy. As he notes elsewhere in his review, this movie is built on a very thin premise. And that is its ultimate downfall. While the movie is fun to watch, it has so little going on: basically two people corresponding about books to order. It's nice for a book lover like myself, but it did begin to wear after a while.

Based on the 1981 play by James Roose-Evans which was itself based on the 1970 memoir by Helene Hanff, this is a superb tale of the friendship that arose out of a mutual love of books. The film concerns the almost 20 year correspondence between Hanff, a New York-based lover of English literature, and the staff of the antiquarian bookshop Marks & Co. in London, in particular its chief buyer Frank Doel. Although it began as a purely professional arrangement, the correspondence eventually blossomed into a very close friendship between Hanff and Doel, even though they never actually met in person. Hanff also enjoyed long distance friendships with the rest of the staff but none of them were on the same level as that which she shared with Doel. The film does not have a plot per se, being primarily concerned with its characters and the small details of their lives as opposed to the major events thereof. In order for such films to work, the writing has to be very sharp and, perhaps even more importantly, the characters in question have to compelling and/or sympathetic. To that end, I am glad to say that I found this film to be fascinating, engrossing and at times very moving. It has a perfect script by Hugh Whitemore who, by relying on the source material, was able to paint a vivid and authentic portrait of the two central characters. The film is very well directed by the prolific theatre director David Jones, who is able to very effectively contrast the various locales of London and New York. In this sense, the direction goes hand in hand with the script, which nice explores the difference between British and American cultures.The film stars Anne Bancroft in a wonderful performance as Hanff, an initially fairly impoverished script reader living in a small apartment in Manhattan who is attempting to further her education through the acquisition of out of print editions of British classics as well as more obscure books. One that sparked my interest in particular was The Idea of a University by Cardinal John Henry Newman. Cardinal Newman founded the Catholic University of Ireland, the predecessor of my alma mater University College Dublin. Hanff is equipped with an occasionally caustic wit but she is a lovely person who cares about others deeply. She has a tendency to tease the staff at Marks & Co. when they are not very prompt in fulfilling one of their orders but she regularly sends them gift packages of items such as meat and eggs, which were still rationed in Britain when the correspondence began in 1949, in gratitude for all of their efforts. It is a very kind gesture that goes above and beyond the call of duty. Hanff eventually gets a job as a scriptwriter for "The Adventures of Ellery Queen" and receives a salary of $200 per episode, which is increased to $250 after a while. She had intended to use this money to travel to London for the Queen's coronation in 1953 but the fact that she requires extensive and expensive dental work put paid to that idea. She finally makes it to London in 1971, by which time Marks & Co. has closed down.Bancroft's "Young Winston" and "The Elephant Man" co-star Anthony Hopkins is excellent as Doel, who grows equally fond of Hanff over the course of two decades. Taking them at face value, they would seem to have little in common as he is a somewhat shy, naturally quiet and reserved man whereas she is a live-wire. Their friendship grows out of their shared love of books but it is not confined to that as their letters cover a wide variety of topics from Yorkshire Pudding to his love for Tottenham Hotspur and hers for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He becomes more open in his writing and does not hesitate to tell about his wife Nora and their daughters Sheila and Mary. Over time, they become best friends and each is perhaps the greatest friend that the other ever had. When Doel finds out that she is not coming over in 1953, he is quietly devastated as he had longed to meet her. In January 1969, Hanff discovers that Doel, whom she nicknamed "Frankie," died of peritonitis the previous month and she breaks down crying in a beautiful scene. It is clear that not travelling to London and beginning a more conventional friendship is one of her biggest regrets, not least because she previously told him that she thought that he understood her better than anyone else. It is a tribute to the great skill of both Bancroft and Hopkins that the evolution of Hanff and Doel's friendship is presented in an entirely believable manner. There is a great chemistry between them even though they never appear together on screen.The film has a small but strong supporting cast. Judi Dench does not have a big role but she is nevertheless excellent as Nora, who becomes friends with Hanff herself but admits after her husband's death that she was occasionally jealous of their close friendship. This is best illustrated in a tense dinner scene in which Doel avoids making eye contact with her Nora, who looks at him somewhat bitterly. In spite of this, however, she is never depicted as being an unsympathetic character and there is an clear but understated sense of love and affection between the couple. The nature of the film means that no one other than Bancroft, Hopkins and, to a lesser extent, Dench has a chance to shine but I also impressed by Maurice Denham (in one of his final film roles), Mercedes Ruehl, Ian McNeice and Eleanor David.Overall, this is a marvellous film which is able to communicate the joy of reading far more effectively than I would have thought possible through this medium.

84 Charing Cross Rd. is my idea of a fine movie and one that seems totally British. Ironically, as a fan of British movies, I was surprised to learn that this movie was produced by New Yorker Mel Brooks, a departure from his usual slapstick comedies. He also produced The Elephant Man and his wife Anne Bancroft appeared in both, as did Anthony Hopkins. The film is based on a book by Helene Hanff, one of the two main characters. This story took place during a the period from 1949 to the end of the nineteen sixties. The plot neatly shifts from New York to London as the two leading characters exchange letters as part of their antiquarian book transactions. Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins are excellent in the roles that bring together Helene Hanff and Frank Doel over their shared love of books. We hear voiceovers from both as each character reads their own letters. This is a touch that fits in beautifully with the movie. Frank is very businesslike in his role as the bookstore manager. The feeling of elation or disappointment are palpable as Bancroft opens the packages she receives from her London bookseller. Bancroft is an animated script writer whose love of literature is well matched with Anthony Hopkins' own vast knowledge of the book business, particularly the market for antique books and first editions. Bancroft is a single woman with close friends but no life partner; however, she is bright and witty with a great zest for life and especially for English literature. (Frequent cutaways to the portrait of a sailor strongly hint at a past romance.) Hopkins is a very proper English gentleman who is married with a young family when they first became acquainted. He runs an efficient book business with a staff committed to the quality service he exemplifies. Judy Dench has a minor role as Frank's wife Nora, whose main appearance comes towards the end of the film. Bancroft's love of books sparks Frank's interest and he gives excellent service, which she reciprocates with warm, witty and very funny letters. She tries to burst his natural reserve. He is English to the very core, just as Bancroft is pure wool Manhattan. Over time, the relationship becomes very close. Anne Bancroft's character becomes like a family relative to the staff of Marks and Co, sending gifts of food to the London employees and their loved ones who are coping with post-war rations. At one point, Bancroft's friend visits London but does not connect with Frank who is out of the office at the time. A planned visit by Helene to coincide with the coronation of the Queen in 1953 is cancelled at the last moment; Frank is devastated. Will they ever meet?

There were three things I deeply appreciated from this film: how one can love a book, the kindness of complete strangers, and how well the letters were crafted. I have a passion for reading and a dire need to write, hence the education I received in this film was priceless. Since I am of the mindset that very little impresses me, it was fascinating to be reminded of that great hope and excitement of entering new territory completely unawares.I understand her complaints of Chaucer and the Anglican bible translation, but found myself wanting to know how this uneducated woman had such a desire for acquiring these many treasures. That is an exceptional characteristic, NOT weird my dear....I thought of all the kind gestures I have made over the years, typically to friends, colleagues, wanting to impress, and not exactly for the noblest of reasons. How the pay it forward concept was manifest in just a few simple lives, but made such an impact on so many others.My writing skills, albeit a published technical author, is so very lacking in refinement and humorous expression. Yet another work and lessons in progress.I was extremely fond of the lead performances and the capture of just the right sights and sounds of a busy New York City apartment. Mel Brooks is the last person I would assume to produce this type of film. I thank him for taking that chance to bring it to an audience who has the patience and sentimentality to cherish every moment.