Brown Ale and Guinness

Yes, the Guinness in question was Sir Alec but the brown ale was the famous Newcastle brew and the combination of a beer and Smiley's People proved a pleasant way to wind down at the week's end.

Both were kindly brought by my Film Friday friend who is a huge fan of the BBC's treatment of John Le Carré's cold war intelligence novels.
The intention was to watch one episode, saving the others for future Fridays but it is very "more-ish" and we watched two before moving on to the second part of the programme. One of the joys of Smiley's People is the leisurely pace at which it unfolds, giving ample time to appreciate the subtlies of writing and performance. It is a gem and we shall not see its like again as time and tastes have moved on. I am a huge fan of the Bourne films and the pace and rhythm Paul Greengrass injects into the relentless movement of the final film but Smiley is the opposite and equally attractive side of the coin. While loose-head and hand--held cameras and jump-cuts are the order of the day, they are not the only way to make a taught suspenseful thriller.

Part two of the evening was the Coen Brothers' take on the Ealing comedy classic "The Ladykillers". Although my friend is as much a fan of the Coens as I am, I knew he had not seen their version of a film of which he is very fond. Happily its Coens pedigree was enough for him to agree to give it a chance on DVD. I had serious reservations about the wisdom or necessity of remaking such a wonderful film originally but had found it enjoyable once I had freed my mind from making constant comparisons and watched it as a film in its own right so I was pleased to be able to watch it again with this attitude from the start.


Tom Hanks is not everyone's cup of tea, and certainly not my friend's, but here he gives a strangely fascinating performance as the heavily accented erudite "Southern gentleman" Professor Dorr, ringleader of the band. While the action has moved to America and the railway has become a river much of the plot is intact although one of my original reservations still nags, which is that the lady in this case is altogether more robust, which changes the film in a big way.

While the Professor's gang is made up of eccentrics as in the original, they are painted with broad comedic strokes by the Coens, almost to the level of "Gross out" comedy in one instance. What redeems the film and makes it worth watching in its own right are the performances of the two leads: Hanks and Irma P Hall as the eponymous lady. Not one of the Coens finest works but enjoyable enough for repeated viewing and certainly going down well with a glass of ale on a Friday night.

The combination of the fresh air earlier and the beer in the evening was rather soporific and my eyes closed at one point. Later during the Ladykillers I also observed my friend contemplating the inside of his eyelids. I don't think either of us missed much but it tells a tale of end of week relaxation which is what Friday Film night is all about really.