TURTLE DIARY

UK, 1985, 97 minutes, Colour.
Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, Richard Johnson, Michael Gambon, Harriet Walter, Nigel Hawthorne, Eleanor Bron.
Directed by John Irvin.

Turtle Diary is based on novel by Russell Holven, the adaptation by playwright Harold Pinter. It has a very good cast led by Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley with Michael Gambon (The Singing Detective) as the keeper. Eleanor Bron and Nigel Hawthorne, amongst others, have cameo roles in support.

The film is a portrait of two people, a comment on freedom, the background conservation. Direction is by John Irvin, perhaps better known for such action films as Hamburger Hill and Raw Deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

A gentle and insightful film.

1.Entertaing? Insight? Portrait of people? A quest? Nature?

2.London settings, the aquarium, flats? The countryside and the sea? Musical score?

3.The title, the novel and Pinter's adaptation? The focus on people and the diary? On the turtles and nature and their freedom?

4.The credits and the turtle sequences, the aquarium, confined, nature? The turtles in themselves, so long in captivity? Watched? Neaera and William? The keeper and his knowledge and concern? Their being returned to the sea, the plan, the crate, the car, the drive, the beach? The empty sea? The aquarium and their absence?

5.The sense of achievement, nature returning to nature, conservation and freedom?

6.Glenda Jackson and Neaera: the writer, her knowledge of nature, her going to her publisher, wandering the aquarium, buying the book, the encounters with William? Discussions with the keeper, the plan, the discussions, having the nerve? Her friendship with Mr Johnson? Her decision to go, the execution of the plan, the exhilaration at the beach, the night in the camper van, the return? Her relationship with the keeper, sexual encounter? Its meaning? The final toast with William? Unblocking her creative writing? Her future?

7.William and his background, his explanations of himself, the flat, friendship with the landlady, his irritation with the untidy guest, Miss Neap and her concern, upset at the note? His work, the shop, the affair with Harriet and the bond between them? The turtles, the keeper, discussions? The meeting with Neaera and the discussion? Making the crate, the actual liberation of the turtles? The fight with the untidy guest, the reconciliation, Miss Neap's death? His meeting again with Neaera - his future?

8.The keeper, 27 years in the aquarium, concern for the turtles, noticing William and Neaera, helping, discussing? The plan? Neaera's return, the sexual encounter?

9.The landlady and her interest, Miss Neap and her mother, going to the theatre, hurt because of William's note, the pathos of her death and her note - not to tell her mother? The dirty guest, the bathroom and the kitchen, the fight?

10.The atmosphere of the shop, Harriet and the work?

11.Mr Johnson, his being away, Neaera minding his things? His minding Neaera's?

12.The publishers, their concern, style?

13.A glimpse of characters? Interactions? Conservation? Symbol of freedom?