ROALD DAHL’S ESIO TROT
UK, 2014, 88 minutes, Colour.
Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, James Corden, Richard Cordery, Pixie Davies, Jimmie Akingbola, Geoff Mc Givern.
Directed by Dearbhla Walsh.
Roald Dahl has been a popular writer, especially for children – Matilda, the Witches, James and the Giant Peach… This is more a story for adults, with a special appeal for older adults, adults in old age.
It is a simple story, with the device of having a narrator talking to camera, James Corden as he walks around London, travels in buses, talks to his daughter and his family and, eventually, joins in the story at the end. It is the story of Mr Hoppy, played with shyness and wit by Dustin Hoffman. He lives alone, with love for his flowers, attracted by the owner of the unit below him, Mrs Silver, played by Judi Dench. Mr Hoppy would like to declare his love for Mrs Silver but is too shy, encountering her day by day for many years, listening to her stories.
Mr Hoppy has an idea, persuading Mrs Silver to recite a Bedouin incantation each day that would make her tortoise grow bigger. In the meantime, Mr Hoppy buys a number of tortoises, substitutes a bigger tortoise every other day with Mrs Silver believing that Alfie, her tortoise, has grown bigger.
Across the way is the boorish Mr Pringle who invites himself to meals with Mr Hoppy, comes to a meal with Mrs Silver in Mr Hoppy’s flat, which requires Mr Hoppy’s skills as his kitchen is filled with so many tortoises. Ultimately, Pringle precipitates a crisis by returning the original tortoise and making a joke.
While Mrs Silver is upset, she then confides in Mr Hoppy that she has had a crush on him – and there is a happy ever after.
1. The popularity of Roald Dahl stories? His imagination? The children? For adults?
2. The title – and tortoise spelt backwards, Esio Trot?
3. The musical background, the Louis Armstrong songs?
4. The narrator, his tone, walking around London, confiding to camera, in the buses, his daughter, going home, the family, sitting down, the personal involvement in the story?
Mr Hoppy, Dustin Hoffman, American background, in London, shy, living alone, love for his flowers? The encounter with Mrs Silver, in the lift, getting close to her, in love with her, listening to her talking? The intrusion of Mr Pringle, neighbour, his listening in? Inviting himself to meals? The meetings with Mrs Silver, the collage of the four different seasons? Their talk, over the years? Mrs Silver, getting the tortoise, Alfie? Sharing ideas with Mr Poppy? His sponsoring her for the dancing marathon? Inviting her to dinner, Mr Pringle, her enjoying the meal? Christmas?
5. The situation with the tortoise, Mrs Silver wanting Alfie to grow? Mr Poppy going to the shop, the discussions about pets? Getting all the tortoises? His ideas about substituting them and Mrs Silver thinking that Alfie was growing bigger? The different tortoises, eventually the tortoise not being able to get in the door of his little house?
6. Mrs Silver and her character, living alone, the widow, lively, the tortoises, Alfie and her loving the tortoise, its growing? Sharing, the dance, wanting Mr Hoppy to dance? Coming to dinner, and enjoying it? Mr Hoppy not allowing them into the kitchen because of all the tortoises? Believing Mr Hoppy and the problem and the incantation for the tortoise?
7. Mr Pringle, the neighbour, wanting others’ life stories but telling his own, eating, the hors d’oeuvre and the tortoise’s poo? Bombastic?
8. Mr Hoppy, the sudden proposal, the proposal interrupted? Pringle, his bringing Alfie back? His jokes?
9. Mrs Silver, the reaction, Mr Hoppy and the pathos, his decision to move away? Or lowering the rose for Mrs Silver? Her returning it, her confession of her long attraction, the flashbacks and her engineering the situations? Her saying yes to the proposal?
10. The wedding, the narrator and his family, everybody happy?
