The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)

[Scarlett45]

In 1946 a London-based writer begins exchanging letters with residents on the island of Guernsey, which was German-occupied during WWII. Feeling compelled to visit the island, she starts to get a picture of what it was like during the occupation.

Edited August 12, 2018 by Scarlett45
I got the title wrong!

[Scarlett45]

I’m currently watching on Netflix. I am not familiar with this island or their history of German occupation during WW2. I find Lily James charming but I’m prepared for the tear jerker moments. 

[enoughcats]

In theaters April 20.  I don't think it got a lot of publicity back then.

Thanks for putting this up.  I will look for it as I came to know another area in Europe that was occupied and I talked with a number of the inhabitants (in German) about their time being cut off from the rest of their country.

[Mindthinkr]

This bittersweet story never made it to the theater in my area so I had to wait until it was available on Netflix. I read the book and wanted to see how they did the movie especially to really see the isle of Guernsey. It’s lovely countryside but I got scared when Kit was running down the cliffs too. Some of them looked to have deadly drop-offs. 

My problem with the movie was some of the sound editing or maybe I should say the lip-syncing was off. Other parts were good. 

[Scarlett45]

I enjoyed it very much. Kitt and Eli were both adorable to watch, and the actor playing younger Eli (during the evacuation of the children) conveyed a lot in his tiny face. 

I understand why Elizabeth made the choices she did, and I’m relieved that she wasn’t raped by Kitt’s father. That innkeeper woman was so self righteous- how about having compassion for the women that most likely feared for their life if they dared say “no” to a Nazi solider, I hated her guts. 

 

It was a predicable story but well acted and beautifully shot. 

[GaT]

The title is wrong, the name of the movie is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the pie is missing.

[Mindthinkr]

26 minutes ago, GaT said:

The title is wrong, the name of the movie is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the pie is missing.

It looks Scarlet fixed it as it’s correct now. Good eye GaT! 

[EtheltoTillie]

I just watched it yesterday.  I loved it.  I don't think it opened in theaters in the US.  I happened to be in London in May, and it was playing in theaters there.  But I think it's a Netflix project. 

[Irlandesa]

Netflix picked up the distribution for the US but other countries may have had other distribution plans.

I just watched it today.  Overall, it was pretty good.  The scenery was stunning.  Lily James was charming.  Huisman was sexy.  As was Matthew Goode.  Glen Powell wasn't as thrown under the buss as a character like that could have been.  In fact, I was kind of on his side at times during the final fight. 

The story of this time period, which I didn't know much about, was interesting and things kept moving. I think the only thing I would have liked more is a little more movement on the love story before they end with the proposal. 

I'd watch it again for the scenery.

[Mindthinkr]

6 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

The story of this time period, which I didn't know much about, was interesting and things kept moving. I think the only thing I would have liked more is a little more movement on the love story before they end with the proposal. 

I was hoping for even a tad bit more after the proposal too. Like cutting to a year later where they had their own child and the Society had let her publish her book as it was kind to the characters. Or a child’s book she could have written for Kit. Just wanted a little lagniappe even if it wasn’t true to the original book. 

[ALenore]

I've been looking forward to this movie, since I read the book several year ago and enjoyed it very much.  When I read the book, I looked into the real-life history, and it seems to be pretty accurate.  The movie wasn't filmed on the island of Guernsey though, it was filmed in Devon, England.  Apparently for some reason they couldn't film in Guernsey.  The book is epistolary,  it consists of letters written back and forth by the main characters.  I think they did a good job of developing the story implied by the letters.  I think it is also interesting that the book was actually written by an American, or rather two Americans. The original author, Mary Ann Shaffer, became ill and the book was finished by her niece, Annie Barrows.    

[EtheltoTillie]

41 minutes ago, ALenore said:

I've been looking forward to this movie, since I read the book several year ago and enjoyed it very much.  When I read the book, I looked into the real-life history, and it seems to be pretty accurate.  The movie wasn't filmed on the island of Guernsey though, it was filmed in Devon, England.  Apparently for some reason they couldn't film in Guernsey.  The book is epistolary,  it consists of letters written back and forth by the main characters.  I think they did a good job of developing the story implied by the letters.  I think it is also interesting that the book was actually written by an American, or rather two Americans. The original author, Mary Ann Shaffer, became ill and the book was finished by her niece, Annie Barrows.    

My book club chose this book a while ago, and I couldn't get into it.  I just couldn't even begin to understand the story in epistolary style.  It just annoyed me and I didn't make it past a few pages.  I loved the movie, however.  I wonder why the authors just didn't choose traditional narrative with a few letters thrown in, as it was clear that the letter writing was important. 

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

  Huisman was sexy. 

I really like him.  I became a fan from Treme.

[graybrown bird]

Yes, Huisman is an attractive actor.  However, I was taken out of the story by his 21st century facial scruff.  This was NOT an acceptable look for a man in the 1940s.  Even for a pig farmer in a remote Channel island.

This movie was a pretty if hokey diversion, very slow in spots.  I always like seeing Penelope Wilton.

Edited August 13, 2018 by graybrown bird
Word choice.

[chitowngirl]

I enjoyed this very much. Those roses in Juliet’s London apartment must have really reeked. 

[Mindthinkr]

On 8/13/2018 at 10:05 AM, GussieK said:

Treme

That was a great show. I wish it had been picked up for another season. I’ll have to go back and rewatch. 

52 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

I enjoyed this very much. Those roses in Juliet’s London apartment must have really reeked. 

I thought it must have smelled like a funeral parlor. I got a giggle out of her landladies look after she had moved all of them out into the hallway!  

[MrsR]

Just finished. Lovely. I was a bit bothered by the Dawsey scruff. As mentioned above it was very inaccurate,

However I really liked this.

The emotional power of the written word whether in letter form or in a narrative was the thrust of the book as much as the human story and they really sold that with the voice overs in the credits. The written word became their sustenance during the occupation and the wide age range of the societies membership and their connection as a family  was very moving.

[methodwriter85]

I thought it dragged a bit, but it was really enjoyable. It was fun to remember that Huisman can be pretty sexy, just not in his Age of Adaline part.

[tennisgurl]

Wow, a whole cast of "hey, its..." actors that I know from stuff and like! I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, the actors were all very charming, its an interesting and sad bit of history I hadn't heard about very much, and the scenery was gorgeous! Plus, I am always a sucker for "reading brings people together" style stories. Its the book nerd in me. 

I did end up feeling badly for the fiance who was ditched. I knew what his fate would be instantly (as the rustic always beat out the wealthy types in fiction) but at least he was portrayed as a decent guy throughout, and I found myself pretty much being on his side during the break up. I mean, if she didnt love him Juliet was right to end things now, but it was still really sad for him. 

I was worried that it would turn out that Elizabeth had been raped during the occupation, but her having a consensual relationship is at least a bit less awful even if it was still quite tragic. Poor Elizabeth. 

[Nidratime]

I would love to see this movie. I'm hoping Netflix puts it on DVD and allows us to rent it or buy it.  I read the book recently and really loved it.

[Amethyst]

Not bad, but the end was too sappy.  Still, Lily James proves that she really has the it factor.  She has a genuine charming and lightness about her, and she brings that to every project she's in.  

 

6 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I did end up feeling badly for the fiance who was ditched. I knew what his fate would be instantly (as the rustic always beat out the wealthy types in fiction) but at least he was portrayed as a decent guy throughout, and I found myself pretty much being on his side during the break up. I mean, if she didnt love him Juliet was right to end things now, but it was still really sad for him. 

Same.  The writing was clearly on the wall when Mark showed up; there may as well been an anvil stating he didn't belong there.  But I usually feel bad for the ditched party anyway.  I hate that movie cliche; that the one being ditched needs to be the bigger person and step aside.  Yeah, sure.  Juliet was wise to follow her feelings, but Mark had every right to be angry.

[Scarlett45]

18 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Not bad, but the end was too sappy.  Still, Lily James proves that she really has the it factor.  She has a genuine charming and lightness about her, and she brings that to every project she's in.  

 

Same.  The writing was clearly on the wall when Mark showed up; there may as well been an anvil stating he didn't belong there.  But I usually feel bad for the ditched party anyway.  I hate that movie cliche; that the one being ditched needs to be the bigger person and step aside.  Yeah, sure.  Juliet was wise to follow her feelings, but Mark had every right to be angry.

I am a big fan of Lily James- she does have a lightness and charm about her, she reminds of me of more cheerful Kiera Knightly. 

 

I liked the way they handled the fiancés anger as well. Often in media men are protrayed as angels (duped by the jezabel) or violent psychotic abusive assholes. This was very realistic and FAIR- he and every right to be angry (and express such) but he didn’t physically/verbally assault her- which would’ve made her the victim. She shouldnt have accepted his proposal if she was just luke warm about him. 

Edited August 26, 2018 by Scarlett45

[hendersonrocks]

Quote

Still, Lily James proves that she really has the it factor.  She has a genuine charming and lightness about her, and she brings that to every project she's in.

She really does. I loved her in Cinderella.

I thought the changes they made from the book made good sense, given the constraints of a two hour movie. Nothing that changed the overall flow or outcome of the plot, it just kept things streamlined and moving along nicely.

[tennisgurl]

On 8/26/2018 at 5:26 PM, Scarlett45 said:

liked the way they handled the fiancés anger as well.

Me too, I think he came off really well in the break up. He was pissed and clearly hurt, understandably, but he didnt start to scream at her or insult her or try to get physical. I think we were supposed to be sympathetic towards him, even if we were also supposed to root for Juliet to go back to Guernsey. And I loved that he grabbed the whole bottle of champagne and took it with him! Very legit response. 

[biakbiak]

I enjoyed the movie but based don’t really have a desire to read the book but was interested in reading more about the German occupation of the islands during the war, has anyone read any other books on the topic?

[bijoux]

I have no idea when it happened, but while Jessica Brown Findlay has certainly always been attractive, at some point she became electrifying. I didn't find her that way on Downton Abbey, but damn it, Elizabeth commanded attention since the first scene of the movie. I was hooked riggt there and then. At times, she felt like more of a protagonist than Juliet. 

There is something about Lily James that didn't click for me here, and I actually think it was the love story. She was great with the society, so it's not that I think she was miscast. But then you have scenes with Dawsey and Huisman is lighting up the screen in the pub (I was tempted to move to a small island and farm pigs, which is definitely not on my wish list, the twinkle was strong with that one) and James is just kind of there. Did love Juliet being the one to propose though. 

Juliet being indecisive about Mark was laid down early on, but then she seemed genuinely thrilled when he proposed. That part threw me. I was very much on his side during the break up, she really shouldn't have accepted him or broken it off earlier. I could have done without him kissing her on the head, but it was aleviated by him taking the champagne bottle. That said, they clearly weren't a good fit. Juliet was having trouble getting a nice apartment for herself because she was feeling guilt, while Mark was very confortable spending money on tons of flowers and big rings. Plus, the silence was deafening when Isola asked what Mark liked to read. 

Juliet felt unexplored in a way, because I don't feel the movie went to explore what seemed like a precarious place she was in at the beginning of the movie, sort of twitching between survivor's (and thriver's) guilt and embracing what life and her own hard work were offering her. 

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, bijoux said:

but while Jessica Brown Findlay has certainly always been attractive, at some point she became electrifying. I didn't find her that way on Downton Abbey, but damn it, Elizabeth commanded attention since the first scene of the movie

That’s funny because I had the exact opposite reaction. I thought she was stunning and compelling on DA and didn’t recognize her at first and thought her and her character were sort of dull.

Edited September 23, 2018 by biakbiak