Georgy Girl
Encyclopedia
Georgy Girl is a 1966 British film based on a novel by Margaret Forster
. The film was directed by Silvio Narizzano
and starred Lynn Redgrave
as Georgy, Alan Bates
, James Mason
, Charlotte Rampling
and Bill Owen.
The title song
, performed by Australia
n band The Seekers
, became a hit single and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song
(music by Tom Springfield
, lyrics by Jim Dale
). Redgrave was also Oscar-nominated for her titular performance as Best Actress
, as were Mason for Best Supporting Actor and Kenneth Higgins' cinematography. The film was entered into the 16th Berlin International Film Festival
.
The film was the basis for an unsuccessful musical stage adaptation called simply Georgy
.
) is a 22-year-old, working-class Londoner. She has considerable musical talent, is well educated, and has a rather charming if shameless manner. On the other hand, she believes herself to be plain, dresses haphazardly, and is incredibly naïve on the subjects of love and flirtation; she has never had a boyfriend. She has an inventive imagination and loves children.
Her parents are the live-in employees of successful businessman James Leamington (James Mason
). Leamington is 49 and has a loveless, childless marriage with Ellen (Rachel Kempson
). He has watched with affection as "Georgy" grew up, and has treated her as if he were her second father. (He provided her excellent education and a studio for her in his own home, in which she teaches dance to children.) As Georgy has become a young woman, however, it is apparent that Leamington's feelings for her have become more than fatherly.
James offers Georgy a legal contract, proposing to supply her with the luxuries of life in return for her becoming his mistress. He also promises to provide for any "fruit of the union". Georgy sidesteps his proposal by never giving him a direct response; Leamington's businesslike language and manner (and awkward inability to express any affection for her) leave her cold.
Georgy's flatmate is her so-called best friend, the beautiful Meredith (Charlotte Rampling
), who works as a violinist in an orchestra, but is otherwise a shallow woman who lives for her own hedonistic
pleasures. She treats the meekly compliant Georgy like an unpaid servant.
When Meredith discovers that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Jos Jones (Alan Bates
), they get married. She did not bother to tell him she had had two abortions before during their relationship. Jos moves in with the two young women. He becomes disillusioned with Meredith and begins to find himself attracted to Georgy (he suddenly kisses her in the midst of an argument with Meredith over her cavalier attitude to her pregnancy). Jos and Georgy begin a secret affair, after Jos admits to seeing Meredith as their lodger and loving Georgy.
Meredith gives birth to a daughter, whom they name Sara. Since she has no interest in the baby, and is tired of Jos, she announces that she plans to put the child up for adoption and divorce her husband.
Georgy and Jos set up home together in the flat, caring for the baby and living as a married couple. It soon becomes clear that Georgy cares more for the baby than having an adult relationship with Jos, though he had already confessed to being pleased he had a daughter, believing boys need more from their fathers. The relationship ends when Jos realises he is of no real importance to Georgy and has tired of a father's responsibilities. Now that Georgy is the sole caregiver of a baby to whom she has no blood ties, Social Services wish to remove baby Sara from her care.
In the meantime, Leamington's wife has died. (At Georgy's request he has provided for all of the baby's needs, even while she was still living with Meredith and Jos.) Leamington, who was unable to express his true feelings while his wife lived, now finds himself free to express his love for Georgy and proposes marriage. Georgy accepts because this will allow her to keep Sara. The two marry despite the difference in their backgrounds and ages. Exultant, joyful singing (the song "Georgy Girl") proclaims that all is well now: "who needs a perfect lover when you're a mother at heart...better try to tell yourself that you've got your way...now you've got a future planned for you...at least he's a millionaire...you're rich, Georgy Girl."
Margaret Forster
Margaret Forster is a British author. She was born in Carlisle, England, where she attended Carlisle and County High School for Girls , and then won an Open Scholarship to read modern history at Somerville College, Oxford, from where she graduated in 1960.After a short period as a teacher at...
. The film was directed by Silvio Narizzano
Silvio Narizzano
Silvio Narizzano was a Canadian film director, educated at Bishop's University, Quebec.His best received film was Georgy Girl , which was entered into the 16th Berlin International Film Festival...
and starred Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
as Georgy, Alan Bates
Alan Bates
Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE was an English actor, who came to prominence in the 1960s, a time of high creativity in British cinema, when he demonstrated his versatility in films ranging from the popular children’s story Whistle Down the Wind to the "kitchen sink" drama A Kind of Loving...
, James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
, Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
and Bill Owen.
The title song
Georgy Girl (song)
"Georgy Girl", written by Tom Springfield and Jim Dale , is the title song performed by The Seekers for the the film of the same name. Across late 1966 and early 1967, the song became a #1 Australian hit and a #3 UK hit...
, performed by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n band The Seekers
The Seekers
The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States...
, became a hit single and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
(music by Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield is the brother of Dusty Springfield and an important figure in the 1960s folk and pop music scene...
, lyrics by Jim Dale
Jim Dale
Jim Dale, MBE is an English actor, voice artist, singer and songwriter. He is best known in the United Kingdom for his many appearances in the Carry On series of films and in the US for narrating the Harry Potter audiobook series, for which he received two Grammy Awards, and the ABC series Pushing...
). Redgrave was also Oscar-nominated for her titular performance as Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
, as were Mason for Best Supporting Actor and Kenneth Higgins' cinematography. The film was entered into the 16th Berlin International Film Festival
16th Berlin International Film Festival
The 16th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 24 to July 5, 1966.-Jury:* Pierre Braunberger * Franz Seitz* Emilio Villalba Welsh* Khwaja Ahmad Abbas* Pier Paolo Pasolini* Lars Forssell* Hollis Alpert...
.
The film was the basis for an unsuccessful musical stage adaptation called simply Georgy
Georgy
Georgy is a musical with a book by Tom Mankiewicz, lyrics by Carole Bayer, and music by George Fischoff.Based on the Margaret Forster novel Georgy Girl and the subsequent 1966 film adaptation, it tells the story of awkward, overweight, dowdy music teacher Georgy; her beautiful, self-centered...
.
Plot
Georgina (Lynn RedgraveLynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
) is a 22-year-old, working-class Londoner. She has considerable musical talent, is well educated, and has a rather charming if shameless manner. On the other hand, she believes herself to be plain, dresses haphazardly, and is incredibly naïve on the subjects of love and flirtation; she has never had a boyfriend. She has an inventive imagination and loves children.
Her parents are the live-in employees of successful businessman James Leamington (James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
). Leamington is 49 and has a loveless, childless marriage with Ellen (Rachel Kempson
Rachel Kempson
Rachel, Lady Redgrave , known primarily by her birth name as Rachel Kempson, was an English actress. She married Sir Michael Redgrave, and was the matriarch of the famous acting dynasty.-Career:...
). He has watched with affection as "Georgy" grew up, and has treated her as if he were her second father. (He provided her excellent education and a studio for her in his own home, in which she teaches dance to children.) As Georgy has become a young woman, however, it is apparent that Leamington's feelings for her have become more than fatherly.
James offers Georgy a legal contract, proposing to supply her with the luxuries of life in return for her becoming his mistress. He also promises to provide for any "fruit of the union". Georgy sidesteps his proposal by never giving him a direct response; Leamington's businesslike language and manner (and awkward inability to express any affection for her) leave her cold.
Georgy's flatmate is her so-called best friend, the beautiful Meredith (Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
), who works as a violinist in an orchestra, but is otherwise a shallow woman who lives for her own hedonistic
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
pleasures. She treats the meekly compliant Georgy like an unpaid servant.
When Meredith discovers that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Jos Jones (Alan Bates
Alan Bates
Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE was an English actor, who came to prominence in the 1960s, a time of high creativity in British cinema, when he demonstrated his versatility in films ranging from the popular children’s story Whistle Down the Wind to the "kitchen sink" drama A Kind of Loving...
), they get married. She did not bother to tell him she had had two abortions before during their relationship. Jos moves in with the two young women. He becomes disillusioned with Meredith and begins to find himself attracted to Georgy (he suddenly kisses her in the midst of an argument with Meredith over her cavalier attitude to her pregnancy). Jos and Georgy begin a secret affair, after Jos admits to seeing Meredith as their lodger and loving Georgy.
Meredith gives birth to a daughter, whom they name Sara. Since she has no interest in the baby, and is tired of Jos, she announces that she plans to put the child up for adoption and divorce her husband.
Georgy and Jos set up home together in the flat, caring for the baby and living as a married couple. It soon becomes clear that Georgy cares more for the baby than having an adult relationship with Jos, though he had already confessed to being pleased he had a daughter, believing boys need more from their fathers. The relationship ends when Jos realises he is of no real importance to Georgy and has tired of a father's responsibilities. Now that Georgy is the sole caregiver of a baby to whom she has no blood ties, Social Services wish to remove baby Sara from her care.
In the meantime, Leamington's wife has died. (At Georgy's request he has provided for all of the baby's needs, even while she was still living with Meredith and Jos.) Leamington, who was unable to express his true feelings while his wife lived, now finds himself free to express his love for Georgy and proposes marriage. Georgy accepts because this will allow her to keep Sara. The two marry despite the difference in their backgrounds and ages. Exultant, joyful singing (the song "Georgy Girl") proclaims that all is well now: "who needs a perfect lover when you're a mother at heart...better try to tell yourself that you've got your way...now you've got a future planned for you...at least he's a millionaire...you're rich, Georgy Girl."
Cast
- James MasonJames MasonJames Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
as James Leamington - Alan BatesAlan BatesSir Alan Arthur Bates CBE was an English actor, who came to prominence in the 1960s, a time of high creativity in British cinema, when he demonstrated his versatility in films ranging from the popular children’s story Whistle Down the Wind to the "kitchen sink" drama A Kind of Loving...
as Jos Jones - Lynn RedgraveLynn RedgraveLynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
as Georgy - Charlotte RamplingCharlotte RamplingCharlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
as Meredith - Bill Owen as Ted
- Clare Kelly as Doris
- Rachel KempsonRachel KempsonRachel, Lady Redgrave , known primarily by her birth name as Rachel Kempson, was an English actress. She married Sir Michael Redgrave, and was the matriarch of the famous acting dynasty.-Career:...
as Ellen Leamington - Denise CoffeyDenise CoffeyDenise Coffey is an English actress, director, and playwright.After training at the Glasgow College of Dramatic Art, Coffey began a career in repertory at the Gateway Theatre in Edinburgh, then moved to the Palladium Theatre there...
as Peg - Peggy Thorpe-BatesPeggy Thorpe-BatesPeggy Thorpe-Bates was an English actress who appeared in the first three series of Rumpole of the Bailey as his fearsome wife. She also appeared in numerous other supporting roles on both stage and screen. She was married to fellow actor Brian Oulton.-Notes:...
as Hospital Sister - Dandy NicholsDandy Nichols-References:* Dandy Nichols at screenonline.* Dandy Nichols at The Museum of Broadcast Communications.-External links:...
as Hospital Nurse - Dorothy AlisonDorothy AlisonDorothy Alison was an Australian stage, film and television actress.She was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, and was educated at Sydney Girls High School. She moved to London, England in 1949 to further her career...
as Health Visitor - Terence Soall as Salesman