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Amazon.com
Helene Hanff (Anne Bancroft) and Frank Doel (Anthony Hopkins) are lifelong friends who never meet in this unique comedy-drama based on a true story. Hanff and Doel are separated by 3,000 miles of ocean and joined by a passion for old books. Their relationship begins when New Yorker Hanff orders a copy ("unabridged, please!") of Pepys's diary. Doel, as polite and soft-spoken as Hanff is loud and overbearing, fields the request from his book shop in London. For the next two decades they correspond without ever actually sitting down for tea and crumpets. Brit director David Jones (Betrayal) does a reasonably good job of goosing a movie about something as uncinematic as letter writing, and the stars have fun chewing scenery on both sides of the Atlantic. The model for this kind of bittersweet relationship is David Lean's Brief Encounter, which, not coincidentally, is glimpsed here when Hanff steps out for a rainy-day matinee. --Glenn Lovell
Product Description
Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft. An enchanting film about the longtime correspondence between a British bookseller and a brash New York City book lover. 1987/color/97 min/PG/fullscreen.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 74 people found the following review helpful
By Jenny
Format:VHS Tape
I thanked the man at Central Park who introduced "84 Charing Cross Road" to Anne Bancroft and Mel Brooks for help making it into a film. David Hugh Jones did a splendid directing. Marvellous adaptation of Helene Hanff's book which I cherish. Without this film I may never find such a terrific book. Great contribution to books-lovers and movie-goers.
I love this film.It's one of my all time favourite! Very literary unique with exquisite performances from Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.
This bitter sweet true story is about lifelong letters correspondence between a struggling writer Helene Hanff(Bancroft) and a book dealer Frank Doel(Hopkins). It began when Helene, a New Yorker responded to an advertisement in the "Saturday Review of Literature". She wanted to mail order out of prints or cheaper edition old books from a London book shop which Frank worked as a book dealer. The book shop was located in 84 Charing Cross Road. At first everything were strictly business like. Helene was always interested and amazed by English Literature and cultures and Frank vice-versa,intrigue by this American. Eventually,they developed a special friendship,an unspoken love and care for each other without even seeing each other. They were like soul mates and that was extraordinary.
The cultural and social differences between London and New York during that period were vividly illustrated. It's so touching to see Helene finally going to London.Her love for english literature was sincere and remarkable. This made the movie so unforgettable and great. Beacause all these actually did happened and those people really existed.
Both Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins were astonishing in their roles. Also with great supporting casts like Judi Dench and Maurice Denham.
This movie taught me about books,the magic of literature,friendship and many more.It also showed there are many different kind of perpetual love and care. I'll always re-watch it because I find it's a classic which touch my heart and soul.
163 of 172 people found the following review helpful
By Brockeim
Format:DVD
In these days of e-books, and bland books constructed from franchised ideas and formulas, we are presented "84 Charing Cross Road," a story about a relationship begun because of a mutual love of old great books.
Hopkins and Bancroft share a film highlighting both of their genuine personas.
Like Hopkins in "Shadowlands" and "The Remains of the Day," we see him in full glory, as a quiet man of grace and sophistication.
He is the chief buyer at an English bookstore, and Bancroft's character mails him a request for a book. Correspondence and a relationship begins. Contently and confidently married, Hopkins responds as an older brother might, and the two grow to cherish each other despite the distance.
As they care for each other, and slowly, their local friends and family become aware, we see how love transcends the sea. Neither character has an agenda, and this left me feeling a little less cynical about the world around me.
Like so many of today's e-mail- and chatroom-only friendships, they learn to appreciate each other, though knowing only the other as they choose to describe themselves.
This isn't a story about books or bookstores, despite the honest representation of their demeanor and personality. Any booklover knows the search for a book, and the texture of a bookseller's knowledge and connection with his books.
This is a movie about the depth, trust, and love of one unexpected relationship. Book lovers will enjoy the context, and good friends will smile knowingly.
--Brockeim
Hopkins and Bancroft share a film highlighting both of their genuine personas.
Like Hopkins in "Shadowlands" and "The Remains of the Day," we see him in full glory, as a quiet man of grace and sophistication.
He is the chief buyer at an English bookstore, and Bancroft's character mails him a request for a book. Correspondence and a relationship begins. Contently and confidently married, Hopkins responds as an older brother might, and the two grow to cherish each other despite the distance.
As they care for each other, and slowly, their local friends and family become aware, we see how love transcends the sea. Neither character has an agenda, and this left me feeling a little less cynical about the world around me.
Like so many of today's e-mail- and chatroom-only friendships, they learn to appreciate each other, though knowing only the other as they choose to describe themselves.
This isn't a story about books or bookstores, despite the honest representation of their demeanor and personality. Any booklover knows the search for a book, and the texture of a bookseller's knowledge and connection with his books.
This is a movie about the depth, trust, and love of one unexpected relationship. Book lovers will enjoy the context, and good friends will smile knowingly.
--Brockeim
82 of 84 people found the following review helpful
By Wendy Kaplan
Format:DVD
Based on the charming true-life book by Helene Hanff, 84 Charing Cross Road is an absolute heart-tugging gem of a movie, and I cannot believe I never came across this 1987 sleeper before this time. Anne Bancroft is magnificent as brash New Yorker Helene Hanff, a book lover extraordinaire who comes across a British emporium of rare books, and begins an extraordinary correspondence (via paper, this was BEFORE e-mail and how charming it is!) with Frank Doel, played fabulously by a young Anthony Hopkins.
Somehow, in their 20 years of correspondence about books, their growing and deep friendship never had its denoument: Neither one was ever able to visit the other. And yet they were extraordinarily close in their mutual love of books, as Hanff's prolific reading habits and exacting demands for unabridged material complimented Doel's understated British desire to help her all he could.
I found myself in tears more than once; there are so many subtleties to this movie, especially in the bravira performance by Bancroft. This may be her finest role, unheralded though it was.
Something wonderful for any book lover. Order it and enjoy!
Somehow, in their 20 years of correspondence about books, their growing and deep friendship never had its denoument: Neither one was ever able to visit the other. And yet they were extraordinarily close in their mutual love of books, as Hanff's prolific reading habits and exacting demands for unabridged material complimented Doel's understated British desire to help her all he could.
I found myself in tears more than once; there are so many subtleties to this movie, especially in the bravira performance by Bancroft. This may be her finest role, unheralded though it was.
Something wonderful for any book lover. Order it and enjoy!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I liked this very much and watched it two days in a row and will watch...
I liked this very much and watched it two days in a row and will watch it over many times. Thank you for sharing
Published 5 days ago by Russella Hendricks
2.0 out of 5 stars
This should have been wonderful!
This fabulous story, so wonderfully acted, has a giant flaw. The sound is poor. Even with the volume turned up to the maximum, my husband missed much of the dialog. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Bonita Lynn Bliss
4.0 out of 5 stars
great
great, like all of the people and the plot so go out and get this one and watch it over and over
Published 9 days ago by john lefever
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this Movie!
I love the dialogue written for these characters! Such a sweet story with wonderful actors! I've read the book and watch the movie from time to time when I feel like a smile!
Published 1 month ago by Patricia McCullough
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very poignant
A long and heartfelt correspondence develops shortly after WWII between people who've never met, but who become quite close and emotionally attached even so, despite being all very... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Terry W. McDougall
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful story
Once again, life proves to be vastly more interesting than anything that we can make up. What a beautiful telling of a true story, and lives that crossed from across the pond. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Pollytnjc
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good movie.
Ann Bancroft is a favorite actress of mine. This is a really sweet story that crosses the seas from the United States to England.
Published 2 months ago by cynthia murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars
good movie
Was a very good movie recommend it to everyone who values long distant friendships. Item as described and enjoyed it very much
Published 2 months ago by Martha
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great cast with less action than a cemetary!
Wow, the writing and general story line are different and interesting. If these 90 minutes were some 30, even 60 minutes with SOMETHING else of interest/value as a subplot, etc. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sheamus O
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such An Interesting Movie
I saw this movie on Netflix and loved it. It's an interesting story and the characterizations are spot on. Read more
Published 3 months ago by James
