Customer Reviews

Friends [VHS]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I can't believe that such a small budget film that Anicee and I had the good fortune to make all those years ago, is still receiving your kind attention. Thank you for all your comments, I assure you it was great fun to make "Friends" and an honour to work with Lewis Gilbert who has continued to make some super films.

I shall always remember Lewis's words after the Preview showing..."Sean" he said as he came up to shake my hand,"you have nothing to be ashamed of !"..(I heaved a sigh of relief)...then he added.. "But nothing to be proud of either!". Years of dedicated training as a young actor just went down the pan!
I now work with people with special needs , the money is terrible but the smiles are the best! I have been lucky enough to see both of these 2 very different worlds. One feeds upon the attention it seeks and the other is just happy being, and getting on with things quietly, but both are exciting,fun and challenge one to do better. May your gods be with you all !

In Paris, surly Britisher Paul Harrison, 15, suffers from a businessman father who's getting married and gaining a stepmother and a prim and proper stepbrother Gerald. Cute brunette Michelle Latour, 14 and a half, whose father's death has left her an orphan, flees from her cousin and her abusive live-in Pierre. Paul and Michelle meet and after a few days, run away to a countryside cottage Michelle and her artist father used. Both are fed up with adults who don't seem to want, understand, or care about their feelings. "Adults. They're all the same. As long as you don't bother them..." Paul says. Later he contends that "if we were old enough, they might leave us both alone. Nobody's gonna find us no matter how hard they try." Late twenties onwards is considered old for them.

It's a nice, cozy two bedroom, one living room with fireplace, cottage. And it's apparent that Michelle is in her element in the countryside. Even though Paul's the one who decides to run away and tag along with her, Michelle's knowhow proves that she's more responsible than he, although he learns from her and from experience. She knows how to cook and wash so her abilities as a housewife are in plain evidence. Paul is educated, but that doesn't do him any good where they are.

The world Paul and Michelle create isn't that far removed from the adult world, because necessity dictates Paul to find a job in order to buy food. They go hungry together, become disillusioned at times, and even their idyllic union is briefly threatened in a war of words. But they triumph and soon fall in love, and beyond. Michelle is very gentle and is quick to stand by him when his job hunt yields nothing. She assures him he'll have better luck tomorrow. And the horrid women of today are quick to brand their boyfriends or husbands losers if they have that trouble! Give me a girl like Michelle anyday! The cottage in the idyllic countryside instead of the busy streets of Paris works in their favour. Here, they have their Eden. Sure, the long walk Paul has in the fields or in town is quite a trial, but it makes a man out of him, plus he feels the esteem in getting money and having Michelle to come home to.

Their outlook and message to the world is encapsulated in this exchange, when they are having a picnic. Michelle asks Paul, "What is the future?" To which he replies "It's here. It's us. Until we're properly married.... Until we're old enough. No one to say that we're too young."

Lewis Gilbert directed this movie and its sequel, Paul And Michelle. His better known efforts include You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Educating Rita, and Shirley Valentine. And Elton John's score and love songs add to the magic, particularly the title track and "Seasons" which Heart did on their Road Home album. "Funny how young lovers start as friends" he sings. Funny, and wonderful. And the old English lady Paul helps in the bookshop is Joan Hickson, who played Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the BBC TV series in the 1980's.

Both leads are great here, making a loving and ultimately responsible couple in their Eden. The controversy this film aroused for portraying mid-teens as parents isn't justified. Although Anicee Alvina does indeed do a great job of looking fourteen, (she was 16) and her topless scenes may have caused a stir. She is very cute and darling, a cross between Judy Garland, especially when wearing pigtails, and Drew Barrymore. And her voice is so girlish and cute French accented English.

A sense of emancipation exploded in the 1970's, such as the youth and women's liberation movement, and Roe v. Wade was two years to come after this film. Despite this being an English-directed film, the childbirth here reflects the illegality of abortion in France, which continued until 1974, but also a return to the idyllic romanticism that the above movements sundered. No, I'm not saying this is something the right can rally to, but more a return to nature, away from the stifling metropolis and authority. A sweet little film whose sequel I can't wait to see.

My husband of 26 years & I saw this as Juniors in HS. Yes, he was my boyfriend then and still continues to be. I think we both cried our eyes out. I think possibly we were drawn to the movie by the Elton John music in it, but were then swept away by the teenage angst of it all. Paul and Michelle were just about our ages when we saw the movie- so very easy to identify with!!
It is wonderful to hear that Sean is doing well, I am also in the "helping professions" (an RN). I thought his performance was good and very believable. "Michelle" came across as very sweet, fragile and vulnerable. I think the main theme is that if they didn't have to deal with the "real world" then they could be happy and continue to be in love. How many times have all of us wanted to just have a "Calgon moment". If we all had no outside worries and could just deal with our "basic needs" it could be somewhat easier. I have a 15 yr old daughter and wouldn't have a problem with her seeing this movie.. Kids see so much worse these days that this is very tame.
For those of you who are trying to locate the CD my husband (a huge Elton John fan) was able to get a 2-CD set which came out in 1992. It is called, "Elton John-rare masters" Polygram studios. This has all the friends songs as well as many others. As far as we know this is the only CD with the "Friends" music. We also had the LP years ago and were thrilled to find the CD. Good luck.
I recommend this movie for anyone who loves the "young love" theme. I only wish it was on DVD now!!

This movie captures the innocence and idealism of two very young teenagers in England & France. I first saw this movie while over in Italy in the Military in the early 70's. Elton John's soundtrack is unbelievably set perfectly to the movie.

If only life could still be this innocent and sweet. There is nothing dirty or foul about the movie. Two young kids fall in love and experience life, howbeit, the difficult way in southern France.

This movie brings back "those" memories of the 1960's and early 1970's. If you listen to the soundtrack, that is the words you will note how very well they depict the thoughts and imaginations of these two young teens. Anyone not having a copy should get one.

This movie is a reflection of its times--the early 70s. Although politically incorrect by 1990's standards, the idea of two teenagers running away to live together, having a baby together, and assuming the traditional roles of "breadwinner" and "homemaker" is quite innocent and precious. They are "modeling" the roles they've been shown by their parents and, if you've seen the movie, you may recall the two were trying to get away from a bad parent situation anyway. The most poignant scene is where there is no food in the house and the young girl finally gives in and offers her body to the young boy to help take away his hunger for food and shame at being unable to provide for her. It is a very noble gesture on her part. Surprisingly, they manage to find food and other resources before they are discovered by those searching for them. Unlike one of the previous reviewers, I WOULD recommend this movie to my teenage son. He, like other young people, needs to see representations of hope, love, and problem solving--things which are sadly lacking in many movies and books of the 1990s.

The boy is 15, and from probably an affluent French family, and neglected. The girl is 14, orphaned, and put into a far less than ideal situation. This situation is made very clear without being sensationalized as would be done now. The movie is set in France: the two meet, and fall in love. When he wrecks the car he stole from his father, there is no going back, and they set off to make it on their own. They go to a family cottage, in probably Southern France; she gets pregnant, and they have to cope with a situation they are unprepared for but do their best to get by and do the best for the new baby. He has to find work, and they need to find information for the new situation. It is a love story of two very young persons trying to handle a situation in the best way they can. They even slip into the back of a church to take part in a baptism and also a marriage, while the real thing is taking place in the church. And to top it off, the great song by Elton John. I liked the movie, as I felt it handled the story is a very sensitive way, and you were made to feel the love between these two young people.

I've had Elton's vinyl record of this since the late '70s and loved it, but never saw the movie until now. I searched for a video copy of the movie until the early 90's and then gave up. Just a couple weeks ago I fell on this site and immediately bought the VHS. I have watched it a few times already and absolutely love it! It is such a tender and beautiful story, with intensely loving and emotional shots. The story and filming, combined with Elton's music has made this a new all time favourite of mine.

Times of innocence innocence!!

I wouldn't want to lecture anybody but I do feel the urge to say some things I consider important about this BEAUTIFUL film. I saw it for the first time in 1976 (I was 14) and then one more time a year later. That was it. The rest of it was the pink LP of Elton John's soundtrack getting the music and the story deeper and deeper inside my heart. How deep?
A week ago my cousin gave me a VHS copy as a present. (No DVD's yet).
Boy....was I surprised!! Poets have always sustained that deep childhood and adolescent experiences of beauty, love, God, idealist pursuits, stay with you forever. Since they occur mostly at the heart's level (no intellect yet!), they define your soul's contours like a sculptor would do with a stone. If sometimes we didn't tend to forget how right they are perhaps we would do better in understanding the meaning of every minute, of every decision, of every turning point of our lives.

So, I confess I feel nostalgia. But the fascinating part of this is watching the film again, and through this trip back in time, enriching that understanding of why we, people from the 60's, grew up as we did. The spirit of those times is all here: a Genesis created far from the official world of consuming and economic success, make love not war, the beautiful pop ballads, the poetry of the lyrics, a totally romantic view of adolescent rebellion with the awakening of sexuality carefully wrapped in tender and chaste love, these two lonely spirits still full of childhood innocence growing together as they learn mutual commitment and turning into "adults".

I showed the film to a group of school youngsters and they abounded with such simplistic and cynical comments regarding it as naïve and foolish. Guys, be serious!! Cinema is an art and as art it reflects not only human emotions but historical moments. And this is exactly what "Friends" does in a masterly way. It reflects an idyllic idea of rebellion and new beginning we all dreamt about when we were 15. I'm now a musician and I feel some of us, artists for that matter, still dream about it!! How else could we live? That's "Friends", that's "Brother Sun Sister Moon", that's "Hair". Those were the times, still alien to AIDS, alien to explicit and vulgar texts in pop songs with no melody, to pornography presented as "sexuality", to this barbaric new "world order" growing after September 11th.

What a heart warming experience to see Paul and Michelle again, timidly and tenderly exploring the new fantasies of their romantic world. What a trip back to the very core of our hearts: to Paris, to Elton John at his best, to the 2 CV Citroën and the VW Beetle. What a fresh air from the peaceful cottage in Camargue, surrounded by fishing ponds and wild horses. They made us who we are, as did Serrat in Spain, Brel in France, Peter Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Luther King, the Beatles, the early Bee Gees, Belafonte's Spirituals, Gandhi, the Gospel of Elvis.

People still hoping: get this picture. Start with innocence and grow from there. You'll find out what it's all about. And from there you'll have a solid and more truthful foundation; some ideals to look for in life, a way to handle personal and world affairs. We need so much of this today! Give yourselves the chance and maybe someday the time of cynics will end.

Santiago Zuleta.
Bogotá, Colombia.

This film came out when I was 12 years and became so in love with the characters, the movie and the soundtrack!

Yes I also saw Paul and Michelle, the sequel to Friends. And yes I also loved it! I wish Elton John had written the songs for the soundtrack for that one too.

I was surprise to even find the movie here at Amazon. I had an LP record but I have lost it through the years of moving. I would like to be able to buy the CD since I really have worn out the cassette I recorded the album into. After all, the cassette itself is over 20 years old.

I would recommend both of the movies and the soundtrack! Of course I'm biased since it came out during the beginning of my teen years!

One of the most attractive feature of coming of age dramas is the idea of the innocence which can be found inspite of the rest of the world . Such innocence is beautifully presented here in a wonderful, if not realistic, fable of young love and redemption. Beautifully protrayed by two young actors, Anicee Alvina is particularly remarkable as the young Michelle, the film weaves together the tapestry of a wonderful place where our young lovers can live rleativlely free from the corrupting influences of the outside world, and develop along the way from troubled teenagers to mature and capable young (albeit very young) adults. Only at the end, when the outside world intrudes on their cocoon, does the tragedy occur. This film was originally panned by many reviewers for its lack of realism, and many parents found the idea of two young teenagers finding love and having a family too threatening to embrace; likewise, many found the theme of the movie too saccharine for their taste. If a lack of relaism bothers you, I suggest you don't see this movie. But, for those of us who still yearn for the idealism of the 60's, for a time when we believed that love, for each other and for one's fellow man, could sove our problems if we could be kept free from the influences of the world, this movie was, and still is, a breath of fresh air.