Product Details

• Actors: Leslie Caron, Anthony Booth, Avis Bunnage, Patricia Phoenix, Verity Edmett
• Directors: Bryan Forbes
• Writers: Bryan Forbes, Lynne Reid Banks
• Format: PAL
• Language: English (Mono)
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Run Time: 126 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B00009B0SC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,191 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The L-Shaped Room [Region 2]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

[NON-U.S. FORMAT (PAL) Region 2 U.K. Import - This will not play on U.S./Canada DVD players or those from most other countries outside of Europe. You would need a "multi-region" or "region-free" PAL compatible DVD player or computer.] Leslie Caron (Gigi) was Oscar-nominated for her portrayal of Jane, a young pregnant French girl who moves to a seedy boarding house in London for a new start. Beautiful and withdrawn, Jame slowly gets to know the other residents of the house who, like her, are social outsiders in their own way. As she falls into a relationship with Toby (Tom Bell) a struggling young writer who lives on the first floor, and befriends Johnny (Brock Peters, To Kill a Mockingbird) a black jazz musician, Jane finds a new reason to live. She considers getting an abortion, but is unhappy with this solution. Eventually, she comes to like her odd L-shaped room, but still faces two problems:what to do with her baby, and what to do with Toby. A lost British classic, written and directed by Brian Forbes (Whistle Down the Wind, The Stepford Wives), the L-Shaped Room is a sensitive study of social morals at the dawning of the Sixties sexual revolution.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars classic British cinema, April 30, 2008

By 

M. FUSCO "yawnmower" (NEW YORK, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The L-Shaped Room [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - United Kingdom ] (DVD)

Optimum Films has given us the great gift of a beautiful, widescreen transfer of this outstanding film. The photography is stunning, the acting first-rate, and the story compelling. Peter Katin's soulful rendition of Brahm's Piano Concerto in D Minor accompanies, and complements, the touching story throughout.

Leslie Caron is perfect as 27-year-old Jane, a young French woman who finds lodgings in a seedy London rooming house. Next door to her L-shaped attic room is Johnny, a West Indian jazz musician. Downstairs is Toby (Tom Bell in his most memorable role), an aspiring writer. Avis Bunnage is the feisty Cockney landlady and Cicely Courtneidge is an over-the-hill music hall performer. A veritable treasure-trove of delightful English character actors populate their dysfunctional familial world.

The story centers around the shaky romance of Jane and Toby. She is remarkably independent for a woman of that era (1962 was just the dawning of women's rights). Tom Bell is achingly handsome, and utterly winning in his low-key, self-effacing, but determined pursuit of his neighbor. He wins her over, but then takes off when informed that Jane is pregnant by another man. If there is a false note in the film, it is Johnny's curious `morality' (especially for a jazz musician), and his spitefulness in telling Toby of the baby. But he too is in love with Toby.

We want so much for the beautiful couple to be together, the non-committal ending comes as something of a relief. At least we can hope for their future happiness.