Movie Actresses I have enjoyed watching.

As a male I admit that the female lead (sometimes a supporting actress) can be a deciding factor for any movie selection.  These women on screen, made up, coiffed and costumed by experts are not real.  And with no personal contact to assess their real personalities like other males I live in a fantasy world.  Yes there is lots to choose from and many overlooked.  Here are some I remember and I may add a few after posting.  We all would like to discover a fresh face.

I will start with Italian cinema as it is Sophia Loren who actually inspired this post   First saw her in Hollywood cinema, but lately appreciate her Italian roots.   Obviously very good looking, but surprisingly an excellent actress.  In "Sunflower,"she ages very well as well she does in "Marriage Italian Style". In "Two Women" where she was first actress in a foreign film to win an Oscar. she plays the mother of a teenage girl while only 25 herself.  Other notable movies include  "A Special Day" and  "Yesterday, To-day and Tomorrow."

Anna Magnani was another notable Italian actress, but only saw her in three movies.  In one, the director was on record as saying he didn't want her to take over the movie, but she is the main thing I remember from "Mama Roma".  She had a strong presence, even though the director tried to minimize her impact.   She was also in Rosselini's "Rome, Open City."  Another movie was "L'Automobile" near the end of her career and again she was a dominating presence.  Apparently I also saw her in "The Secret of Santa Vittoria" with Anthony Quinn, but confess I was unfortunately not conscious of her.

The French have a long reputation for sexy women and I can appreciate the history.  One of my favorites is Audrey Tautou in many movies but epitomized in "Priceless ",  "Amelie", "Delicacy" and her first English speaking role in "Dirty Pretty Things." She was  in a trilogy with Romain Duris.

Another very attractive actress is Bernice Bejo notably in the silent film "The Artist." "The Past". and "The Grand Role." were outstanding.  Very recently saw her in "Au Bonheur des Ogres."

Marion Cotillard made a claim to fame in America with 'La vie en rose" although in French she won the Oscar for the best actress, only the second to win that award in a foreign film.  She has been on both sides of the Atlantic.  French movies seen included "Rust and Bones'" and "Love me If You Dare"  In English she starred in "Inception" and more recently "The Emigrant".

Juliet Binoche won our attention in "The English Patient," and  "Chocolate."  "A 1000 Times Good Night" was seen at a film festival.  She appeared in all 3 Three Color movies."Blue" "Red" and "White."  Recently saw in "Words and Pictures" where some of her painting was displayed.

Marie-Josée Croze, the Quebecker with an incredible smile.  Recently saw in English speaking movie set in Ireland, "Cavalry" but more notably in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly."  I had also seen her in a Quebec movie where she played a drug addict.

Sweden also is noted for gorgeous women, but the one that most stands out for me is Ingrid Bergman.  "For Whom the Bell Tolls"  "Casablanca"  and with Cary Grant in two movies.   I recently saw one of her earlier Swedish films,  "June Night" for which she was the highlight.

Noomi Rapace played the "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" and its two sequels in a very quirky role which led to a big surprise when I heard her fluent English accent on a special feature.  I have since seen her in "Child 44" and "The Drop.".

The Danes, another Scandinavian country with a reputation for attractive women have got my attention.  One I respect is Trine Dyrholm who appeared
in "Royal Affair,"  "All You Need Is Love" with Pierce Brosnan and the Oscar winner " A Better World."








I watched a number of Spanish movies and the one actress that stands out for me is Penelope Cruz, especially in "Volver" but had seen her earlier in "Open Your Eyes"  which she reprised in English with Tom Cruise.

Ingrid Rubio is established in Spain, but I saw her in an Argentine movie "Todas Las Azfalatzas van Cielo" where she was captivating.

I grew up with English speaking movies and the actresses no doubt played a part in developing my interests in movies.

Olivia de Havilland impressed me in"Strawberry Blonde" "Robin Hood," "Captain Blood" and "Gone with the Wind.  I enjoyed her performances in "The Snake Pit" and "The Heiress."
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Elizabeth Taylor started as a child star in such movies as "National Velvet" and later moved to "Cleopatra" and "Who's Afraid of Virgina Wolf?"

I can only recall seeing two movies of Vivian Leigh.  "That Hamilton Woman" (one of mine and Winston Churchill's favorites) impressed me the most and "Gone with The Wind" almost equally impressive.
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Katherine Hepburn is remembered in "The Philadelphia Story" and a number of movies with Cary Grant and Spencer Tracey.  Later I saw her in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "Golden Pond," and "the Lion in Winter"  A regal bearing and excellent diction.

Emily Blunt  in "Sunshine Cleaning"  "Young Victoria" "Your Sister's Sister," "Salmon Fishing in Yemen"  recently "Sicario" upcoming in "The Girl on The Train."

Elizabeth Banks with Russell Crowe, "The Next Three Days" "People Like Us"" Love and Mercy."

Meryl Streep has been a very dedicated actress who perhaps more than anyone on this list was very versatile.  "The Hours" "Doubt" "Kramer vs Kramer" and" Sophie's Choice

Zoe Saldana was impressive in "Avatar"  I had read her interest in the theatre was from her stay in the Domican Republic.  She starred in a Spanish film, "The Curse of Father Cardona" which was mediocre but she is mesmerizing   In "The Words" she paired with Bradley Cooper.

Halle Berry  was seen in "What We Lost In The Fire" and "The Call"

Rosario Dawson got my attention in "Trance"  "Seven Pounds" and "Unstoppable."

Gugu Mbatha-Raw was featured in "Belle."    Now I look forward to to watch "Concussion."

Viola Davis was "The Help"   "How to get away with murder" is addicting.  After an award she was quoted as saying"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity."

Hiam Abbass is an Israeli Arab who spends most of her time in France. First saw her in an American art movie, "The Visitor" and was quite impressed.  Saw in a number of other movies where she seemed to project herself better than the rest of the cast, but without being flashy.  Read more about her here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/hiam-abbass-always-leaves-impression.html

My memories of Korean movies are mostly of the movies themselves, however a few actresses did get my attention.    "200 pound beauty" is still one of my all time favorites mainly because of Ah-jung Kim in a dual role that earned our empathy.*

 Do-yeon Jeon from "The Housemaid" where she played an unfortunate maid targeted by the philandering husband.

Ji-hyu Jun in "Assassination" played an action role with lots of variety.

Hyo-joo Han, charming in "The Beauty Inside" with a dozen leading men also in "Masquerade"

Chinese

Li Gong got international attention for films such as "The Geisha," but her earlier Chinese roles "Raise the Red Lantern", "What Women Want" and  "Ju Dou" are worth a look.  She is now a citizen of Singapore  "

Japan

The Japanese don't seem to emphasize a star system, although they have many regular actors.  Ryoko Hirose got my attention in the Oscar winner "Departures" going through quite the transformation of being disgusted with her husband to supporting him.  Later saw her in "Key of Life"  
          
Yasuko Matsuyuki from "Hula Girls" played a hula instructor fleeing from debts in the big city.

Argentina

Norma Aleandro is now viewed as an older stately woman.  One of her big movies was "The Official Story."  "Anita" "Andres doesn't nap in the afternoon" and an English movie, "The City of Your Final Destination."  Recently saw her in a small cameo in "Todas  Las Azfalatzas van Cielo."  

Martina Guzman in "Carncho" with Ricardo Darin and in another "White Elephant"  that unfortunately saw on defective DVD

Soledad Villami played female lead in the Oscar winner "Suspect in their eyes" as Ricardo Darin's lost love. Apparently the two had been paired together in popular movies earlier.

What I watch most these days seems to be Bollywood and the many attractive women are one of the reasons.--they seem to have the most actresses partly as they churn out more movies than Hollywood and some are making waves in the American market.  Although there are quite a few, I couldn't bring myself to cut any of them

Vidya Balan in her first movie played literally a girl next door in "Parineeti"   But she refuses to be typecast as proved by "The Dirty Picture" "No One Killed Jessica" "Kahanni" (where she played a charming pregnant woman) and    "Te3n"  Read more:
http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/08/vidya-balan-very-versatile-bollywood.html

Juhi Chawla's heyday was in the 1990's but she goes from giggly glamorous type to mature.  I was very disappointed to see her listed with "The 100-Foot Journey" that had her killed off in the early minutes.

Shreya Saran played the girl next door in "The End Of The Line" where I decided I wanted to see any film with her in it.  The next one was a big surprise, "Kantswamy' which was in Tamil and she played a vengeful conniving bitch.  She had roles in two Canadian films directed by Deepa Metha, "Cooking with Stella" and "Midnight's Children."  She had bit roles in some Bollywood films that I was unable to obtain.  Most recently saw her in "Drishyam" that turned out to be a masterpiece. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/11/driishyam-bollywood-remake-masterpiece.html

Tabu is one classy actress who can do comic role, but also very authoritative.   A strong woman can be off putting to males, but I have come to respect her.  Read more at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/12/tabu.html

Preity Zinta another sparkly actress was in one of my first Bollywood films "Kal Ho Naa Ho" and she is one reason I got hooked.  She had been spotted in a tv. commercial.  A number of her movies are noteworthy, "Dil Chata Hai" "Veer Zara'  "Kol...Mil Gaya".  One movie  "Heaven on Earth" for Deepa Mehta was filmed in Brampton.

Rani Mukerji has been in a wide range of movies and projects a sophisticated, energetic image. Read more: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/11/rani-mukerji-maturing-actress.html

Parineeti Chopra has a sparkly personality.  In "Ladies vs Ricky Bahl" she only had supporting role , but captured a lot of attention.  In "Hasee Toh Phasee" she had a charming, but unusual leading role

Priyanka Chopra is now fairly well known in the States as she appeared as lead in American tv series, "Quantico."  She was Miss World 2000, but she has a lot more going for her than her looks.  Some of her other movies include  "Don", "Don 2"  "Fashion" "Barfi."  In "Mary Kom" she portrayed a champion boxer .

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was once declared the most beautiful woman in the world after winning Miss World in 1994.  She seemed like fluff, but is not.  "Devdas," "Sarkar Raj," and "Jodha Akbar" are some of the more memorable ones.  "Provoked" in English was a strong social commentary.

Deepika Padukone debuted with Shah Rukh Khan in "Om Shanti Om."  She did a great job in "Bachna Ae Haseeno" and "Karthik Calling Karthik."  She has expanded her repertoire with such movies as "Finding Fanny"  Recently enjoyed her in "Tamasha" where she paired up with a past boyfriend, Ranbir Kapoor.  Now making her first American movie with Van Diesil,    See a blog on

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/02/tamasha-wonderful-story.html


Kangana Ranaut has been in her share of duds, but she has really shone in "Queen" "Gangster," "Once Upon a Time in Mumbai,"Tanu Weds Manu,"  and "Woh Lambe." She often plays very glamorous women often with unstable mentality, but in "Queen" she played someone more ordinary, but determined. Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/07/kangana-ranaut.html

Kajol is 1/2 of my favourite jodi.   She paired with Shah Rukh Khan to really good effect in "Diwale Dulhania Le Jayenge," "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" "Kabhi Khusi Kabhie Gham," and "My Name is Khan."  She paired with Aamir Khan in "Fanaa" and with Arjun Rampal in "We Are Family."

Srvedi had taken a break from making movies, then appeared in "English Vinglish" in a more gracious mature role.  Earlier films such as "Lamhe" established her reputation as a glamour star.

There are so many choices that I know some worthy actresses have been left out.  Any you would care to recommend?  For my favorite actors:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/08/my-favorite-movie-actors.html

Multi lingual actors add more sizzle to cinema

Following my blog on "why I love foreign movies" I left out one detail.  PEOPLE.  There are a lot of actors who have added enjoyment to a vast international audience.  They include those who are able to articulate in more than one language so that their talent can be appreciated by larger numbers of film lovers.  English speaking films and other national film cultures have benefited from inclusion of multi lingual actors.

Why would they be wanted?   They might fit the part (of an immigrant or exotic foreigner) or they can draw a crowd in their native land or among a diaspora.  Talent is randomly distributed around the world, and is universally appreciated.  Some of them frankly are pretty sexy without any linguistic considerations..

Why would they choose to speak roles in different languages?  Money seems an obvious answer, but artistic opportunity is also important. Cinema is very international and directors, actors, producers and other film people are meeting each other and often come to admire each other's work.


From French cinema you can find Audrey Tautou("The Da Vinci Code""Dirty Pretty Things"), Marion Cotillard ("The Dark Knight Rises," Inception"),  Juliet Binoche ("Chocolat" The English Patient"), Mathieu Alaric  ("The Grand Budapest", "Qantum of Solace") Vincent Cassel ("Black Swan" "Trance") to spice up the English speaking world.

From Mexico we have Gael Garcia Bernal   who has appeared in "Mozart in the Jungle," "Letters to Juliet" " Recently watched him in "Rosewater,"  about a Canadian journalist directed by Jon Stewart set in Iran.  A close friend, of Gael's  Diego Luna  was in "Milk" and "The Terminal."

Edgar Ramirez from Venezuela  had a military father with international placings that encouraged him to learn English, French and Spanish.  Known in English cinema for "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Bourne Ultimatum" In "The Liberator" he played Simon Bolivar and spoke in significant sections of the movie, Spanish, French and English.

From Spain Javier Bardem has been a gift in such movies as "Skyfall" "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"  Now, his wife Penelope Cruz  has been in"Vanillia Sky" duplicating role from "Open Your Eyes."    Eduardo Noriega appeared in" Transsiberian" and "Vantage Point."  Also speaks French and appeared in "Beauty and the Beast."  Paz Vega has appeared in many Spanish movies and television episodes and also in Italian films before making mostly American movies such as "Spanglish" and "Triage."

From Denmark Ulrich Thomsen speaks fluent German and English.  He has appeared in at least two Hungarian movies including one I saw ,"The Notebook" playing a German.  He has appeared in German movies.  Worked in the American tv series, "Banshee."  Not yet released he will be directing, writing and acting in "In Embryo."  Mads Mikklesen is another leading man from Denmark and has appeared in two French films I have seen, "Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky" and "The Legend of Michael Kohilhaas."  In the U.S. he has played the main character in the tv series, "Hannibal" and recently in the movie "The Salvation."

Bollywood actors making inroads in Britain and the States include Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in such movies as "Pink Panther 2" and  "Provoked." Anil Kapoor  has made a reputation in "Mission Impossible" and "24)," Irrfan Khan has played in "The Amazing Spiderman"  and " Jurassic World."  Priyanka Chopra has made a breakthrough in "Quantico."   Om Puri a very prolific actor has been on English movies such as "East is East,"  "West is West" and "The Hundred Foot Journey."  India has a unique problem with Hindi as one of the most popular language in the world, but there are several other major languages and dubbing and sub titles are popular in different regions, but so is English.  Some of their movies are even mostly English, whereas in others it is sometimes used to indicate upper class and others just to cut across barriers.  There are movies based on many different languages and many actors have found it useful to speak several Indian languages.

Rutger Hauer, another prolific actor who started in his native Dutch movies.  I remember him in "Bride Flight" a Dutch-English movie set in New Zealand.  He played Michaelanglo in an Italian production.  In English he has played a number of vampire roles but also "The Mill and the Cross."

Max Von Sydow starting from Sweden played in a number of European films such as "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and in many American and British movies.  Stellan Sarsgard, has been in a number of Amerian movies such as "Mama Mia"s with his son Alexander carrying on in a number of American films   Sweden provided us with  Ingrid Bergman.  More modern  Noomi Rapace, famous as "the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" has performed in "Child 44 ""and The Drop"

Branko Djuric played in Bosnian and other Balkan languages- and learned English for "Triage."

French Canadian in English films include Roy Dupuis, and Genevieve Bujold.  It is fairly natural for Quebekers to be bilingual.

Lots of other multi lingual actors have been left out.  Who are your favourites?  If you enjoy their English speaking roles you can better appreciate them in their native tongues.

If you haven't read the earlier post on foreign movies here it is:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/why-i-like-foreign-movies-with.html

for more information on Javier Bardem:http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/javier-bardem-gift-from-spain.html

for more information on Mads Miklesen:
http://www.johnfdavidson.com/2014/05/mads-mikkelsen-helping-denmark.html

Three French movies

In an earlier post I recounted how having been inspired by three French movie trailers to end up reading 3 enjoyable books.  Well the movies were still on the agenda.  Movies have a reputation of cutting out explanations and adding in entertaining, but distorting details.  Do they maintain the spirit of the book or make their own meaning?  You can read my experiences with the books here:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/05/3-french-novels-inspired-by-3-french.html

My favorite example of the difference is with the Turkish book and novel,  "Bliss."  The author Zulfu Livaneli wrote the book and surprisingly wrote the music for the movie.  The book was as usual in more depth, but actually gave away the movie ending almost at the beginning.  Further in the book the author predicted if a movie was done it would have more of a Hollywood ending which it did and probably why he preferred to write the very enjoyable music.  They both dealt with honour killing and made the horror of it very evident.  Read more here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/turkish-delight-in-book-and-movie-form.html

"Sarah's Key" made me conscious that a book gets into the thinking of the characters more than a film.  I think the general theme of the book did get through with the performances and technical aspects being good.  From the movie trailer the shock was that the French were complicit in the Holocast.  In both the book and the movie that connection is slowly built up.  As in the books the modern day journalist efforts are paralleled with an experience in Nazi held Paris.  The journalist realizes that her husband's family was intimately involved and buried the emotions connected to it.  The mystery is carried into modern times while the obsessive journalist tries to track down Sarah.  Her own family problems become entangled.

Kristin Scott Thomas, most famous for "The English Patient" is an actress I have watched in a variety of French movies.  As she is bilingual it is natural for her to play the American journalist married into a French family.  The actors all make you feel this really happened and the director holds everything together.

"The Hedgehog" was another book that dealt with inner emotions.  3 main characters who all see themselves as "different."  The director and screenwriter,  Mona Achache at age 27 was directing her first movie.  Of the three selected movies only this one did not rely on any big stars.  Mona and the three main actors captured the mood of the book very well.  It is definitely a quirky book from beginning to end, but with characters that grow on you.  A young pre-adolescent girl, Garance Le Guillermie really captured the essence of the literary character who was very intelligent, but took a morbid view of life and gradually saw life more positively.  Josiano Balasko played an old ugly concierge in a luxury apartment building, but had inner beauty that the other two characters came to appreciate.  Josiano played her role perfectly and the viewer came to appreciate there is more to her than meets the eye.  Togo Isaygo played a sophisticated Japanese tenant who befriended both other characters and he fit the role from the book very well

Sometimes when you watch a movie you learn little cultural things that stick, even if trivial.  At one point a musical toilet startles you and later learn that it is a "Japanese thing".

The ending of the movie if anything reflected the book's ending in an even more effective manner.  It will disappoint those hoping for a Hollywood ending, but actually it makes a point about life.  The music running over the end credits is contemplative.  Throughout the movie, the music by Gabriel Yared was good to set the mood and my favorite parts were melancholic with cello and piano.

"delicacy" is the last movie from the three books.  It is unusual in that the author, David Foenkinos teamed with his brother Stéphane Foenkinos to write the screenplay and direct the movie.  Audrey Tatou as the leading lady is always delightful.  I had seen her co-star, Francois Damiens playing a bumbling brother in law in "The Heartbreaker".  In the book were accounts of a lot of trivialities that are part of life and relationships.  The brothers brought in Émilie Simon to write and sing the music which added some emotional support.  The movie captured some of the quirkiness of the book. It is common to put uncommon people together and "Delicacy" gives another version.  A young attractive widow from an ideal marriage meets someone not noticed by other people and and somehow responds to his awkwardness. In the real world we are often amazed and wondering what does she see in him or what does he see in her?  One of life's great wonders.  An enjoyable romance with good humour.

Movies are often inspired by books.  Books are always deeper and movies are selective in capturing the mood.  A good director takes the essence of what the book is trying to convey in a relatively short time.  The director has the advantage of a crew of people including actors, cinematographers, costume, make-up, special effects, music, etc. etc.  The writer has the advantage of our imagination.

Like many people if I like a movie enough I am anxious to read the book to get the fuller story. Sometimes it can work the other way.  I am glad that I read these three books first as reading gives an idea of the depth.  The movies in some ways did capture the essence of the original author and inevitably were forced to leave out some explanation that the reader could appreciate.

For some reason the French are coming up with some top movies, "The Intouchables" was one of my top three for 2012 and one that seems really attractive is "Rust and Bones"

Four French Comedies

Many of the things in life that I enjoy the most were ones that I stumbled on.  They were there when I was looking for something else.  Is that true for you?  These new things went on to change what I was looking for.  Over the past two years or so I have stumbled on four French comedies that made me feel so good I want to share the pleasure.  Don't let your hang-ups about subtitles or notions of French movies deter you from considering these movies, especially if you like to laugh and can appreciate some subtleties.

The first was The Valet.  I had actually seen two of the cast members before--Kristin Scott Thomas was known for The English Patient and Daniel Autieul I had seen in a French drama, Jean de Florette," I very much enjoyed.  I learned from the director's commentary that Kristin Scott Thomas had married a French doctor and split her time between English and French scripts.  The star was Gad Elmaleh who was very good at playing a lovable loser who of course gets the girl in the end, but has a very interesting side trip along the way.  In this film you like most of the characters, but not so much the one played by Daniel Auteuil, nevertheless he makes it work.

The second was Priceless.  Audrey Tautou was as I said in another blog "priceless"  But she was only half of the stars.  My previously discovered Gad Elmaleh shared top billing, playing a nervy ordinary hotel worker.  The two were wonderful together, mis-fitted in the beginning, then rivals with some friendly coaching, then finally what you were hoping for.  Basically you like the main characters and hope they can see the value in one another.

"I do" (prete-moi ta main) wasn't what I was looking for.  The writeups seemed interesting.  One of the stars I had seen recently in a totally differently role.  Charlotte Gainsbourg had played a mother in an Australian movie, called "The Tree."  Here she played a totally different character and very well.  Alain Chabat played a typical happy bachelor avoiding any thoughts of marriage.  His family plays a key role in the movie as his mother and sisters spoil him, but at one point demand he get married so his wife can do all the things that spoil him.  He schemes to fool them hiring the sister of a business associate who schemes to get as much money for the venture as possible.  The idea is the family will like the chosen one, but she will dump him. You know how it is going to end (actually it is very funny and a twist on the beginning), but there are lots of laughs and plot twists along the pathway.




A more recent movie with a lot of laughs was "Heartbreaker" with Romain Duris and Johnny Depp's wife Vanessa Paradis.  Romain had a reputation as a serious actor and I had never seen Vanessa before but both were impressive in a comedy.  Romain plays a character that specializes in breaking up relationships with the help of his sister and her husband.  They are very slick, but of course they eventually run into a situation where the hero gets emotionally involved.  You will also appreciate that Johnny Depp has excellent taste.  A character who played a sort of buffoon brother in law in "Heartbreaker" is the leading man, opposite a favorite of mine, Audrey Tautou. in a movie I look forward to seeing, 'Delicacy"

I am looking forward to discovering more French comedies.  These are all relatively in good taste, but very clever.  When you suspend your skepticism that is normal when watching a movie your intelligence is not insulted and you will just glide along.  At least I did.

3 French Novels inspired by 3 French movie trailers

Dealing with French through high school and some university was difficult for me, but because my instructors took some pity on me I scraped through. Now I look at French culture more favorably. Ironically the three French novels (in English naturally) I have read this year by mid April were all inspired by movie trailers.

I follow the IMDB website a lot and learn about film festivals and check out new or highly regarded movies. Early this year I saw a trailer for "Sarah's Key" and found it interesting, partly because I had seen Kristen Scott Thomas in a number of French movies and quite enjoyed them (ranging from comedies to dramas). My sister in law, Cindy Olynyk decided it was a good idea to offer some books (especially books she enjoyed) to friends and relatives and suggested when we were finished to loan them to someone else who was interested. A great idea allowing more people to read good books. "Sarah's Key" was one of the books and the one Cindy talked about the most.

My wife grabbed it first and took it with her on the beach in Cuba. There it had an unexpected response. One fellow walking by noticed the book and loudly proclaimed it was one of his very favorites and that it had made him cry. This fellow created quite a stir as he was wearing a brightly coloured thong bathing suit and was quite loud. We ended up talking to him for about half an hour and learned a few things of our overlapping interests. Towards the end of our vacation my Kobo's battery ran out and I switched my attention to "Sarah"s Key." Like Cindy and my wife Sharon, I found it hard to put down.

In the airport to go back home I picked it up to read and got the attention of a woman nearby who also expressed her great love of the book. This started another interesting conversation. She and her husband, both in their 80's were from Thunder Bay, a place I have never visited. They were good models of what I would like to be like when I reach that age. They were both politically active (not the same voting tendency as myself, but very open) and I suspect physically as well. They had come to Cuba on a very enticing deal they learned about just a few days before the flight. They re-arranged their busy schedules to take advantage of the opportunity. I had stayed at a beach resort, but they chose a resort in town so they could feel the local culture more closely.

About the book itself, written by Tatiana de Rosnay  it is a page turner.  It explores a part of World War II that is not publicized very much--the roundup of Jews in France by French police. The actual events run parallel to a modern discovery of the events. The conversations around the history depicted in the book all acknowledged that it would be easy to condemn the French, but also admitted that most of us might not be any better. The story also is an example of the endurability of the human spirit and our capacity to empathize with others.

A little earlier in the year another movie trailer caught my attention called "The Hedgehog". Trailers can be very deceptive and they are are designed to develop your interest. I read some of the reviews and that encouraged me even further. This time I checked the library and alas the movie was not in, but the book, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" was. I checked it out.


Written by Muriel Barbery it was an interesting mix of younger and older characters, French and a little Japanese culture. A young girl bent on suicide is befriended by a self described ugly concierge mutually recognizing their superior intelligence and sensitivity.  A Japanese film maker becomes a part of the intimate group.  I didn't feel I had been too misled by the trailer, but the book's ending did catch me off guard.

A third time another movie trailer got my attention. I have to confess that any movie that has Audrey Tautou in it, is automatically something I have to watch. Audrey wasn't playing a particularly glamorous role, but the hint of the plot looked interesting. I checked the library again and saw an entry for "delicacy" that had Audrey's photo in it and reserved it. I was very excited, but when I picked it off the shelf I saw that it was a book. I was tempted to turn it back as I already had too many books out.

I am glad I didn't. "delicacy" made me laugh and I found it very satisfying not only its plot, but its unique style. It is a romance between a fairly young widow and someone thought of as a klutz.  Of course there are all sorts of obstacles for this unlikely couple.  They misunderstand each other often,  but it turns out to be a satisfying relationship.  I understand the author David Foenkinos teamed up with his brother for the movie version.

All three French authors were great to read. They seemed to have a feel for the psychology underlying the actions of the characters. I should credit the translators for making them easy to read, but I think the tone was set by the authors.   Like most Canadians I tend to read books written by English speaking authors, but as I have found in the film world, foreign perspectives can be very intriguing.

Still waiting to see the movies and I am sure there will be differences.  It is difficult to get into the internal thinking that is exemplified in these three books so I will be interested to see how the directors, screen writers and actors tackle the project

I did eventually see the movies and you can read about my reactons at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/three-french-movies.html