Loss of Innocence

I'm surprised to find that this has not as yet been given a video release. More and more films from the various studios' archives are finding their way to a public that craves the kind of entertainment which was once much more available to those willing to attend a film in a theatrical setting, that is, films with a respect for adult sensibilities and without the tiniest nod to the sensation-seekers who crave explosions, mindless (and excruciatingly extended sequences of) violence and special effects which are, let's face it, beginning the inevitable downward spiral of diminishing returns. Really! Are any but those who refuse to refine their tastes in theater, films, etc., still impressed by the ever more astonishing demonstrations of the computer geniuses' craft and which are the reason that dozens and dozens of artisans make a closing credit roll-up almost as long as a typical film these days (and which precious few theater patrons will now sit through)?

I was able to see "Loss of Innocence" (its American release title) at a first-run theater in Beverly Hills, California and the print was absolutely pristine, doing full justice to Freddie Young's exceptionally fine work behind the Technicolor cameras. A projectionist of my acquaintance at the time told me that Columbia Pictures Corporation was especially particular about the condition and presentation of first-run films released by that studio, sending technicians frequently during first-run engagements of Columbia films to check on the condition of projection equipment, correcting any flaws that may have shown up in the reels, the proper masking of projected films according to the aspect ratio used in production, and so forth. I no longer live in southern California but I'm somewhat reluctant to believe that such care (and expense) is still lavished on films at first-run houses down there these days. It certainly doesn't appear to be true here in the Northwest.

Anyway, with the lovely scenery of its French countryside settings and two truly beautiful actresses (the exquisitely young English rose, Miss York, and that elegant flower of French womanhood, Madame Darrieux) to delight one's eyes, plus a delicately scripted story of more than unusual interest, this is a film I shall always remember as one of the most ravishing cinema-going experiences that I can recall. I join others who have commented on this site in hoping that we will one day be rewarded with a happy refreshing of our memories with a video release of this gem.

The alternative title for this film is The Loss of Innocence, which sounds deceptively exploitative. It is however an appropriate description of a charming yet sinister film.

The film is set in the Champagne Country in France, so we get some lush views of the French countryside and even a look into the champagne caves. That alone would probably be enough for some people but we have a great story too: four children (for those who read the book, the character of Cecil has been merged with Hester) are left on their own in a grand hotel in France when their mother gets taken ill. Thirteen-year-old Hester, the second eldest, takes charge of The Littles (their name for the two young children) as she has the best knowledge of French, but it is the eldest child, sixteen-year-old Joss, that blossoms almost overnight. Her beauty captures the heart of their unofficial guardian, middle-aged Englishman Eliot, and Joss soon becomes entangled in a love triangle between her, Eliot, and co-owner of the hotel, Madame Zizi. Further complications arise when Eliot proves himself to be untrustworthy, perhaps even criminal...

The novel has been diluted in the transition to film. The novel's equivalent of Hester, Cecil, is the narrator of the novel, so we see her sister's sexual awakening through her eyes. Cecil also undergoes a transition into womanhood, however all hints of this are eradicated in the film. Whether this is due to time restrictions or trying to please the censors is unclear. The focus of the film is on Joss and her coming-of-age. Fans of the book may be disappointed that Susannah York does not have the exotic dark beauty that Joss is supposed to have, but she is suitably pretty and passes as a sixteen-year-old who is just turning into a woman. She also resembles Sue Lyon in Lolita, which came out in the same year, and the two films have some similarities in that relationship. Kenneth More is a bit old to play Eliot so one might have to stretch their imagination to believe that Joss fancies him. He also doesn't have the suaveness or mysteriousness of Eliot in the novel. However he does have a chirpy charm and works well with the children. A mention should also go to Jane Asher, who plays Hester's curiosity of the adult world very effectively.

Although the film does not capture the darkness and perfection of the novel, it remains a nice exploration of the process of growing up.

In the early 1960s there were several movies that put a teen-aged girl into a moral dilemma that was difficult even for people three times her age. But the performances of Jill Haworth in "Exodus," Hayley Mills in "The Chalk Garden" and Merrie Spaeth and Tippy Walker in "The World of Henry Orient" are overshadowed by that of Susannah York in "The Greengage Summer" (1961).

York plays a responsible person who falls in love with a criminal -- a professional thief, played by Kenneth More, who finds her very attractive. She is sixteen, he is in his 40s. Without parents for the summe, she is in charge of her younger siblings; he is single and carefree. But there is no seduction here, from either party.

Susannah York's Joss trembles and blushes as someone ready to throw pride and morality to the wind in the name of love. Kenneth More's Eliot, initially a copy of Charles Boyer's Pepe in "Algiers" (1940), becomes genuinely awkward as he tries to understand her exuberance, and as he rediscovers a pre-criminal sense of honor within himself. The relationship of these two unlikely lovers is erotic, but without the smutty sex we now expect from such cinematic situations, and without the sermonizing or soft-focus slow motion that became fashionable for awhile a few years after this movie and those with a similar theme.

Realistic dialogue and lush background scenes are juxtaposed against embarrassing and unspoken emotions, making this film a haunting exposition.

Kevin Cisneros

This film is a distant memory of Sunday afternoons in my teens when this film was still played in the UK. How can we get it released on video? The innocence of the girl falling in love with the thief, it was gripping. ten out of ten

This movie is my husband's favorite. He, the consummate movie buff, describes this movie as "nearly perfect" and "simply beautiful."

We have been searching for a copy of it for quite literally a decade. It does not appear to have ever been issued on videotape and it never appears on television, either.

If any of you just happen to know someplace where this wonderful movie might be available, please contact us!