The young man's whole world is falling apart. He's lost his spot on the soccer team to of all things a girl. He takes his friends' place in the less glamorous position of goalie. He's very gawky because he's in the middle of a growth spurt. Thus he's getting used to his new body. He doesn't seem to have much of relationship with his parents. We see only see his father once and his mother never. If that's not enough he develops a crush on the girl whose taken his place on the team. He talks to his best friend about this but he's no help because he's never been in love. His other friends don't seem interested in girls or can't get girls interested in them. This is the major thrust of the charming film "Gregory's Girl." While all this sounds serious, it's played for laughs and it works spectacularly.
When he doesn't know what to do he turns to his kid sister for advice who proves to be a sage. There are lots of charming and humorous situations in this film. There is a student in a penguin suit who walks around the school. The student is constantly being redirected. Two of his friends are running two different rings out of the school. One is running a bake goods ring and the other's ring is of pictures of Dorothy (Dee Hepburn) the girl Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) has a crush on. The school headmaster is seen playing a lovely piece on a piano. I was unable to find the name of the piece. I read on youtube the piece was composed by the actor playing the headmaster Chic Murray.
Another sequence involves two of Gregory's friends (Andy-Robert Buchanan and Charlie-Graham Thompson) trying to hitchhike to Caracas (with a misspelled sign!) because Andy heard there was a higher ratio of women to men there. Gregory finally gets up the guile to ask Dorothy out. To his surprise she accepts. He waits at their agreed upon place when he is informed by a friend of her's-Carol (Caroline Guthrie)-that Dorothy's not coming. He is clearly disappointed but Carol convinces him to go to a fish and chip shop. When they get there, she changes clothes, informs him she's got a date, and handles him off to her friend Margo (Carol McCartney). They walk and talk while heading to the park. Once there he is handed off for the final time to Susan (Claire Grogan). It then that he learns and so do we that this was the plan all along.
While Gregory is getting passed off Andy and Charlie see this. While in the park Gregory and Susan have a scene that best illustrates young love. He talks to her about gravity. He then lies on the ground and gets her to do the same. They wave their arms and the sun is seen setting in those beautiful colors that occur when the sun is setting. So beautiful shot is this scene and so powerful/charming is this scene that is used in the trailer for this movie. They get back to his house where they kiss and agree to go back out. Now in a normal film this where it might end or it might end with him going back out with Susan. Instead we see a sign that shows the direction to the next biggest or closest towns in the area. Spray painted on it is Caracas and the distance it is from their town. This ties in brilliantly to the funniest part of the movie which is Andy and Charlie try to hitchhike there.
Both John Gordon Sinclair and Clair Grogan are spot on in their roles and have a very believable and palpable chemistry. In fact every one save Dee Hepburn as Dorothy are spot on in their roles. She done in by her choice of hair style and by the fact she's not much of an actress. Claire Grogan is much prettier than her, a better actress, and has chemistry galore with John Gordon Sinclair. I saw no reason for Gregory to have a crush on Dorothy other than the script called for it. In case you can't tell I've got a crush on Miss Grogan. The reason most people haven't seen or heard of this film is because this is a foreign film. Its from Scotland which really isn't known for its film industry. Because of this and because most people have a problem with the Scottish brouge might be why people haven't seen it. It was dubbed in a more understandable accent. This is the version I have seen.
Those who have seen it mostly critics give it high marks. According to Rotten Tomatoes (an on-line film critic database) 92% of critics gave a favorable review. I also read on wikipedia that Entertainment Weekly rated 29th on its list of 50 greatest movies. I would have rated it higher but its amazing it even made the list. You will probably never seen a better depiction of young love on the big screen.
When he doesn't know what to do he turns to his kid sister for advice who proves to be a sage. There are lots of charming and humorous situations in this film. There is a student in a penguin suit who walks around the school. The student is constantly being redirected. Two of his friends are running two different rings out of the school. One is running a bake goods ring and the other's ring is of pictures of Dorothy (Dee Hepburn) the girl Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) has a crush on. The school headmaster is seen playing a lovely piece on a piano. I was unable to find the name of the piece. I read on youtube the piece was composed by the actor playing the headmaster Chic Murray.
Another sequence involves two of Gregory's friends (Andy-Robert Buchanan and Charlie-Graham Thompson) trying to hitchhike to Caracas (with a misspelled sign!) because Andy heard there was a higher ratio of women to men there. Gregory finally gets up the guile to ask Dorothy out. To his surprise she accepts. He waits at their agreed upon place when he is informed by a friend of her's-Carol (Caroline Guthrie)-that Dorothy's not coming. He is clearly disappointed but Carol convinces him to go to a fish and chip shop. When they get there, she changes clothes, informs him she's got a date, and handles him off to her friend Margo (Carol McCartney). They walk and talk while heading to the park. Once there he is handed off for the final time to Susan (Claire Grogan). It then that he learns and so do we that this was the plan all along.
While Gregory is getting passed off Andy and Charlie see this. While in the park Gregory and Susan have a scene that best illustrates young love. He talks to her about gravity. He then lies on the ground and gets her to do the same. They wave their arms and the sun is seen setting in those beautiful colors that occur when the sun is setting. So beautiful shot is this scene and so powerful/charming is this scene that is used in the trailer for this movie. They get back to his house where they kiss and agree to go back out. Now in a normal film this where it might end or it might end with him going back out with Susan. Instead we see a sign that shows the direction to the next biggest or closest towns in the area. Spray painted on it is Caracas and the distance it is from their town. This ties in brilliantly to the funniest part of the movie which is Andy and Charlie try to hitchhike there.
Both John Gordon Sinclair and Clair Grogan are spot on in their roles and have a very believable and palpable chemistry. In fact every one save Dee Hepburn as Dorothy are spot on in their roles. She done in by her choice of hair style and by the fact she's not much of an actress. Claire Grogan is much prettier than her, a better actress, and has chemistry galore with John Gordon Sinclair. I saw no reason for Gregory to have a crush on Dorothy other than the script called for it. In case you can't tell I've got a crush on Miss Grogan. The reason most people haven't seen or heard of this film is because this is a foreign film. Its from Scotland which really isn't known for its film industry. Because of this and because most people have a problem with the Scottish brouge might be why people haven't seen it. It was dubbed in a more understandable accent. This is the version I have seen.
Those who have seen it mostly critics give it high marks. According to Rotten Tomatoes (an on-line film critic database) 92% of critics gave a favorable review. I also read on wikipedia that Entertainment Weekly rated 29th on its list of 50 greatest movies. I would have rated it higher but its amazing it even made the list. You will probably never seen a better depiction of young love on the big screen.
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