Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Georgy Girl Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 9, 2018

Silvio Narizzano's "Georgy Girl" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video interview with editor John Bloom; new video interview with screenwriter Peter Nichols; archival audio interview with actress Charlotte Rampling; and more. The release also arrives with a 40-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by Leanne Weston, an overview of contemporary critical responses and historic articles on the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The patient girl

They say that good things happen to those who wait. Okay, but how long is the waiting period? Five, ten, twenty years? And what if these good things happen right before one’s life is about to end? Unless one of them postpones or even better reverses the end, they actually seem utterly pointless. So perhaps it is smarter to stop waiting and start creating good things while it still matters. It seems to make perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Initially it does not make perfect sense to Georgy (Lynn Redgrave), who is in her late twenties, single, and patiently waiting for good things to happen in her life -- like meeting and falling in love with a nice and handsome guy, and then marrying the guy in a beautiful wedding, and then having a big family with plenty of adorable kids. These are all really good things that Georgy wants to happen in her life and quickly, but she is careful not to rush and make mistakes that could render them unattainable. Well, sort of, because she hasn’t had too many opportunities that could potentially trick her to make a crucial mistake. In fact, and much to Georgy’s disappointment, there have not been any opportunities at all, so the ‘strategic waiting’ has very much been an element of the natural order of things in her life.

Georgy’s roommate, Meredith (Charlotte Rampling), has been so busy enjoying the good things that are happening in her life that she has accidentally discovered that she is pregnant. The whole thing has been rather odd because she wasn’t ready and did not plan it, and even a bit annoying because now that her body will begin changing she will no longer be able to be spontaneous. Meredith would also have to tell Jos (Alan Bates), her silly boyfriend, and start making plans for the future with him.

While Georgy continues to wait and Meredith begins to come to terms with her unplanned pregnancy, the wealthy gentlemen James Leamington (James Mason), who once employed Georgy’s late father and raised her as if she was his daughter, becomes a widower. Shortly after, he presents Georgy with a business offer that could irreversibly alter her mostly uneventful life. All she has to do is sign a contract that defines and legitimizes the nature of their relationship.

This delightful film from director Silvio Narizzano feels like a project that one of the leaders of the French Nouvelle Vague movement would have accidentally directed while vacationing in ‘Swinging London’. It is based on the popular novel by Margaret Foster, but very large parts of it have that very familiar lightness and fluidity that the early Nouvelle Vague films promoted and are now praised for.

At the core of the film there is a juxtaposition of two contrasting but also quite similar views of how to ‘properly’ embrace life and make the most of it. On one hand there is the younger generation’s view which is summed up with a freedom to choose. Indeed, despite initially being portrayed very differently Georgy and Meredith both have the same appreciation for the freedom that allows them to react as they wish to the opportunities that life presents to them; it just so happens that the more attractive and extroverted Meredith has a wider range of contacts and therefore more opportunities to choose from. On the opposite end is Mr. Leamington, an aging British gentleman with a young heart, who values freedom in much the same way but no longer can rely on life to present him with opportunities. So when all is said and done the main message that emerges from the film is that good things will happen to those that pursue them, and perhaps not always to those that patiently wait for life to do the heavy-lifting for them.

The film is full of hilarious situations but many are also of the type that can make one seriously ponder whether there are legit classic definitions of true love and happiness. Also, it is quite refreshing to see that the safe stereotypes are kept at bay.

The catchy title song features lyrics by Carry On star Jim Dale and was recorded by The Seekers.

Georgy Girl Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Silvio Narizzano's Georgy Girl arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a remaster that was supplied by Sony Pictures. I don't know when it was prepared, but it has the typical limitations that the studio's older remasters exhibit. For example, there are surface traces of digital work throughout the entire film and grain usually appears mushy and loose. During darker footage occasionally light black crush sneaks in as well, though delineation already struggles there so it is not the main factor that is responsible for the lost nuances. Generally speaking clarity is good, but the organic sharpness that the studio's modern 4K remasters of older films deliver is missing. The grading is good. There are no serious stability issues, but there are a few sequences where trained eyes will spot some minor shakiness within the frame. (See the sequence where James Mason's gentleman hands the money to Georgy). There are no large cuts, damage marks, debris, or torn frames to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Georgy Girl Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio must have been fully remastered because the lossless track really is outstanding. Clarity and stability are excellent throughout the entire film, and there are never serious balance issues. Of course there are a few sequences where live sounds and noises are integrated into the sound design and as a result some minor dynamic fluctuations emerges, but this is how the footage was edited in the studio.

Georgy Girl Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray release are perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Georgy Girl. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Radio Spot - a vintage radio spot for Georgy Girl. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Gallery - a collection of vintage stills and posters for Georgy Girl. (1080p).

• Going for a Song - in this short audio piece, lyricist and editor John Bloom explain how the title song was conceived. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Georgy's Geography - in this new video interview, art director Tony Woollard recalls his contribution to Georgy Girl. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• A Wonderful Sense of Freedom - in this new video interview, editor John Bloom recalls how he was contracted to work on Georgy Girl and some of his initial interactions with director Silvio Narizzano, and discusses some specific framing choices that he did while following his instincts that were retained in the final version of the film, the casting of Lynn Redgrave, Columbia's involvement with the film and its promotion campaign, etc. In English, not subtitled. (29 min).

• The Tempo of the Time - in this new video interview, screenwriter Peter Nichols recalls how he was brought on board to "sex up" the original screenplay that Margaret Forster produced for Georgy Girl even though he only did a bit of "tweaking", and discusses his interactions with the producers of the film its period tempo and atmosphere. There are also some quite interesting observations about Vanessa Redgrave's dissatisfaction with the script and ultimately rejection of the principal role. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• The Guardian Interview with Charlotte Rampling - presented here is an archival audio interview with Charlotte Rampling in which the award-winning actress discusses different phases of her career as well as some key collaborations. The interview was conducted by Christopher Cook at the National Film Theater in London on March 14, 2001. In English, not subtitled. (59 min).

• Booklet - a 40-page illustrated booklet with a new essay by Leanne Weston, an overview of contemporary critical responses and historic articles on the film.

• Cover - reversible cover.

• Commentary - an exclusive new audio commentary by critic Kat Ellinger.

Georgy Girl Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am in full agreement with the comments that are made in a few of the bonus features on this disc that with Vanessa Redgrave playing Georgy this film undoubtedly would have had a very different identity. I liked it quite a lot because it is loose and charming but also refreshingly honest in its descriptions of the different ways in which ordinary people embrace life and learn how to make the most of it. This new release of Georgy Girl is sourced from an older remaster that was supplied by Sony Pictures, which is a bit unfortunate because the film is very nice and definitely deserves to be properly redone in 4K. Regardless, it is the only high-definition release on the market and I think that it is well worth picking up. RECOMMENDED.