{"id":84399,"date":"2022-05-28T14:17:21","date_gmt":"2022-05-28T21:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=84399"},"modified":"2022-05-28T14:17:21","modified_gmt":"2022-05-28T21:17:21","slug":"l-shaped-room-the-1962","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=84399","title":{"rendered":"L-Shaped Room, The (1962)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I can&#8217;t be brave all the time; only in small doses.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster-196x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-84400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster-83x128.png 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster-176x270.png 176w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Poster.png 537w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA pregnant unwed French woman (Leslie Caron) finds lodging in an l-shaped room in a boarding house run by a stingy woman (Avis Bunnage), where she quickly befriends a trumpeter (Brock Peters) and a former music hall performer (Cicely Courtneidge), and falls for an aspiring writer (Tom Bell) who doesn&#8217;t know about her unborn baby.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bryan Forbes Films<\/li>\n<li>Leslie Caron Films<\/li>\n<li>Pregnancy<\/li>\n<li>Strong Females <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary doesn&#8217;t review this &#8220;kitchen sink drama&#8221; by director Bryan Forbes in his <em>GFTFF<\/em>, but does name Caron Best Actress of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, where he notes she &#8220;broke out of her Hollywood shackles with a bold performance.&#8221; He provides some context for this seemingly &#8220;pro-life&#8221; (actually pro-<em>choice<\/em>) film, noting that &#8220;in its day&#8221; it &#8220;was quite daring because it broke away from the tradition of having the pregnant woman either suffer a miscarriage, give birth to a stillborn baby, or die herself&#8221; as &#8220;a payback for having &#8216;sinned.'&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Crying2-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT <\/p>\n<p>He points out that &#8220;Caron&#8217;s Jane doesn&#8217;t have the baby because she is against abortions per se (at one time she takes pills to cause a miscarriage) but because her baby&#8217;s birth will be a means of injecting &#8216;life&#8217; &#8211; figuratively and literally &#8211; into her dreary existence.&#8221; While she &#8220;loves the people in her boardinghouse,&#8221; they &#8220;are all lonely, unfulfilled, and unhappy&#8221; &#8212; what you might call &#8220;<em>dead<\/em>beats.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Dancing-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary writes that in this non-MGM film, Caron &#8220;revealed a sexual maturity that her fans were unprepared for,&#8221; looking &#8220;like a real woman for a change&#8221; and &#8220;more appealing than ever.&#8221; Moreover, &#8220;there was something enticing as well as admirable about this woman who refuses to marry the man who impregnated her, or let a quack male doctor give her an abortion so he can pay his bills, or get an abortion though it would guarantee the love of Toby [Bell], the man she loves.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Indeed, Caron&#8217;s nuanced, highly empathetic performance grounds this film, reassuring us that Jane herself will be okay no matter how others around her treat her (which is often quite shabbily). It&#8217;s a harsh film but a daringly frank one, and well worth a look. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Leslie Caron as Jane<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Caron2-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine supporting performances<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Prostitute-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-84402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/L-Shaped-Room-Cinematography-495x270.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, primarily for Caron&#8217;s performance but also as an overall good show. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0057239\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/80501\/the-l-shaped-room#articles-reviews?articleId=196935\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1963\/05\/28\/archives\/screen-lshaped-roomleslie-caron-grows-up-in-harsh-story.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t be brave all the time; only in small doses.&#8221; Synopsis: A pregnant unwed French woman (Leslie Caron) finds lodging in an l-shaped room in a boarding house run by a stingy woman (Avis Bunnage), where she quickly befriends a trumpeter (Brock Peters) and a former music hall performer (Cicely Courtneidge), and falls for an aspiring writer (Tom Bell) who doesn&#8217;t know about her unborn baby. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bryan Forbes Films Leslie Caron Films Pregnancy Strong&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=84399\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=84399"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84418,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84399\/revisions\/84418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}