Love Among the Ruins

source: Love Among the Ruins

This film is a triumph in every respect. But it is an oddity, that's for sure. How could so much talent, money and effort be put into a movie for television? You have to wonder what the TV executives were thinking. Perhaps they wished to elevate the level of television by producing such an extravagant production, unlike anything seen on TV at that time. Yet, not many years later the most elaborate television production of all time - Brideshead Revisited - appeared on PBS of all places and redefined the concept of television production it was so elaborate. But it really is Ruins that raised the bar for movies on television having established a standard that had not been achieved thus far. And what a standard.

This is in every aspect a perfect film, and at the same time a glorious virtuoso performance by two of film history's greatest stars, for their only time together, like a tribute to both the art of the film, acting and stardom. Laurence Olivier was 68 at the time and Katharine Hepburn only ten days older,, and still they both shine and sparkle as predominantly as they ever did in the 40s. John Barry's music adds a soft dreamy touch of nostalgic beauty to it, and the play couldn't be better: an old lawyer finds an old lost love as a client on his hands, and although he remembers every minute of their affair 30 years earlier, she seems to have forgotten all about it. She is an actress and has been on top all her life, so she knows how to act. As Laurence fights with his tragical dilemma of not being able to make her remember, she puts on a splendid show of all her acting resources, and the conclusion will make you melt. George Cukor also triumphs in this one os his last films, and the 1910 settings recall all those glorious films of the 40s of nostalgic beauty looking back on the world before the first world war. This is a film never to tire of and never to forget.

After watching this marvelous movie, one can only wish Kate and Larry had collaborated more when they were younger and had made more movies together, even TV shows. This movie is so sumptuously shot, with such lovely sets and costumes, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a theatrical release. Oh what a lost opportunity that it wasn't, it would have been in the parlance of Hollywood, a "sweeper", cleaning up for best actress, actor, director, possibly costume design and who knows what else. Special mention must go to the script which is delightful, just a pleasure to listen to. George Cukor shows once again, why he is the venerated director that he is in his marvelous direction of these two legends of the acting world. A youthful love, long suppressed by one, but never forgotten, and the other who carries a torch for the other which, even after decades was never extinguished, has the chance to bloom into full flower once again, and it does. For this story is more than just a courtroom drama of a woman fighting a breach of promise suit by a gold digging suitor, it's also a wonderful love story. I won't give too many spoilers away, because it would deny you the pleasure of discovering this lovely movie for yourself. If you want to enjoy watching two of the finest actors ever, in a wonderful tale of love won, lost and rediscovered all in the backdrop of a great courtroom drama, you could do no better than this. Grab this movie with both hands if you get the chance, it really is that good. My score a 9 out of ten.

As other reviewers have said, the chemistry between Lawrence Olivier and Katherine Hepburn is immediately apparent, so much so that you can easily see their younger selves amongst the "ruins" of their present bodies. Direction, excellent. Script/plot, excellent. Cinematography, excellent. Musical score, excellent. Get the idea? REALLY worth seeing; had it had a theatrical release (which it should have), it would have won Oscars across the board...and would have been released on DVD (which it should have been. Perhaps if enough people search for it on the right sites, it will be.

This review contains only minor spoilers regarding information that the hero provides to his confidant very early in the movie about his previous history with the heroine. This is a period piece set in London of 1911. Almost 50 years ago in Toronto, starving, young law student, Arthur (Laurence Olivier), fell madly in love with beautiful, young actress, Jessica (Katharine Hepburn), and they spent three torrid days and nights together. Jessica agreed to marry Arthur after he got established as a barrister in a few years, but when he returned to England ready to claim her, he learned to his horror that she had married a much older, wealthy man. They have now reunited, both of them around 68 or 70 years old, when Jessica hires him to defend her in a case of breach of promise brought by a man young enough to be her grandson. Arthur is as much in love with Jessica as he was in his passionate youth, and he has never married, proclaiming to the friend who brought Jessica's case to him that she "spoiled me for all other women." Unfortunately for Arthur, it is obvious that Jessica has no idea who he is. "Love Among the Ruins," is an absolutely wonderful, made-for-TV movie from 1975. It was directed by George Cukor as one of the final films in his long, sterling career. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for this film. It stars the incredible actors Laurence Olivier and Katharine Hepburn in their only on-screen pairing, and both won Emmys for Outstanding Performance. The rich, rolling cadences of their speech is ecstatically gorgeous to listen to. I loved the two of them individually and collectively--their chemistry together on screen is riveting, and their golden-years romance is both hilarious and emotionally compelling. Seeing two such masters of acting interact with each other is a cinematic experience not to be missed. On top of that enormous pleasure, the witty and often quite poignant dialog in the screenplay is astoundingly well written, and I frequently paused to replay and relish especially amusing or poetic phrases. The screenwriter is James Costigan, who won an Emmy for his contribution to this film as well. (In his illustrious career, he also won two other Emmys, one for "Little Moon of Alban" from 1959 and "Eleanor and Franklin" from 1977.) This is one of my all-time favorite movies.

I saw this on German TV in the seventies and was on a quest to see it again, buy the VHS, buy the DVD... Olivier shouting about the "crumbling ruin, on the threshold of senility, the son they are to have by the name of PRATT..." has never left me. Now after about 30 years I purchased a DVD on e..y and watching it it was like meeting an old friend. What a wonderful film. Katherine Hepburn in one of her best performances, just a little short of the one in "African Queen" and Laurence Olivier... He is something else. I so like his acting, he allows you to acknowledge the technique he uses. There were glimpses of the scheming Andrew Wyke, but also the love lost stares of Maxim de Winter. And of course his final speech in court - that was funny yet very Shakespearean, you might well compare his delivery to the one in Henry V. What a powerhouse this man was. And nowadays they try to sell us the likes of Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell (no offence) as being great actors. "Hangs head in sadness, watches LatR immediately again."

Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier both put in great performances in this quiet, bittersweet romantic comedy. The writing is wonderful and the direction sublime. Olivier, in particular, as a lawyer (Sir Arthur Manville-Jones) defending a long lost love Jessica (Hepburn) in a "breach of promise" case, comes to life in a way that is far too rare on film. He is each of us remembering that one person we can never forget - and now he has the chance to reconnect with her. But the ways of love are never smooth and Jessica's involvement with (and subsequent rejection of) a younger man who clearly is interested in her money (and played with precise sliminess by Leigh Lawson) now has her entangled in a court case and probably not in as strong a position as she (or Sir Arthur) would like. To complicate matters, Sir Arthur is still in love and reminds her of how they met these long years ago. Jessica's memory may not be so good, but Sir Arthur is determined to do all possible to save her from the slimey young man. The film centers around three kinds of scenes: almost all are focussed on Olivier. In some Sir Arthur remembers his earlier time with Jessica and plots his performance in court - with his clerk and others. In these we see Sir Arthur and the feelings he still has for Jessica and his hope that maybe you can go back again. In other scenes the focus is on Jessica and Sir Arthur, his memories, her current situation, his plans for the trial. Sir Arthur's feelings are sometimes concealed (though not always well) while Jessica (once an actress) is better at masquerading. Finally, there are the courtroom scenes in which Olivier transcends both Olivier and Sir Arthur and shows us a barrister putting on a performance in the court that is entirely different from all we have seen Sir Arthur do before. But Jessica is also putting on a performance, and when the depth of this performance and the deliberateness of her deceit are revealed, you suddenly have a second chance to see who Jessica is and was and maybe who she will be. There have been a number of great filmed love stories (and Hepburn is no stranger to them), but this is a bit different - its about young love - between two people who are far from young. Its about hope and how things work out sometimes. Its funny and sad - often at the same time. It may not be a great film - but its a very good one indeed, well worth watching and rewatching. But since it was made for TV it seems to have been destined to be quietly ignored - this is a shame as it is far better than most of the stuff thats endlessly recycled on cable.

It is a shame that this did not receive theatrical release in 1975 for this is ranked as one of the worst years on the big screen for women in film. Katharine Hepburn might have had five Oscars as opposed to four, and her co-star Laurence Olivier might have been a serious challenge to that year's best actor winner, Jack Nicholson. But the big screen's loss was the little screen's gain, giving prestige to the fairly new concept of the T.V. movie which had only taken shape over the past decade with mostly low-budget, cheaply made telefeatures which replaced the "B" movies of the big screen. In this film, Laurence Olivier is a barrister who is asked by Hepburn's legal adviser (Colin Blakely) to represent her in a breach of promise suit brought against her by an extremely young man who claimed that she had agreed to marry him. Outraged by the ridiculous charges, Hepburn admits that she had befriended the young chap (Leigh Lawson) out of loneliness after her husband died, but had never lead him into thinking that it was anything more than a close acquaintance. Olivier is angered because Hepburn doesn't remember their own involvement years ago when she was a promising stage actress who went off to pursue a stage career while he was getting his legal career off the ground. In love with her for years and never getting over that, he stayed a bachelor, watching her from a distance and pining for the love lost. Does she remember and is simply hiding it out of some sort of womanly pride, or has she truly forgotten? This is the question as they discuss the facts of the case which present Lawson and his social climbing mother (Joan Sims) as obvious gold diggers out to swindle a lonely old widow. As the case is presented in court, Hepburn gets more indignant, having a temperamental breakdown when questioned in regards to her age and other sordid facts in the case. This blends comedy and drama with great ease, directed to perfection by Hepburn's long-time friend George Cukor who had guided her through many memorable movies through the years, including several with her long-time partner, Spencer Tracy. As for the chemistry between Hepburn and Olivier, it is obvious that they admire each other very much, and in real life, they were friendly. In fact, one source I investigated indicated that Hepburn was a witness when Olivier married Vivien Leigh, so their pairing some thirty years later is not only historical but nostalgic and touching. As the storyline involving the case is wrapped up, Hepburn and Olivier's characters begin to find a respect for each other that earlier was mostly arguments over their case as well as their past. Looking splendid in period costumes, the two compliment each other greatly. The great Kate has the showier part, with Olivier laid back in speaking his dialog, almost like a school boy experiencing his first crush. You won't be seeing Heathcliff, Maxim De Winter or Hamlet in this performance; He is shyly sweet and professionally tough, mixing the personalities of both business and tender love into a character you can't help be charmed by.

Hello, fellow admirers of this made for TV film of sheer perfection! I first watched Love Among the Ruins many years ago on TV, and was smitten by the stellar performances of Hepburn and Olivier and also of the entire cast of this wonderful movie. Comments about the movie must include praises for the music soundtrack. It is so lovely. In one scene with Jessica and Sir Arthur sitting at their table in a restaurant; Sir Arthur comments on the music being played, and sings a few of the lyrics to Jessica. Loved that scene! Also, Sir Arthur mentions the composer's name. I cannot remember it though. In closing, I would recommend this marvelously entertaining movie to anyone; they will not be disappointed! Also, I would "Love" to own a VHS or DVD of LAtR! CTW