“After
working in German-occupied
France as a Special Operative
with the French Resistance and her
life constantly in danger, a young
Englishwoman struggles to find
fulfilment, stability and happiness
when she returns to post-war England
in Plenty...”
AS A MEMBER OF THE SOE WORKING AGAINST the Germans in Nazi-occupied France,
lovely young Susan Traherne (a superb performance by Oscar-winning Meryl Streep)
leads an exciting and full, if extremely perilous, life as part of the French
Resistance helping to free France from German rule.
While receiving equipment and supplies dropped by plane from Britain, she meets
a dashing Englishman known by his codename Lazar (Sam Neill), takes him back
to her home in the village of St Benoît near Poitiers and has a brief liaison
with him before he leaves for Toulouse to complete his mission.
At the end of the war, Susan is waiting at the British Embassy in Brussels to
return to England with her friend, former wireless operator Tony Radleigh (James
Taylor). Tragically, Tony has a heart attack and dies and Ambassador Sir Leonard
Darwin (John Gielgud) helps her, aided by Third Secretary Raymond Brock (Charles
Dance), who invites her to dinner, and continues to see her when they both return
to London.
“Plenty
is a wonderful,
highly-watchable and
thought-provoking
film with sympathetic
characterisation
by a hugely
talented cast...”
Susan
believes post-war London to be tougher than during the hostilities. She works
for shipping agent Mr Medicott (Ian Wallace) alongside the fun, amoral, outgoing
and outspoken young Alice Park (a terrific character portrayal by Tracey Ullman),
whom she moves in with her.
Raymond has been promoted at the Foreign Office and is scheduled to go overseas,
but Susan demands a separation rather than leave London. Deciding she would
like to have a child, she approaches the youthful Mick (Sting), whom she barely
knows, asking him to father her child with no strings attached.
Having failed to get pregnant, Susan returns to Raymond and they marry; but
Susan begins to find her marriage dull and unfulfilling, comparing it to the
danger and excitement of her wartime days. While she struggles to build a new
life amid the apathy of post-war England, her fragile mental and emotional stability
is shattered. He is posted to Jordan and Susan brings Alice out with her; but
as she becomes more and more out of control, Raymond finally realises the depth
of her problems.
Spanning two decades in the life of an English French Resistance operative —
one of the few women flown in from England and one of the youngest —
from her perilous wartime work in occupied France through to her mundane yet
privileged existence as the wife of a Foreign Office diplomat, Plenty
features a stellar supporting cast and won a brace of awards and nominations
on its theatrical release in 1985.
A clever and absorbing story in which a woman searches for fulfilment and happiness
in a changing world, Plenty is a wonderful, highly-watchable and thought-provoking
film with sympathetic characterisation by a hugely talented cast. Filmed on
location in England, Belgium, France, Tunisia and Thorn EMI Studios at Elstree,
England.
Plenty also features: Ian McKellen as Sir Andrew Charleson; Hugh Laurie
as Michael; Burt Kwouk as Mr Aung, Secretary of the Burmese Embassy; Andre Maranne
as Villon; Pik Sen Lim as Madame Aung; Ian Wallace as Medicott; James Taylor
as Tony; Andy de la Tour as Randall; Richard Hope as Alistair and Terry Lightfoot
and his Band.
Music Composed by Bruce Smeaton; Director of Photographer is Ian Baker; Screenplay
by David Hare, based on his stage play; Produced by Edward R Pressman and Joseph
Papp; and Directed by Fred Schepisi.
*
A
masterly feature presented in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements,
Plenty is released in the UK on Blu-ray and DVD, courtesy of Network
Distributing's The British Film Collection, on 11 August 2014. Running Time:
120 Minutes Approximately | Catalogue Number: DVD 7954148; Blu-ray 7957086 |
RRP: DVD £9.99; Blu-ray £14.99.
Special Features: Image Gallery | Promotional Material PDF | Instant Play Facility.
"Plenty is a wonderful, highly-watchable and thought-provoking film with
sympathetic characterisation by a hugely talented cast" —Maggie
Woods
“After
working in German-occupied