North West Theatre Company Film Club MOVIE OF THE MONTH

November’s Film Cub offering is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Here is a film with a most extraordinary title. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” is a 2018 historical romantic-drama film directed by Mike Newell and written by Kevin Hood, Don Roos and Tom Bezucha.

The screenplay is based on the 2008 novel of the same name, written by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The storyline commences in 1941, on the English Channel island of Guernsey, the island that has given its name to a breed of dairy cow, a pullover and to an item of football regalia.

Four friends are stopped by German soldiers for breaching curfew during the German occupation. To avoid arrest, they say they were returning from a meeting of their book club, hastily named “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”.

The film stars Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Courtenay and Penelope Wilton. The plot follows a London-based writer who exchanges letters with a resident on the island of Guernsey, which had been under German occupation during World War II.

In January 1946, the author Juliet Ashton (Lily James) is promoting her latest book, written under her pen name Izzy Bickerstaff. She has just been contracted through her publisher Sidney Stark (Matthew Goode) to write stories for The Times Literary Supplement about the benefits of literature.

Juliet receives a letter from Dawsey Adams (Michiel Huisman), a Guernsey man. He tells her that he is part of “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”, which meets every Friday night. Juliet is intrigued and requests more information about the society and how it came into being.

Juliet decides she would like to write about the society and arranges to travel to the island, despite Sidney’s reservations. Her American boyfriend Mark Reynolds (Glen Powell) proposes marriage before Juliet embarks on the ferry, and she accepts.

Upon arrival at Guernsey, Juliet attends a meeting of the society where she is treated as a celebrity by the members. Instead of returning home as planned, Juliet remains in Guernsey to conduct research, telling the group that she is writing about the German occupation.

Mark arrives in Guernsey and criticises Juliet for not wearing her engagement ring. The complexity of the characters continues to build as Juliet learns more about the island, the society and herself.

This is a wonderful tale, beautifully set and stylishly acted and it can be seen on the big screen at the air-conditioned Roxy Theatre in Bingara at 4pm on Sunday on the 25th of June.

Submitted by Rick Hutton – NWTC Film Club Secretary

WHAT’S ON!

Do you have an upcoming event, meeting or save the date you would like to list? Inclusion is free and available for all non-profit organisations and community events. AGM notices welcome. Please note all details are accurate at the time of publication, however may be subject to change. Email: editor@thegwydirnews.com.au

June 2023

15th Warialda Historical Society meeting, 5.30pm, Masonic Hall, Plunkett Street

15th Warialda Chamber of Commerce meeting, 6pm, Royal Hotel Warialda.

16th-17th Fondue Nights at the Roxy Café, 6pm-10pm, 0466 623 821

20th Pathways to Careers Parent and Community Information Session, Inverell Rugby Clubhouse, Ross Street Inverell, 5pm-7pm. Call Donna McWhirter 0460 031 948.

23rd Seasonal outlook and climate smart farming event, 9am to 3.30pm, The Living Classroom, Bingara. https://bit.ly/seasonaloutlook

24th Gwydir Shire Council shopfront regarding the Bingara Soldiers Memorial Hall Development Application, 9am-5pm, Bingara Library.

25th The North West Thetre Company Film Club presents The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society movie, 4pm, The Roxy Theatre Bingara

30th Orange Festival commences with orange picking from 12pm at Bingara RSL, Finch Street Bingara.

30th Grease Movie Night 7pm, Roxy Theatre, Bingara.