Touches You

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

What a fantastic film. Just watched it today for the first time and am still thinking about it! It captivated me right from the start. It was nice to watch a film from that era which concentrated on the characters lives instead of the war. The chemistry between William Devane and Vanessa Redgrave was wonderful to watch. He is such a watchable actor in everything he does. Richard Gere was as always very charming and played the role with ease. His "love interest" Jean was also very charming and mastered the English accent very well for an American. Her family life gave us an insight into what was expected of young women back then. The locations were beautifully shot and transported me back in time. I could not fault anything about this film and can't wait to watch it again.

I saw this film in a theater upon its' release and found it to be enjoyable but I didn't like Richard Gere at the time. Much later, I saw him in 'Chicago' and realized that he was a true talent.When I watched the film on TV recently I was absorbed with Lisa Eichhorn (yes, 2 h's). I actually thought she was the most innocent looking and pretty girl on earth at the time the movie was filmed (she's still cute). I liken her to Cathy O'Donnell in 'The Best Years of Our Lives,' a post-WWII film and in my top ten of all time favorite movies. I learned that Lisa faked a British accent so well that she was signed for the role of Jean. Actually, Lisa was born and raised in New York State. When the producers found out she was American, they still put her in the role.

This is a good movie with a great ending. Parts of the story are a bit contrived, but in general the story brings out the dramatic aspects of the interactions between the American soldiers and the local British population during World War Two. Relationships are bound to develop. The question is: do the people involved in these relationships really care about each other or are they using each other to satisfy their own needs? The subplot involving the William Devane and Vanessa Redgrave characters works well. Here both characters understand the nature of their involvement and so there won't be surprises when it ends; the other main subplot involving the Richard Gere and Lisa Eichhorn characters is less believable, but nevertheless is still watchable. That American soldiers got involved with British women is a fact. How both groups dealt with the emotional impact of the these relationships is what this movie is about and in this respect the movie does a credible job.

This is certainly not for everybody, but for those who like humanistic romantic dramas, this is a fine film. It basically centers around three American soldiers and the British women they romance while waiting for the D-Day invasion in 1943 and 1944. There is a good re-creation of the atmosphere through costume and props. While nothing much happens for a good deal of film time, it is a pleasant, seemingly nostalgic visit to a certain place and time. John Schlesinger, the director, was a teen-ager during the war years, so remembering it 35 years later he does tend to make it a sad, but pretty and hopeful time.Lisa Eichhorn gives a good solid performance which was nominated for a golden globe award. There are flashes of brilliance in Richard Gere's performance. This was a year before he became a superstar with "American Giggolo." He had really busted out the year before with "Days of Heaven." Here, he doesn't quite have the confidence in front of the camera that all stars have, but he does have a nice boyish sincerity. I didn't care much for William Devane and Vanessa Redgrave. I didn't think their characters were well developed and they gave unusually colorless performances. Wendy Morgan in a smaller supporting role looked quite fetching and stood out. The Costumes by Ken Russell's wife Shirley are wonderful and she was deservedly nominated for an Academy Award for them. She won the BAFTA award for them.This is a romantic, gentle and sweet film. If you're looking for anything deeper, harder or more powerful, you'll probably be disappointed. It is closer to the British Kitchen Sink dramas of the 1960's than it would like to admit.