According to the trivia, the actress who played Nan almost didn't get the part because she didn't look like a teenager. In the book, Liz Gold is never described as a teenager. In fact I got the idea she was approaching 30. Is there something in this movie I don't know about? I haven't seen it for a while.
"You call those triangular sandwiches? Did you use a set-square? I think not!" - Kryten
I don't recall Liz/Nan being described as a teenager in the novel. As far as Claire Bloom's suitability for the role is concerned I believe she may even have been cast before Burton. I remember that Burt Lancaster was originally mentioned for the role of Leamas ... whether he was actually signed up and then had to withdraw I don't know. But if Bloom was already signed up it would explain why Liz Taylor couldn't get rid of her.
The age of Liz Gold ( Nan in the film ) is described in the novel thus ; ' Leamas guessed she was twenty - two or three ' ( page 31 , 1965 Pan edition ). The only other indication of her age is during the Tribunal when she is asked what year she joined the Party and she replies 1955 or 1954. Assuming the book is set during 1962 or 1963 ( it was first published in 1963 and various events in the book suggest 1962 / 1963 ), then 22 or 23 might be too young. Is there a minimum age for joining political parties ?
share[deleted]
Any suggestions as to why Liz Gold is (probably) Jewish and so is Fiedler?
shareWell, if I read the book (which I own!) it would have been many years ago. My first thought is that it is stereotypical in the US to have a higher percentage of Jewish people involved in socially responsible activities, and in intellectual activities, than the percentage in the total population would indicate.
I think this also bears out in the real world.
kcor1953
That's the beauty of it:
http://kcor1953beauty.tripod.com/blog/
[deleted]
~~~~~Any suggestions as to why Liz Gold is (probably) Jewish and so is Fiedler?~~~~~
Germans, cynicism & ex-nazis against Britons, cynicism & crypto-fascists. The way they behave (towards these two contemporary Jews) after the crimes of the Hitler regime demonstrates their moral vapidity.
Marlon, Claudia and Dimby the cats 1989-2005, 2007 and 2010.
I took it as an attempt to make them seem more likable (as misguided idealists), as opposed to Mundt, who is described as an old Nazi.
shareI read that Claire Bloom was an old friend of Burton's from his days at the Old Vic Theatre in London and he wanted her for that role. That aside, I don't think we're never led to believe in the movie that Nan is a teenager. Although it might play now, in 1966 that would have been pretty farfetched.
Cake Please!
I thought this would be a question about why "Liz Gold" from the novel became "Nan Perry" in the movie. Does anyone know? It looks like all the other characters retained their names in the adaptation.
shareIt's absolutely untrue that Burton wanted Claire Bloom for the role. In fact, he was extremely upright about her being cast and so was Liz Taylor.
According to Claire Bloom's autobiography (which I just re-read), she lost her virginity to Burton when she was 19 at the Old Vic. She was madly and deeply in love with him, but he was married to Sybil then. They had a torrid affair which was sporadic throughout the 1950's.
She always remained passionately in love with him.
When they filmed the movie in 1965, she and Burton had last been lovers in 1959 when they made the film "Look Back in Anger." Claire was married to Rod Steiger by 1965, but still admitted to being in love with Richard.
However, Burton treated her very coldly during the movie and Liz was constantly on the set because she was well aware of Bloom's and Burton's long-running affair from the past.
Claire was delighted that Burton had deteriorated physically since the 50's, had gotten a little flabby and was run around by Taylor.
But he remains the lov of her life, as she has indicated recently, yet again!
They changed the Liz character's name to "Nan" because of Liz Taylor.
I read the book 20 years ago and I was confused by that too.
They changed the Liz character's name to "Nan" because of Liz Taylor.
They changed the Liz character's name to "Nan" because of Liz Taylor.
Richard Burton treated women abominably. At least two tried to kill themselves over him.
I didn't sense any warmth or chemistry between Nan and Leamus in this movie, and that weakens the movie for me.
Burton's past came back to haunt him and did not help the movie, apparently.
Very interesting. Thanks for that.
If I could make a point from earlier on, I think Nan/Liz is supposed to be early to mid 20s. That tallies with her role. Amazing as it seems today, in those days an unmarried woman of that age was often considered to have been "left on the shelf". It certainly fits with her part in the story - a lonely idealist who is unwittingly involved because it suits British Intelligence. She would have been very vulnerable.
Maybe they just thought she looked a bit old to be so naive. Most earnest political dupes are students, not spinsters.
"Do you realise that Otto spelled backwards is Otto?"
One of the very minor flaws in the film is the change from Liz Gold (A Jewish girl) to Nan Perry. The Jewishness of Fiedler and also of Liz Gold would be symmetrical and the evil Mundt (who is on 'our side) is a Jew-hater.
shareMovie adaptations of books are not always 100% faithful to the source material.
share