Churchill, Romola and Stephen.


Remember Romola Garai from the latest Emma and the young girl in Atonement? She has just made a film with Stephen Poliakoff – a mystery thriller – Glorious 39 which promises to be next in line of exciting British films released in the last year. A fan, already I predict Romola will be the next Keira Knightley. Interestingly she has had no formal dramatic training.


A coincidence is that the film is set in pre- war Britain in 1939 and Churchill was mentioned as Romola and Stephen were interviewed by Andrew Marr. Yesterday – I was researching Churchill’s speeches – we always knew he was in two minds about our ‘noble allies‘ the Russians, but he actually said in 1939:-


I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma


The bridges in Cumbria were always special to MTL and me after a momentous walking holiday in 1949. Today they are all closed until they have been checked for safety and:

Still falls the Rain
Dark as the world of man,
Black as our loss
Blind as the nineteen hundred and forty nails
Upon the Cross

Edith Sitwell 1887-1964