Aug 27 2008
Bookstore Romance at Home
Another heat wave, temperatures over 100, and if I had the time, my inclination would be to stay at home and watch movies over nachos and ice cream, preferably in a cool dark room on a big, fluffy couch. In this fantasy construct, what would complete this world better than to be watching movies about booklovers that take place in bookstores? (It’s a blog about books, remember—books, books, and more books?) –of which, I daresay, there are not many, but, of which, yes, I happen to have a few handy favorites to share.
The first is my favorite, Crossing Delancey. It’s one of a handful of movies I’ve watched more than once. I fell in love with it because I wanted to be Amy Irving’s character, Izzy, and because I had the hots for Peter Reigert. Izzy is the quintessential NYC single working girl—who happens to work in a fabulous bookstore—meeting authors and artists, hanging out with friends, dating the wrong men. Peter Reigert is Sam. Sam is as far from Izzy’s idea of Mr. Right—or Mr. Right Now–as he could possibly be, but fate has other ideas.
84 Charing Cross is a booklover’s classic, starring Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, and Judi Dench. Hopkins is the owner of a bookstore, and receives a request for a book from Anne Bancroft overseas. A correspondence, and eventually a deep friendship develops, sustained by their mutual love of books and literature. It’s based on the true story of New Yorker Helene Hanff and British bookseller Frank Doel.
Last, and most commercial, is You’ve Got Mail. It’s actually an updated version of a classic film that has nothing to do with books, but that I love just the same, The Shop Around the Corner, with Jimmy Stewart. You’ve Got Mail ever-so-mildly addresses the then-recent concern that large bookstore chains would put smaller independent stores out of business—a concern that turned out to be well-founded. Mostly, it’s a romantic comedy about people who sell books.
If you know of more movies that feature bookstores, I’d love it if you’d leave me a comment.
