I love this and Pitch Dark, although haven't read either since my 20s. Need to revisit!

First-time watch of ADUA AND HER FRIENDS (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1960), a film that should be better known. The story of 4 sex workers who set up a restaurant… its portrait of female friendships and social hypocrisy is strongest in the richness of its unexpected details. Some favourite moments:

I'm just watching The Last Sunset and knew I had seen the St. Elmo's Fire clip before. It could only be here.

I think Sinclair Lewis is a bit underrated/forgotten given that he won a Nobel prize for Literature, but I really like him. The film grew in my estimation as I watched it and ended up loving it.

I really liked the book and film of Dodsworth, although I saw the film a bit to soon after reading the book and found myself focusing on the differences sometimes. It still won me over.

Time to update my list of westerns on Channel 5, for no other reason than I just thought of it. This time, in alphabetical order!

That's a shame! Interesting, because I assumed that No Exit were the first to publish him here, but it only says first British publication on The Ones You Do and Muscle for the Wing.

Ooh, very nice!

Me, too, but all due a re-read. What a writer.

You have inspired me to dig out my UK versions. My introduction to him in the 90s. We got The Ones You Do first, before they published the others.

I saw it for the first time a few months ago and loved it! Sleazy as hell. One of the few Leonard adaptations that he had a hand in, I think.

The first Zhang Yimou film I saw, and still my favourite.

I can only hope!

Thanks Jacqui!

I've just had to take my daughter to A&E....and I'm on the verge of being made redundant....but I'm not reading anything into that...

That's more like it!

Phew, I'll take that right now.

Have just seen 10 magpies at the top of a tree in a neighbour's garden. Ten times the sorrow?