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Product details
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Deric Longden's bittersweet account of his beloved ageing mother's life, Lost for Words was produced for television in 1998. Starring Thora Hird as the indomitable, slightly eccentric Annie and Pete Postlethwaite as Deric, it's a poignant blend of sympathetic writing and the strong performances of its leading actors. The script is crammed with moments of wit and warm humour, generated by the relationship between the increasingly dependent Annie and her sometimes bemused but undaunted son.
As it becomes clear that much of the humour comes from Annie's growing mental frailty, the comedy is absorbed by the realities of caring for a once-independent human being as she is debilitated by a series of strokes. Words do indeed fail her. Yet the fundamental warmth and spirit of her personality remain undimmed. And it becomes Deric's priority to make sure this is recognised and understood as the anonymity of public healthcare threatens to swallow her up. Thanks to Postlethwaite's understated portrayal of Longden and Hird's rheumy-eyed belligerence, Lost for Words steers clear of any excess sentimentality. As a result, it is devastatingly moving--a modest jewel of a television drama. --Piers Ford
From the Back Cover
"Do you want to be buried, Mum – or do you want to be cremated?"
"Oh, I don’t know, love. Surprise me."
"Oh, I don’t know, love. Surprise me."
Lost For Words is Deric Loigden’s funny and tender autobiographical account of his mother’s old age. Starring Pete Postlethwaite (The Lost World, The Usual Suspects) as Deric and veteran Thora Hird (Alan Bennett’s talking Heads) as his mother, Annie, this critically-acclaimed drama skillfully blends comedy with heart-wrenching pathos. Annie has a unique view of the world. "It’s as though she has a ley line running through her brain, and when logic hits it, its gets bent ever so slightly and goes running off at a tangent." Her condition becomes more extreme as she suffers a series of strokes, robbing her of the ability to put words to things.
Thora Hird gives one of her best ever performances as the scared old lady with a twinkle in her eye. Pete Postlethwaite is typically brilliant in his understated portrayal of Deric. The dazzling script inspires performances "of exceptional humanity and warmth" (Telegraph) from both actors, making this one of the finest dramas of recent years, which is guaranteed to "lodge itself in the memory for years" (Daily Mail).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Lost for words is a truly inspired, magical piece of autobiographical writing by Deric Longden, all about his mothers fight with senility. It is full of pathos and humour, so much so that sometime I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and ended up doing both. The casting of Thora Hird as Annie, and Peter Postlethwaite as Deric was spot on, as they both gave such skillful heart wrenching performances. It is one drama that, if I could bear to, I would watch over and over again.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Ever since i saw this a few years ago on tv i have meant to buy it and since the sad death of Thora Hird i have made the effort in earnest. For those who haven't seen this wonderful piece, just go and buy it. Buy it for the humour especially the scene where Annie {Thora} invites all her perspective house buyers to one single viewing ensuring that she points out all the faults of the house in detail.There's much more to make you laugh out loud and as one of the great exponents of her art Thora also turns it on it's head and plays some tear wrenching scenes when her character suffers a stroke and has to move into a nursing home. I was riveted the whole way through and would happily watch it again and again.
Format:VHS Tape
This successfully treads a fine line dealing with the last days of a wonderful, slightly
eccentric Mother (Dame Thora Hird)and her loving middle aged son (Pete Postlethwaite).
The film has has a lighter, more playful tone than that premise would suggest.
It's not that the film looks away from the sadness of death. It can be tough to watch this
life-filled older woman slowly deteriorate through a series of strokes. But it's clear what
she will leave behind are a lot of loving memories of her quirky, feisty and funny self.
Occasionally the film does tip over into over-sentimentality, and on the other extreme,
some of the running comic bits, especially by some underwritten supporting characters
get milked way too long.
But in the end, this is a 2 actor show, and Hird and Postlethwaite create a couple of
wonderful and memorable characters dealing tackling difficult issues with love and
a laugh along with the tears.
eccentric Mother (Dame Thora Hird)and her loving middle aged son (Pete Postlethwaite).
The film has has a lighter, more playful tone than that premise would suggest.
It's not that the film looks away from the sadness of death. It can be tough to watch this
life-filled older woman slowly deteriorate through a series of strokes. But it's clear what
she will leave behind are a lot of loving memories of her quirky, feisty and funny self.
Occasionally the film does tip over into over-sentimentality, and on the other extreme,
some of the running comic bits, especially by some underwritten supporting characters
get milked way too long.
But in the end, this is a 2 actor show, and Hird and Postlethwaite create a couple of
wonderful and memorable characters dealing tackling difficult issues with love and
a laugh along with the tears.
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