The Frog Prince **** (1985, Jane Snowden, Alexandre Sterling, Diana Blackburn) – Classic Movie Review 10,804

David Puttnam produced director Brian Gilbert’s sweet and relaxing 1985 romance The Frog Prince [The French Lesson], based on a book by Nina Rootes and co-written by the director and The Guardian cartoonist Posy Simmonds, in which young English student Jenny (Jane Snowden) studying at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1961 has a love affair with a young French architect Jean-Philippe (Alexandre Sterling).

This is a gentle, charming, minor film, with the perfumed air of nostalgia, of times safely past and things hazily remembered. Like first love, it is a little tentative, but still compelling and memorable. It is both familiar and fresh at the same time.

In his film debut at 25, there is an early, small role (as James) for Jean-Marc Barr, star of The Big Blue, who could easily have handled the main part.

Enya’s music is appealing and the movie is handsomely dressed by designer Anton Furst.

It got caught up in a censorship debate. David Puttnam tried for a UK PG rating but BBFC censor James Ferman said the film had to be given a 15 certificate as the story concerned an underage girl losing her virginity. Puttnam said the star was over 18 and the film contained no nudity or strong language, and the 15 certificate lost the film most of its audience.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,804

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