Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

This is the story of the final days of Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening) and also her relationship with Peter Turner (Jamie Bell), a young Liverpudlian actor half her age whom she met in the late 1970’s when they, incredibly, shared the same north London boarding house.

By this point, Oscar winner Grahame’s time in the limelight had seriously faded but she continued to work where she could and spent a lot of time performing on the stage in the UK. Turner and the hugely insecure Grahame, keen herself to feel young again, quickly became lovers. For a while at least, then she seemed to forget about him.

Until 1981 that is when, already ill, she collapsed one night and called him of the blue. She asked if she could stay over with him and his family in Liverpool. Where she hoped to spend time recuperating but, as it turns out, these were to be her final days.

Despite being exasperated that she won’t seek treatment, Turner along with his mother (Julie Walters) and father (Kenneth Cranham), looks after her. The film details his memories as he looks back on their brief transatlantic romance.

It does rather morosely becomes one long death scene but it is rather refreshing that her final decline happens outside of the public glare. This was a time when famous people could blend into every day life and not be recognised. It was a time before not only YouTube but before even DVDs. In fact VHS had only just been invented.

When the landlord of Turner's local pub does recognise his superstar girlfriend, it is a one off and nobody alerts the world via the yet to be invented Twitter. 

Finally her son, having been told about her illness, travels over to take her back home where she dies just a few hours after arriving in America aged just 57.

It's an excellent film for many reasons. Its story, its message, its time, its acting. Bening is brilliant and ably supported by Bell, with whom she shows great chemistry. There is also strong performances from his Cranham, Walters and Stephen Graham as Turner's brother.

Hallam Foe

Hallam Foe is a bit of a weirdo, played by Jamie Bell, who is obsessed with his dead mother. He lives with his dad, played by Ciaran Hinds, and his stepmother who he suspects of having murdered his mother. He seems to spend a lot of time pretending to be a badger, watching and spying on people from a distance. Told you it was odd.
When his step-mother comes up to his tree-house and confronts him with his diary, in which he's recorded his spying missions, he tries to strangle her but she grabs his crotch and they end up having sex on the floor. I was going to say you would wouldn’t you but even I’m not sure about that one. All very bizarre. A very odd way of handling the situation.

After that incident he leaves home and heads for Edinburgh, where he sees a complete stranger who eerily resembles his mother. He smooth talks her into giving him a job as a kitchen porter in the hotel where she is manageress. Then he starts to stalk her by taking to the rooftops and begins to regard the girl, Kate, played by Sophia Myles, as a potential shag. Well, in this case, you most certainly would, wouldn’t you.



He spies on her sex sessions, with her married lover, which she doesn't seem to enjoy very much.

So the film is a weird voyeuristic, eccentric drama come slightly incestuous love story with a bit of humour. Hallam gets away with things that would land most people in jail or get them institutionalised but he is also clever. When Kate’s thoroughly dislikeable lover rumbles him, he manages to track down the guy's apartment and smooth talk his wife and therefore blackmail him.



In the end Kate seduces Hallam but she too is a totally gaga. Typical girl I suppose. When she discovers his secrets, she is a tad pissed off but is she pissed off because he spied on her getting a rough seeing-to or because he's shagging her because she resembles his mother? She has him stood naked in front of her while she interrogates him about his behaviour. Quite how or why this happens, we’re not sure, the film doesn’t tell us. It seems however that his voyeurism doesn’t bother her; perhaps women find that sort of thing a big turn on. Is this where I’ve been going wrong?

There are far too many odd moments to mention and there's no happy ending, which is a bonus. It’s all complemented by a lively soundtrack provided by Domino records. I went straight out and bought the CD.

Well directed and acted. Jamie Bell has got all the credit but the whole cast puts in great performances. The film is quite plainly mad but don't hold that against it.