The Lady in the Van Page #3

Synopsis: The Lady in the Van tells the true story of Alan Bennett's strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in the 1970s before allowing her temporarily to park her Bedford van in the driveway of his Camden home. She stayed there for 15 years. As the story develops Bennett learns that Miss Shepherd is really Margaret Fairchild (died 1989), a former gifted pupil of the pianist Alfred Cortot. She had played Chopin in a promenade concert, tried to become a nun, was committed to an institution by her brother, escaped, had an accident when her van was hit by a motorcyclist for which she believed herself to blame, and thereafter lived in fear of arrest.
Director(s): Nicholas Hytner
Production: Sony Pictures
  Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.7
Metacritic:
70
Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
PG-13
Year:
2015
104 min
1,211 Views


That's Camden!

People wash up here. Like me.

- Oh.

- Oh!

- She'd be a good subject.

- What for?

You. One of your little plays.

Remember, I planted the seed!

No. No.

I'm writing about Mam half the time

as it is. One old lady's enough.

I live, you write. That's how it works.

- Yeah, except you don't much.

- Don't what?

Live. Put yourself into what you write.

How? We're both so f***ing tame.

Miss Shepherd? I'm Lois. The social worker.

I don't want a social worker. I'm about

to listen to the repeat of Any Answers?

I brought you some clothes.

You wrote asking for a coat.

Not during Any Answers? I'm a busy woman.

I only asked for one coat.

I brought three,

in case you fancied a change.

Where am I supposed to put three coats?

Green is not my colour.

Have you got a stick?

The Council have that in hand.

It's been precepted for.

Will it be long enough?

Yes. It's one of our special sticks.

I don't want a special stick.

I want an ordinary stick, only longer.

Shut the door.

If I want to get in touch with you,

whom should I call?

Well, you can try Mr Bennett at 23.

Only don't take any notice of what he says.

He's a communist, possibly.

Well, have you tried

the people opposite? They're nearer.

Well, they said they don't relate to her.

You were the one she related to.

Is that what they said? "Related to"?

No, that's me.

They said you were her pal.

- She was your girlfriend.

- Oh, Jesus.

Does she use your lavatory?

Well, only in an emergency.

That might give her squatter's rights.

We'd be much happier if she moved on.

"We"?

Camden.

All right, I've got everything.

The sherbet lemons, Cup-a-Soup,

the miniature whisky.

Mmm.

That's medicinal.

Well, she seemed very understanding,

the social worker.

Mmm-hmm. Not understanding enough.

I mean, I ask for a wheelchair,

and what does she get me?

A walking stick.

And she says I don't get an allowance

unless I get an address?

Look, "The Van, Gloucester Crescent".

Isn't that an address?

No! It needs to be a house.

A residence.

Anyway, I might be

going away soon, possibly.

How long for?

Broadstairs, possibly.

Why Broadstairs? Have you family there?

No. No.

Have you got any family?

I just need the air.

I saw a snake this morning.

It was coming up Parkway.

A long grey snake.

- It was a boa constrictor, possibly.

- No.

It looked poisonous.

It was keeping close to the wall,

and I have a feeling

it was headed for the van.

No, Miss Shepherd...

I thought I'd better warn you,

just to be on the safe side.

I've had some close shaves with snakes.

Listen to me, Miss Shepherd, there are no

boa constrictors in Camden Town.

What, are you calling me a liar?

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Alan Bennett

Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. He was born in Leeds and attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with the Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research medieval history at the university for several years. His collaboration as writer and performer with Dudley Moore, Jonathan Miller and Peter Cook in the satirical revue Beyond the Fringe at the 1960 Edinburgh Festival brought him instant fame. He gave up academia, and turned to writing full-time, his first stage play Forty Years On being produced in 1968. His work includes The Madness of George III and its film adaptation, the series of monologues Talking Heads, play and subsequent film of The History Boys, and popular audio books, including his readings of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Winnie-the-Pooh. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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