Aunt Julia and The Scriptwriter / Tune In Tomorrow (1990 Jon Amiel)

This is the title we saw it under originally, on VHS on 7 June 1994, and it's also the title of Mario Vargas Llosa's 1977 novel which is set in Peru. Screenwriter William Boyd had to adapt it to the US and chose New Orleans, and also had the task of managing fifteen different radio stories which were going on in the book, knowing this would have to be simplified for the screen. He actually consulted Llosa about this who was very supportive 'Go for it. Do the best you can.' (I wonder if he had read any of Will's books?) 'He was very pleased with the film. What got him furious was that the American distributor changed the title to Tune in Tomorrow...they thought they had a comic hit on their hands and felt that the original title was too arthouse. I protested vehemently; Vargas Llosa refused to have anything to do with it; the film did no business at all; and every review started with 'What idiot changed the title?' ' (William Boyd, 'Bamboo'.)

It's certainly a briskly paced adaptation, and the mirroring of real life with the serial story is superbly done. Characters and themes are introduced succinctly, it's funny, well directed. I originally thought the chemistry was lacking between Barbara Hershey and Keanu Reeves - I'm not mad about the lad, but he's OK in this - but maybe that's a fair assessment. Hershey's a brilliantly capable and adaptable actress, if you think of her evil in Last Summer and her innocence and confusion in Hannah and Her Sisters and now the New York brittleness of her Aunt Julia.

Peter Falk's is an eccentric character, though he manages the situation and gets the couple together.. and exits as a priest, having upset all the local Albanians!

It's romantic, funny, eccentric, clever and original.

Shot by Robert Stevens, music by Wynton Marsalis.

Cast includes Bill McCutcheon, Patricia Clarkson, Richard Portnow, Jerome Dempsey, Richard Shull, Hope Lange, Peter Gallagher, Elizabeth McGovern, Dan Hedaya and Michelle's sister Dedee Pfeiffer.