''I Was Happy Here'' is a 1966

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film directed by

Desmond Davis Desmond Stanley Tracey Davis (24 May 1926 – 3 July 2021) was a British film and television director, best known for his 1981 version of '' Clash of the Titans''. Early life and career Desmond Davis joined the British Army film unit serving a ...

. The film won three awards at the 1966

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; es, Festival Internacional de San Sebastián, eu, Donostia Zinemaldia) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in ...

. The film was released in the U.S. as ''Time Lost and Time Remembered''.

Plot

Cass follows the bright lights to London, but is quickly disillusioned. She meets (and marries) Doctor Langdon, but soon realises her desire to return to her home by the sea, and her first love, Colin.

Cast

Sarah Miles Sarah Miles (born 31 December 1941) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in films '' The Servant'' (1963), '' Blowup'' (1966), ''Ryan's Daughter'' (1970), ''The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing'' (1973), '' White Mischief'' (1987) and '' ...

as Cass Langdon *

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his in ...

as Hogan *

Julian Glover Julian Wyatt Glover (born 27 March 1935) is an English classical actor with many stage, television, and film roles since commencing his career in the 1950s. He is a recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award and has performed many times for the ...

as Dr. Matthew Langdon *

Sean Caffrey Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

as Colin Foley * Maire Keane as Barkeeper * Eve Belton as Kate *

Cardew Robinson Douglas John Cardew Robinson (14 August 1917 – 28 December 1992) was a British comic, whose career was rooted in the music hall and Gang Shows. Early life and career Born in Goodmayes, Essex, Robinson was educated at Harrow County School ...

as Gravedigger

Production

The film was the first in a series of co production between the NFFC and Rank. It was originally called ''Passage of Love''.

Filming

Filming began in June 1965 with a six-week shoot in County Clare, Ireland, followed by three weeks in London and another week in Ireland. The movie was filmed in Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland and

Twickenham Studios Twickenham Studios (formerly known as Twickenham Film Studios) is a film studio in St Margarets, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, that is used by various motion picture and television companies. It was established in 1913 by Ralph ...

London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...

Reception

The film received some supportive reviews but was a box office disappointment and lost money.

Critical reception

'' Allmovie'' noted "a softly beautiful, hauntingly poetic little film, a fragile piece of filmmaking that in other hands could come off as either unbearably precious or pretentious. Fortunately, ''Time'' is shepherded by Desmond Davis, who handles the material with just the right degree of sensitivity;" however, '' Time Out'' called it "A horribly pretentious and sentimental film which still manages to retain a degree of emotional power, with moments of real intensity and conviction...The film is certainly much better than Davis' earlier Irish story ''

The Girl with Green Eyes ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (also adapted from

Edna O'Brien Josephine Edna O'Brien (born 15 December 1930) is an Irish novelist, memoirist, playwright, poet and short-story writer. Elected to Aosdána by her fellow artists, she was honoured with the title Saoi in 2015 and the "UK and Ireland Nobel" ...

), but it's dogged by the awful tricks of overemphasis which he seems to have learned from his patron

Tony Richardson Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson (5 June 1928 – 14 November 1991) was an English theatre and film director and producer whose career spanned five decades. In 1964, he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film ''Tom Jones''. Early ...

"; while ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' thought it, "Slow in pace, with beautiful photography and fine acting, this is a well-told tale of disenchantment and resignation."

Notes

References

External links

* 1966 films 1966 romantic drama films British black-and-white films British romantic drama films Films based on short fiction Films directed by Desmond Davis Films scored by John Addison Films set in Ireland Films set in London Films shot in County Clare Films shot in London 1960s English-language films 1960s British films {{1960s-UK-film-stub