Ae Fond Kiss

Ken Loach is one of my favourite directors, well he'd easily be in my top 10, with this in mind we went to see "Ae Fond Kiss".  Easily his most accessable film, but by no means mainstream, I found it an almost uplifting examination of pressure faced by adults making decisions.

The film zeroes in on Casim and his flawed but "traditional" Pakistani family, living in Glasgow.  It covers familiar ground - children faced with meeting the expectations of parents seemingly unable to understand, and children who understand all too well.  It is also a love story and a story of allegiances, honour, loyalty, and doing what you believe in.  Ken Loach handles his characters lovingly, and coaxes amazing performances from his protaganists.

If you have the opportunity, go see it.

Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fare weel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I wage thee!

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met - or never parted,
We had ne-er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Robert Burnes 1759 - 1796

*nb. wage; stake, plight

posted by: blytheswideshut at June 19, 2005 19:43 | link | comments |

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