The Peaches

1964 British short film

For other uses, see Peaches (disambiguation).

The Peaches

Directed by| Michael Gill
Screenplay by| Yvonne Gilan
Produced by| Michael Gill
Starring| Juliet Harmer
Tom Adams
Peter Ustinov
Cinematography| Walter Lassally
Edited by| John Priestley
Distributed by| British Lion Film Corporation

Release date

* 1964 (1964)

Running time

| 16 minutes
Country| United Kingdom
Language| English

The Peaches is a 1964 British short black-and-white film directed by Michael Gill and starring Juliet Harmer and Tom Adams, with narration by Peter Ustinov.[1] It also features an appearance from nine-year-old A. A. Gill, son of the director and writer Yvonne Gilan. It was funded by the British Film Institute’s Experimental Film Fund, established by Sir Michael Balcon.

In 1964 the film was the British choice for the Cannes Film Festival.[2]

It is a sensual, surreal fantasy about a beautiful woman and her passion for peaches.

## Plot

[edit]

The film charts the coming of age of a clever and beautiful girl and her fetish for fruit. In search of kindred spirits of like intellect, she goes to live in the city, but finds herself cleaning in "the Ministry". She falls in love, and the peaches become less important as her love grows. Subsequently she transfers her craving to pickled onions.[3]

## Cast

[edit]

* Juliet Harmer as girl
* Tom Adams as boy next door
* A. A. Gill as young chess player (uncredited)

## Reception

[edit]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "This coyly clever production would have been best described by the now outmoded adjective "twee". The initial circumstances, outlined in the opening sequences to the accompaniment of a commentary delivered by Peter Ustinov in his best dry manner, promise something sardonically amusing, but it is all developed in a very rib-nudging way. The theme loses direction, and becomes vague and pointless, with speeded-up photography jokes."[4]

## Home media

[edit]

The film was released as an extra on the Blu-rays Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema (BFI, 2018)[5] and Die, Monster, Die! (BFI, 2024).[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Peaches". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
2. ^ "The Peaches". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
3. ^ "Exclusive Times/BFI download-Arts & Entertainment-Film-TimesOnline". Times Online. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
4. ^ "The Peaches". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 32 (372): 13. 1 January 1965. ProQuest 1305825700.
5. ^ "Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema". BFI shop. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
6. ^ "Die, Monster, Die!". BFI Shop. Retrieved 18 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* The Peaches at IMDb
* The Peaches, free to watch on BFIPlayer