Turtle Diary
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Irvin
Written by	Russell Hoban (novel) Harold Pinter (screenplay)
Produced by	Richard Johnson Bernard Sofronski (Executive Producer)
Starring	Glenda Jackson Ben Kingsley
Cinematography	Peter Hannan
Edited by	Peter Tanner
Music by	Geoffrey Burgon
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors[1]
Release date	29 November 1985 (1985-11-29) (UK)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Turtle Diary is a 1985 British film directed by John Irvin and starring Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Gambon. Based on a screenplay adapted by Harold Pinter from Russell Hoban's novel Turtle Diary, the film is about "people rediscovering the joys of life and love".^[2] The film contains elements of romance, comedy, and drama and has been described as a romantic comedy.^{[citation needed]}

Synopsis

Two lonely Londoners - Neaera Duncan, a children's author (Glenda Jackson), and William Snow, a bookstore assistant (Ben Kingsley) - find common ground when visiting the sea turtles at London Zoo. Independently, each perceives that the turtles are unnaturally confined, and they hatch a plan with the assistance of zookeeper George Fairbairn (Michael Gambon) to smuggle them out and release them into the sea.

Their release of the turtles is a metaphor for their escape from their inhibitions.

Main cast

• Glenda Jackson as Neaera Duncan, a "Popular children's author … fearing her creative talents have evaporated, [who] escapes into the dreamy world of sea turtles seeking inspiration in their beauty and grace."^[3]
• Ben Kingsley as William Snow, "a humble assistant in a bookstore where he, too, dreams of the turtles."^[3]
• Richard Johnson as Mr. Johnson, a neighbor of Neaera Duncan
• Michael Gambon as George Fairbairn, the zookeeper charged with caring for the turtles
• Jeroen Krabbé as Mr. Sandor, a neighbor of William Snow
• Rosemary Leach as Mrs. Charlie Inchcliff, Williams Snow's landlady
• Eleanor Bron as Miss Neap, a neighbor of William Snow
• Harriet Walter as Harriet Simms, a colleague of William Snow at the bookstore
• Nigel Hawthorne as the publisher of books by Neaera Duncan

Harold Pinter has a cameo role as a man in the bookshop where William and Harriet work.

Critical reception and analysis

In his 1985 review of the film for The Sunday Telegraph, David Castell observes that Pinter's screenplay concentrates on developing dialogue and plot, leaving clues for the actors to convey their characters' subtle emotional and psychological development: "It is hard to think of two actors better matched to play Pinter than Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley. They milk every nuance, point up every missed beat and relish each irony and repetition in the script. … Turtle Diary is a fine film that charts movingly the unnoticed despair of everyday lives, the sufferings of those who endure loneliness in silence."^[2]

The film grossed $2.2 million on its American theatrical release.

Home video

The film was released on videocassette in 1985 by Vestron Video. The film has not been released on DVD.