Green Dolphin Street: Week 4

Movie, Music & Goudge's Far Country

Green Dolphin Street in my St Francis Garden at Havenwood

(William) looked far out across the sparkling sea, and there again were the three islands: the fairy castle, the old man who praised God, and the bird poised for flight. He pointed them out to Marguerite. "I don't know why," he said, "but as I came along today they reminded me of the three of us, you and myself and Marianne."

"That was natural, said Marguerite. "The restless traveler, always journeying on to the fairy city on the horizon. And the lover in his gay green cloak who loves so many and comes in the end to worship God alone. And the one who has sought detachment from place and person for love of the winged state of prayer. Not long before I took my vows, William, I came out here to this ledge and thought of that trinity of search that is the same search, and I thought of the three of us, and I repeated to myself what you had said in your letter to me A threefold cord shall not be broken' You remember that letter you wrote to me? I have it still, and I obeyed it.”

"I know you did, said William. "I know, because taking everything by and large, Marianne and I have had a good life together. We've been happy."

Thankfulness surged over Marguerite, followed by a quick, painful humility. For she could not know what part she had had in that good life, and she acknowledged herself unworthy to have had any, but they had had it.

🌿 Elizabeth Goudge, Green Dolphin Street

The Old Dolphin

It took Elizabeth Goudge over four year to write this lengthy novel, which she affectionately called “the old Dolphin” when it took the prize award from MGM studios.

“It was written with many interruptions and in every possible adverse circumstance, some of it even coming into being in the middle of the might during an air raid.”

EG from the Elizabeth Goudge Reader.¹

After a long time in writing, it certainly found its audience:

“twenty million people had read the story - perfectly possible no doubt, given the serialisations across the world in the likes of Woman's Journal, Omnibook and Liberty magazine.”²

Green Dolphin Street on the beach

But it would be a wait for the movie:

“Elizabeth had written to Audrey in the first excitement of winning the prize, ‘I wonder how long it takes to make a film, and then how long before it gets over here? Some while yet I expect.’

She was right: it was 5th November 1947 when the film went on release. The trailer itself boasted that it had been two years in the making, and there had not been a movie of this epic quality since Gone with the Wind [in 1939] and Mutiny on the Bounty.”³

For our last discussion today, we will take a look at the MGM movie plot & Goudge’s reaction. We will hear more of “On Green Dolphin Street” and Goudge’s far country.

Glad you can join us!

MGM Green Dolphin Street movie poster, 1947

Green Dolphin Street, The Movie