It is based on the 1989 book Diana's Story by the writer Deric Longden, who co-wrote the script with Jack Rosenthal.[1] The film tells the story of the final years of Deric's (played by Broadbent) marriage to his wife, Diana (Julie Walters), who contracted a degenerative illness that medical officials were unable to understand at the time, though now believed to be a form of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis. As Diana's health deteriorated, she encourages him to spend time with another woman who Longden has met (the partially-sighted novelist Aileen Armitage (played by Sian Thomas)), to help ease his pain over her eventual death.[2]
Wide-Eyed and Legless was the original title of the TV adaptation shown on BBC One whilst for the American release the film's title changed to The Wedding Gift. The film was released on Region 1 DVD.
An award-winning sequel, Lost for Words, focusing on Longden's elderly mother Annie (Thora Hird) and her decline into dementia, after his second marriage (to writer Armitage) followed in 1999 and saw Hird reprise her role, whilst the other cast members were replaced.
^"Deric Longden: Deric Longden, who has died aged 76, wrote books that brought a gentle and life-enhancing humour to the problems of living with disability". The Daily Telegraph. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
^"The Wedding Gift". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^MacCambridge, Michael (22 December 1994). "it's a LOVE-HATE thing". Austin American-Statesman (Final ed.). p. 38.
^Meyer, George (30 December 1994). "The Year of the Middling Movie". The Ledger. p. 6TO.
wide, eyed, legless, 1975, song, andy, fairweather, wide, eyed, legless, known, wedding, gift, 1993, made, british, drama, film, directed, richard, loncraine, starring, julie, walters, broadbent, sian, thomas, thora, hird, directed, byrichard, loncrainewritten. For the 1975 song by Andy Fairweather Low see Wide Eyed and Legless Wide Eyed and Legless known in the US as The Wedding Gift is a 1993 made for TV British drama film directed by Richard Loncraine starring Julie Walters Jim Broadbent Sian Thomas and Thora Hird Wide Eyed and LeglessDirected byRichard LoncraineWritten byJack RosenthalDeric LongdenStarringJulie Walters Jim Broadbent Thora Hird Sian ThomasAndrew LancelMusic byColin TownsProductioncompaniesBBC FilmsIsland World ProductionsDistributed byThe Sales CompanyRelease date5 September 1993CountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishIt is based on the 1989 book Diana s Story by the writer Deric Longden who co wrote the script with Jack Rosenthal 1 The film tells the story of the final years of Deric s played by Broadbent marriage to his wife Diana Julie Walters who contracted a degenerative illness that medical officials were unable to understand at the time though now believed to be a form of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis As Diana s health deteriorated she encourages him to spend time with another woman who Longden has met the partially sighted novelist Aileen Armitage played by Sian Thomas to help ease his pain over her eventual death 2 Contents 1 Title and home media 2 Cast 3 Sequel 4 Year end lists 5 References 6 External linksTitle and home media EditWide Eyed and Legless was the original title of the TV adaptation shown on BBC One whilst for the American release the film s title changed to The Wedding Gift The film was released on Region 1 DVD Cast EditJim Broadbent Deric LongdenJulie Walters DianaThora Hird Annie LongdenSian Thomas Aileen ArmitageMoya Brady SheilaAndrew Lancel NickAnastasia Mulrooney SallyFrances Cox Minnie BonsallSequel EditAn award winning sequel Lost for Words focusing on Longden s elderly mother Annie Thora Hird and her decline into dementia after his second marriage to writer Armitage followed in 1999 and saw Hird reprise her role whilst the other cast members were replaced Year end lists Edit8th Michael MacCambridge Austin American Statesman 3 Top 10 not ranked George Meyer The Ledger 4 References Edit Deric Longden Deric Longden who has died aged 76 wrote books that brought a gentle and life enhancing humour to the problems of living with disability The Daily Telegraph 4 July 2013 Retrieved 3 September 2014 The Wedding Gift Encyclopedia com Retrieved 8 January 2022 MacCambridge Michael 22 December 1994 it s a LOVE HATE thing Austin American Statesman Final ed p 38 Meyer George 30 December 1994 The Year of the Middling Movie The Ledger p 6TO External links EditWide Eyed and Legless at IMDb Lost for Words at IMDb Archive of Deric Longden s official website This article related to a British film of the 1990s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wide Eyed and Legless amp oldid 1128606345, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
