IInvitation to see the Queen
Formerly from Newcastle, Jan Long who now lives near Ledbury was invited to London for the private screening of Werner Herzog’s film entitled ‘Queen of the Desert’. Nicole Kidman took the lead as Gertrude Bell, and Damian Lewis as her married lover Dick Doughty Wylie, the film also included Robert Pattinson as T E Lawrence (of Arabia), and James Franco amongst its stars. Prior to the film show Mark Bell, Gertrude’s great nephew, spoke about living in the family homes that were inhabited by his most famous great Aunt. Gertrude Bell, who died in 1926, smoked heavily often rolling her own cigarettes, which she kept in a beautifully inscribed silver case bearing the name “Gertrude (Margaret Lothian) Bell”. Jan Long is now the proud owner of the cigarette case which Gertrude used throughout her desert and world travels. Jan is unsure of the date and maker of the case and hopes that a local jeweller or silver smith will be able to shed some light on its provenance, in order to solve the mystery of who presented it to Gertrude.
Jan, who founded the Gertrude Bell Society, commented “London was great fun and it was good to meet so many people with an interest in Gertrude Bell and of course Werner Herzog productions. Mark Bell spoke briefly prior to the film show, which was in a private 80-seater theatre filled to capacity. As for the film, it was visually stunning with wonderful landscapes and lavishly detailed costumes. The soundtrack coupled with the most amazingly haunting musical score could not be faulted. Nicole Kidman shone and gave a very credible performance of how we imagine Gertrude to have been. For those wanting to see a great love story and an extraordinary woman, then this gorgeous film fits the bill exactly. However for the scholars amongst us, there were liberties taken with the chronology and some factual content. That said, I am thrilled that this film will at last catapult Gertrude Bell into the limelight and out of the shadows where fame has eluded her until now”.
Photograph shows Jan with her invitation to the Film and the Gertrude Bell cigarette case.
Formerly from Newcastle, Jan Long who now lives near Ledbury was invited to London for the private screening of Werner Herzog’s film entitled ‘Queen of the Desert’. Nicole Kidman took the lead as Gertrude Bell, and Damian Lewis as her married lover Dick Doughty Wylie, the film also included Robert Pattinson as T E Lawrence (of Arabia), and James Franco amongst its stars. Prior to the film show Mark Bell, Gertrude’s great nephew, spoke about living in the family homes that were inhabited by his most famous great Aunt. Gertrude Bell, who died in 1926, smoked heavily often rolling her own cigarettes, which she kept in a beautifully inscribed silver case bearing the name “Gertrude (Margaret Lothian) Bell”. Jan Long is now the proud owner of the cigarette case which Gertrude used throughout her desert and world travels. Jan is unsure of the date and maker of the case and hopes that a local jeweller or silver smith will be able to shed some light on its provenance, in order to solve the mystery of who presented it to Gertrude.
Jan, who founded the Gertrude Bell Society, commented “London was great fun and it was good to meet so many people with an interest in Gertrude Bell and of course Werner Herzog productions. Mark Bell spoke briefly prior to the film show, which was in a private 80-seater theatre filled to capacity. As for the film, it was visually stunning with wonderful landscapes and lavishly detailed costumes. The soundtrack coupled with the most amazingly haunting musical score could not be faulted. Nicole Kidman shone and gave a very credible performance of how we imagine Gertrude to have been. For those wanting to see a great love story and an extraordinary woman, then this gorgeous film fits the bill exactly. However for the scholars amongst us, there were liberties taken with the chronology and some factual content. That said, I am thrilled that this film will at last catapult Gertrude Bell into the limelight and out of the shadows where fame has eluded her until now”.
Photograph shows Jan with her invitation to the Film and the Gertrude Bell cigarette case.