For some reason we hadn’t got around to going to the flicks for more than 18 months. I think it’s probably just the thought of going out in the cold and the dark that has put us off. On the other hand, I always feel quite guilty if it’s the summertime and we emerge from the dark into bright daylight. It must be a hangover from being told to get out of the house and not waste the daylight as a youngster.

Anyway, last night we went to see The Last Station with Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren and James McAvoy, amongst others.

It is the story of Tolstoy’s last years. He had formed a new sort of religion called Tolstoyism, which frowned on sex and fun in general. I must say it reminded me very much of the Free Church of Scotland.

Tolstoy (Plummer) is being talked into signing all his book rights over to the Russian people and as you can imagine, his wife (Mirren) is furious at the thought of her children being disinherited in this way.

Enter Bulgakov as Tolstoy’s new secretary in the shape of James McAvoy who has the difficult task of pleasing everyone involved.

I really enjoyed the film. It was well acted and had beautiful settings, lovely costumes, brooches and birch trees, and the cinema was really quiet. No gossiping and sweetie paper rustling. Amazing. What more could you want.

Now I just have to get around to actually reading some Tolstoy.