Peter Bradshaw’s review of the new reissue of A Matter of Life and Death (G2, 8 December) captures much of the film’s “enduringly rich and strange” romanticism, which surely has its roots in the long history of English metaphysical time culture, from Sir Thomas Browne to JB Priestley. But his plane-spotting is less sure. It’s not a Hurricane that David Niven is flying, but a Lancaster bomber, with his dead crew member already waiting impatiently for him at heaven’s check-in.
Ian Christie
London
• This summer we visited a splendid ironmongers in Cockermouth – JB Banks, established 1836. The charming woman behind the counter evidently knew what was coming when my friend stated his requirement (Two Ronnies fans expected to fork out for comedy classic, 9 December). She smiled, bent down behind the counter, stood up and handed him a bundle containing four candles. I bet they sell a lot of candles that way.
Anne Farmer
Bridgwater, Somerset
• Page 1 (9 December): the appeal for money for homeless and destitute refugees. Page 9: How the rich do Christmas by your “wealth correspondent”, Rupert Neate. Double standards? To make things worse you have Alexander Armstrong on Family Values and sure enough, when I checked, it promotes his dire Christmas CD.
Margaret Vandecasteele
Wick, Caithness
• Matthew Engel maintains that “We all get more negative as we grow older” (Sport, 9 December). When I was younger I might have agreed with him, but not now.
Pete Bibby
Sheffield
• Isolation leads to inspiration! Tim Dowling’s isolation in the shed is clearly working (Second life, Weekend, 9 December). That was his funniest article yet. And it has also inspired me to buy similar “presents” for my husband. Genius!
Gill Cohn
Leeds
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