ing read the book, and not to recognise the American influence, which hangs over the film. Not only is the director, Neil LaBute, an American, but leading characters Maud and Roland are played respectively by Americans Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart. We can perhaps accept Paltrow's existence in the film because her English accent is rarely flawed; however, Eckhart's opening words could rile any aficionado of Possession, when we distinctly hear the American twang. Roland's British identity, in the book, is key to the first argument that the letters should remain in British hands because they are part of our national identity. 'Blackadder, a Scot, believed British writings should stay in Britain and be studied by the British' (p10). The importance of nationality and the protection of Randolph Henry Ash's life works and newly discovered letters is pinnacle to the text. If this is so then why did Neil LaBute choose to make Roland American? Why is there the necessity? Not only does it go expressly against the values of Blackadder but it ostensibly changes our impressions of the major characters, primarily Cropper, who we could distinguish because of his American heritage. In the book we see polar opposites between the characters Cropper and Roland; rich verses poor, American verses British, profit verses personal interest. Furthermore, it is hard not to see the British as the butt of many of the jokes within the film, which would not have been possible with a British Roland. In the opening library scene Roland's conversation with the librarian is as follows:
             Librarian: Who are you with again?
             Librarian: Who?...Oh yes Dr Wolff mentioned you. You're that American whose over
             Roland: Well I'm sure there are others. I mean after all you are our favourite colony.
             The portrayal of the British librarian as ignorant and rude is a clear indication of the direction the film is go...