(Click photo to view original source)
I live in not so much as a one horse town as a one shop village. So it came as a great surprise to me that, my other newly arrived residents included the small lithe looking Tom Cruise, of Mission Impossible fame, and the equally illustrious, willowy attractive Nicole Kidman.
For such time as they were making a film called Eyes Wide Shut they had taken up residence in High Canons estate, just a mile from my front door. Whilst Nicole seemed to take a back seat in their new surroundings, it was Tom who took to a bicycle with such alacrity that you could see him tanking through our by-ways and highways with what looked like glorious abandon.
He was not averse to stopping off at our only shop, equally serving as post office, in our quaint backwater surrounds, yet on the periphery of London.
However, this tranquil setting with its two hundred acre grounds hosting numerous sheep and a backdrop of lakes, surrounded by woods, was the ideal setting for the two stars. From this Elysian paradise it would only take them ten minutes or so to be driven safely to Britain’s second Hollywood, namely, Elstree Film Studios.
As the film progressed it seemed that while Tom became familiar with his surroundings he was at his best whilst Nicole remained more reticent. The star of Mission Impossible and other great films lost any inhibitions he may have had and was in his element, more gregarious and light hearted. A sense of freedom pervaded him in a place with such a history, dating back to the time when it was a nunnery.
It was on one such light hearted occasion that he bounded out of High Canons to fully introduce himself to a great friend of mine, running the motor mower over the fine front lawn.
‘I’m Tom!’, he enthusiastically blurted out.
My friend, stopped the mower and stood back observantly, and within an instant replied:
‘I was wondering what all the fuss was about?’.
I’m pleased to meet you Tom; of course, l’ve heard a hell of a lot about you. Tom Jones!’ Well of course, Tom Cruise fell about laughing, taking it all in good sport.
Needless to say, I don’t care what anyone says now, or in the future, about these supposedly overpaid film stars, but more especially in the case of Tom Cruise. For me, and all residents in our village, we found him to be an extremely nice guy.
(Published in Shenley Village Matters – Issue 32, Page 28, Autumn 2024)