Musings on a Quartet

Last night, as all friday nights, i went to the cinema, to see a perfectly quaint little picture called Quartet, I sat in the front row, and felt more at peace than i have in months, and for that hour and a half, no one else in the world existed. I spoke recently about films that attempt to slap you in the face with their message, and films which are a tad more ambiguous. Quartet is a film which is refreshingly unpretentious, and which doesn't pretend to be a big message film, and which doesn't pretend that it's events are of a grand importance, or that it will change the world, it is content to simply be, and is a breath of fresh air in a cinematic universe where films are all attempts to say something about the world we live in, yet are unsubtle in their attempts to convey their messages, and make you feel as if you have just heard a speech by a cult leader. Quartet is a film which doesn't think that it is a great movie, it is a movie that is content to simply be, without pretending that it has to change the world.

The film is heart warming, and stars Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay along with a host of veteran british greats including Michael Gambon and Billy Connoly. The plot of the film takes place in a retirement home for musicians, Beecham House, founded upon the principles of the real life 'Casa Di Riposti per Musicisti', founded by the great composer Guiseppe Verdi, in Milan, the home holds a gala each year in order to raise money, on the anniversary on the birthdate of Giuseppe Verdi. There is a new arrivaél at the house, a famed opera singer, who sung the quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto, on a recording well known to opera buffs. Maggie Smith stars as the famed opera singer, and i simply delightful in the role. Tom Courtenay stars as her ex husband, a grumpy old man who has a heart underneath, Courtenay adds a depth to the role, and grafts a character that we care about, despite his obvious flaws. The other two actors who make up the rest of the quartet are delightful, and despite adding comic relief, the characters also have depth, and don't turn the characters into cardboard cutouts, despite the characters being a little stereotypical!

The film is beautiful, and made me really miss England, the film adds a charm to the rolling green and pleasant lands, and is a tribute to the beauty of England and its summer rain, heatwaves and classic architecture. This is surprising given that Dustin Hoffman is an American, yet is a tribute to his skill as a filmmaker. This film can in some ways be compared to Charles Dance's directorial debut, Ladies in Lavender, both were heart warming and simple films, both focused on performance and were uncomplicated in their simplicity and lack of pretentiousness, and both films took place over a reasonably short space of time, and were both shot greatly on location. Both films were also directed by first time directors, who were generally known as actors. Both films are also beautiful tributes to the places in which they are set, and star some of Britain's finest actors.

The film simply is delightful, as a musician myself and a fan of opera music, the music in this piece is simply wonderful, however for those who are not fans of such music, and young people who are not particularly interested by this kind of picture, the film still has a lot to offer, the film is heart warming and classy, and showcases some of the finest performances from some of the finest actors. Despite not changing the world, this is an refreshingly unpretentious film that is well worth a watch, top marks! Rating: A-

Jean: This is not a retirement home, it is a madhouse!