Quartet update 29 September 2022

 

13 October 2014

Quartet 2012

• Director: Dustin Hoffman
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Billy Connelly, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon, Sheridan Smith, Trevor Peacock
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey, Hotel Marigold, Harry Potter, Becoming Jane, Keeping Mum, Ladies in Lavender, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Gosford Park, David Copperfield, Tea with Mussolini, The First Wives Club, Richard III, Sister Act, A Room with a View, Oh What a Lovely War, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
• Tom Courtney – Last Orders, Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Dr. Zhivago, The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner
• Billy Connelly – White Oleander, Third Rock from the Sun, Mrs. Brown
• Pauline Collins – Merlin, Shirley Valentine, Upstairs Downstairs.
• Michael Gambon – Quirke, Harry Potter, The King’s Speech, The Book of Eli, Brideshead Revisted, Cranford, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Being Julia, Angels in America, Gosford Park, Longitude, Sleepy Hollow, Mary Reilly
• Sheridan Smith – Nothing actually but she certainly looks like a librarian who used to work in our local library!
• Trevor Peacock – Sunshine, Hamlet, Antonia and Jane, Titus Andronicus, Pericles, Henry VI Part Two, Henry VI Part One, Twelfth Night
• Why? Maggie Smith
• Seen:  October 5, 2014

Having had a frustrating and not completely successful day at the computer I need a Maggie Smith film.  This one didn’t get as good reviews as the outstanding cast would have one expect but I’m hoping it will soothe my disgruntled soul.

It does.

It’s a sweet story. Beecham House is a retirement home for aging musicians and though they are all in various stages of decrepitude they gamely continue to perform for the supporters of the home.  There are old dramas, jealousies, flaming passions, rivalries, loves and losses.  The plot revolves around the Quartet who are world renowned for their Rigoletto quartet – Tom Courtney, Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Billy Connelly.

It’s a bit sad to see these old favourites so aged. I hope that it’s mostly just good acting but they are getting old. As Tom Courtney’s character so astutely observes: that’s what people do.

And this quartet of actors are most definitely aging with gusto. They all give fantastic performances. As always.

How could the critics not love this film? 

4 * of 5

 

Update 29 September 2022: What an excellent review. I did myself proud that time. However, I have more understanding for the critics this time. It was a bit shallow, maybe, a bit too feel-good. Having aged eight years since seeing it last time, it was a bit more melancholy. And this time I found Billy Connelly’s constant sexual hits on women more offensive than humorous or charming. But I do so love Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney and Pauline Collins so the 4* may stand.

o