Unter Fremden

I saw this originally in 1990 on PBS American Playhouse. That series (American Playhouse) often aired these little "gem" films and it's a great shame that the series is no longer on PBS. But times were different then.

Anyway, this film is one of those gems. No plot needed here, one can quickly become involved with each of these ladies and their lives...their performances are so poignant and delicate as our real lives are and their tales could be anyone's. There are some funny sequences, and the lady named Cissy is just precious--she has a great laugh and her face is so bright and cheery. She could be the great lady next door who becomes a wonderful neighbour to invite in for afternoon tea.

For me, the real treasure of this film's effect is the feelings tinged with sadness, especially for the lady/character named Constance. What a superb lady. She could be my own grandmother! I have now watched this film several times, and each time I see Constance with her face full of pain and remorse for something past, it pains me to watch. When she is standing there all alone looking out onto the lake listening to the birds or trying to hear them and she drops her medicine pills into the lake, as if she wants to die....it causes me such pain to watch. Later in the film, when she tells Mary she can't hear the bird singing, but she would give anything to hear the bird again, I cried like a baby.

I am rather suspicious that much of the ad-hoc performances from all the ladies were left on the cutting room floor and that is too bad. I would have wanted more from each one of them, but most especially about Constance. Her eyes often look so full of tears, it makes me want to reach out and hold her!!! I am teary-eyed just typing this about her. Constance, wherever you are now, thank you for allowing us into your life, however briefly.

All the ladies are brilliant and I highly recommend this to anyone who have great-grandmothers, grand-mothers and yes moms too, because they could have been in this film.

I have always found the lives of women to be more interesting than that of men. They are emotionally stronger, have more depth. And this film confirms my belief. I wish I each of the women were my personal friend. It's hard to believe they are all first time actors. They are all so natural. Constance conveyed more with her silence than any actor I have seen on screen with a million words. A beautifully made film. Terrific photography of the Canadian countryside, haunting music, superb acting. The film's more like a documentary. I wish there were more personal information on the Net on each of the actors, including their addresses so I could write and tell them how much they have touched my life through this film. Thank you everyone who was involved in the making of "Strangers In Good Company".

If you're looking for flashy, special effects, don't touch this one at the video store. If you're looking for a film to move you, touch you, and leave you forever changed, grab this one and run home to put it in the VCR (couldn't find it on DVD). This movie totally blew me away. The "actresses" are unbelievably real and true to their persons. I love film making like this.

The "realness" and the natural beauty of this film will stay with you long after the final scene. Superb casting of these fine women. Beautiful scenery. Wonderful interaction. I can't say enough great things about this wonderful film! I loved it! Rent it when you want to feel good about life...........

This charming film about a stranded busload of older women in rural Canada is mostly improvised with non-professional actresses. Yet we get to know each of the women, their pasts, their strengths, their hopes.

After their bus breaks down, the 7 older Canadian women and the younger bus driver (who sprains her ankle) wander down the road til they find a derelict house on a lake. It's an odd assortment of women who seem to have little in common, yet they find (and so do we) that our connections to one another always outweigh our differences.

Alice is a Mohawk Indian, Cissy, Beth, and Winnie are from England, Mary is from the USA, Constance was brought to Canada as a child, Catherine is a Canadian nun. Michelle is the bus driver. The women set to work exploring the house, finding food, making beds, etc. As the women work, they tell the stories of their lives. But they also discover their connections to nature.

Seemingly, the women have had ordinary lives with husbands, children, jobs, illnesses, losses. At various points in the film as each woman is telling her story, we are shown a small gallery of photos from her life. It's very moving to see the old woman telling her story while her youth passes before us in vintage photos.

There are many funny moments as the women try to fish, catch frogs, pick berries, or play. Most of the women settle into their temporary world quite well. A couple remain mostly outside the group.

What the film ultimately shows us is that even in old age, we can learn, experience new things, enjoy friendships, and even find joy in old age.

This is a remarkable film.

A superb movie dealing with life, the interplay of human strengths and weakness, and growing older. The movie uses non-professional actors playing themselves, and is wonderfully refreshing, thought provoking and moving. I give this movie a high recommendation.