A Rather English Marriage

I was tired and did not expect to stay with this movie, but thought I'd see how it began. The story and the absolutely wonderful performances by Finney and Courtenay kept me absorbed in it till it was all over. This quiet movie was, unexpectedly, to be one of my all-time favorites.

What a gem! Courtenay and Finney soar in this quiet story about two widowers whom circumstances bring them together as house-mates. Finney is a blustery ex-air force's squadron leader with some money, Courtenay a small, quiet blue-collar worker. This movie is all about their developing relationship and the two of them display their considerable acting skills. The small story is a wonderful device to have the two of them find out how to live with one another and, ultimately, how to become friends.

If you love fine acting and gentle stories, you must try this. It's one of the few that I bought for my collection.

A modern television classic set in the Eighties, A Rather English Marriage tells the story of two recently widowed men; a brash World War Two squadron leader (Albert Finney) and a retired milkman (Tom Courtenay) who form an unlikely alliance as they come to terms with their bereavements.

The two men miss their wives for totally different reasons, Roy Southgate (Courtenay) is a loyal, devoted husband who spends hours with his wife when visiting her at hospital. Reggie Conyngham-Jervis (Finney) is a philanderer who relies on his wife mainly for her cooking and cleaning skills and sees his hospital visits as time that could be better spent in the pub.

When a social worker sees that each man could be the solution to the other's problems, these two characters (complete opposites plagued by personal problems they try to keep hidden) who were hospital waiting room acquaintances are now brought together full time.

This is the sort of charming, well-written television drama that nobody seems to want to make anymore, the two leads forming an even more effective partnership than they did in The Dresser fifteen years earlier where Finney stole the show.

Courtenay is superbly understated, Finney is more powerful and boisterous and probably the more versatile actor. Their contrasting styles complement each other perfectly.

Although this is mainly a double-act, Joanna Lumley also excels as the gold-digger who has her eye on Reggie's wallet.

However this drama belongs equally to Finney and Courtenay. The final scene with these two grand old men of film and theatre dancing to Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade' will surely prove to be one of the most lasting and endearing moments in British television.

Albert Finny and his co lead are superb,acting at its best!!!! A story and performance to remember. I think it fits the over 50-55 year old set best. Just wonderful entertainment with brilliant script. I will see it again...and again Dr G Catapano

The pairing of Courtenay and Finney,whose contrasting styles combine so well together,were brilliant in The Dresser,which makes their pairing in this drama so very welcome.They play contrasting men widowed on the same day and paired together by social services.Finney is a womanising ex=Battle of Britain pilot whose wife came from wealthy stock while Courteney is a former milkman.Courteney possesses all the requisite domestic skills while Finney would struggle to boil water without a recipe book. Against all odds and not helped by Finney's habit of assuming command they rub along well together until the arrival of Joanna Lumley a gold-digger who sets her sights on Finney

Beautifully written and impeccably played character study.It illustrates that dumbing down ,while having achieved epidemic proportions on UK television,has not yet conquered all bastions of the box.