Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont

Mrs. Palfrey (Joan Plowright) is an elderly English widow who comes to London to live out her last years at the Claremont Hotel, because she liked the looks of the residential hotel in the adverts. It turns out to be a fairly dreary place (although the public rooms look quite nice, to me, anyway). The other guests are all old people in similar situations. It's kind of depressing, until Mrs. Palfrey takes a tumble in the street and is helped by an attractive young man played by Rupert Friend.

The movie has been referred to as "Separate Tables meets Harold and Maude." Nevertheless a bond develops between Mrs. Palfrey and the young man, whom she passes off as her grandson, because her real grandson never comes to visit.

It's a touching story of connection between two lost souls. I found the busy-bodyness of the other hotel guests overdone, since English people of that generation would not be so forward. Also there is a tendency for everyone to come into a room whenever there's a conflict or outburst, which reminds me of the worst excesses of 1980s American sitcoms. Also, when they do show up, Mrs. Palfrey's daughter and real grandson are simply awful. It's hard to believe that this lovely woman's family would be so vile. But overall, the movie is touching, well acted, and easy to watch.

"Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" is the right vehicle for Joan Plowright in which to shine. As guided by Dan Ireland, this bittersweet novel by Elizabeth Taylor about a genteel world in our time gets a great treatment for the screen by Ruth Sacks.

Mrs. Palfrey is a woman of independent means that decides to spend some time in a London hotel she saw in an advertisement in Scotland. As happens with this sort of thing, the picture in the newspaper was much better than the reality this lady encounters as she settles for her stay at the Claremont. One of the things that made Mrs. Palfrey's mind was the promise of the fine English cuisine something the taxi driver, that is taking her to her new home, finds extremely amusing.

The hotel is home to some older women and men that are retired, but who are nearby to all the attractions that a great city like London has to offer. Since it's such a small place, curiosity and a bit of gossip are found among the people one sees, basically in the dining hall at breakfast, or at dinner.

Mrs. Palfrey meets Ludovic when she falls on the sidewalk in front of his apartment. "Ludo", as he wants to be called, is a busker, a young man that sings in the underground in exchange of the coins passersby throw in his guitar case. Mrs. Palfrey has a grandson, Desmond, who proves to be illusive, at best; so trying to be kind to Ludo, she invites him for dinner at the Claremont and asks him to pretend he is her grandson. This proves to be the beginning of a happy and uncomplicated friendship between a woman at the end of her life and a young man just beginning his.

The main reason for watching the film is Joan Plowright in one of the best roles of her career. Lately, this fine actress has been relegated to playing grandmothers, and assorted ladies in the American cinema, and frankly, she is an actress that clearly deserves better, although not many older roles are written for actresses her age. The film is targeted to a mature audience that identifies with the leading lady of the film.

Rupert Friend makes a good Ludovic and plays well against Ms. Plowright. Zoe Tapper is Gwendolyn, the girl he meets at the video store when they are both reaching for "Brief Encounter", which is Mrs. Palfrey's favorite movie. Anna Massey is splendid as Mrs. Arbuthnot and Millicent Martin is seen in a small role.

The film is a delightful way to spend time at the movies with great company. Thanks to Joan Plowright and Dan Ireland, this is a film the joy it is.

I went into the Paris Theatre in New York last night, more as a refuge from the merciless weather that anything else. What a wonderful and unexpected surprise. Joan Plowright plays a widow who decides to live her last years of her life as an independent woman in a small retirement hotel in London. I'm not sure if she knew that independence sometimes means loneliness but she learns soon enough as loneliness becomes her constant companion. Her only grandson never calls, in fact nobody ever calls her. A fortuitous encounter with a young struggling writer will change her life as she will change his. This beautiful and seemingly simple story is filled with startling gems. Joan Plowright very much at the heart of the piece gives a multi-layered performance that never falls into sentimentality. Rupert Friend (Ludo, the struggling writer) is a perfect foil for the world she protectively stores in her brain and in her heart. The humor and the superb performances by the elderly guests of the hotel is a breath of fresh vintage air. When Ruper Friend meets Dame Joan's friends at the hotel, he exclaims "We're trapped in a Terence Rattigan play" Yes you are, beautifully so

MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT is an elegant, moving story of a lovely woman of age on a journey to find something meaningful again in her life and literally "trips" into the life of a young man on his own journey to find himself as a writer. Many will think of HAROLD AND MAUDE, but MRS. PALFREY is a much more enticing film of two people, no matter the age, who happen to come into each other's lives at a time when they become very important to each other in the self repair of their own images. A brilliant, wonderful, beautifully presented film.

Joan Plowright as Mrs. Palfrey is so lovely on the screen and in her meeting the handsome Rupert Friend, Ludvic, seems to take on a glow of happiness and pleasure as their friendship deepens and they become more involved in each other's lives. Their scenes in the lovely parks of London as well as the interiors of the Claremont are scenes that have humor, compassion and great understanding between them. This is something which is missing in both their relationships with their own families.

Through Mrs. Palfrey, and their conversations about film, Ludvic is able to find a young woman who loves him for himself, and as Mrs. Palfrey's journey ends, his begins with the happiness and satisfaction of having found not only Mrs. Palfrey, but someone who will be with him in his life, and truly love him for the man he is.

As Oscar season approaches, Joan Plowright's MRS. PALFREY is a film to remember, honor and cherish.

I attended a screening of this film and was so touched by it that I am still thinking of all the things I wished i could of said, could of done, and should of done with my own grandmother -- if she was still here today. for anyone who has ever had a grandmother or grandfather or needed a friend and found one by surprise, this is for us. it really is. Rupert Friend is stunning. Joan Plowright -- unbelievable. the rest of the cast, the story, the direction, the score, everything -- perfect. To the filmmakers of this movie, I wish you the best success and hope others get the chance to enjoy it as much as I did. it just goes to show that good things come in small packages. In my case and imprint has been left and Ill never forget how it touched me.