Ladies in Lavender

Short stories often make better films than full novels as is evident in the case of JD Locke's 'Ladies in Lavender' as adapted for the screen and directed by the multi-talented Charles Dance. Given the barest outline of a quiet little idea of a 'fairy tale', LADIES IN LAVENDER becomes an unfolding meditation of quiet lives altered by an incident that awakens sleeping needs and emotions.

Ursula (Judi Dench) and Janet (Maggie Smith) are elderly sisters living a quiet life of gardening, strolling the cliffs and beach of Cornwall, knitting, and reading. Their bumpy housekeeper Dorcas (Miriam Margolyes) cooks, cleans, shops, and chatters in a wonderful Cornish brogue, allowing the sisters to live an otherwise isolated life - isolated from history, personal emotions, and vulnerabilities. After a storm Ursula spies a figure on the beach below their home and the two descend to find an unconscious handsome young man whom they rescue, house, nurture, mend a broken ankle and ultimately become doting adorers. The young man Andrea (Daniel Brühl) finally awakens, speaks no English as he is Polish, and his charming ways attract inner emotions in both sisters. Janet studies some German and is able to speak with Andreas, while Ursula pastes English words on items in his room to teach him English. He mends and it is discovered that he is a concert violinist who was shipwrecked while striving to go to America. A Russian visitor to the town, Olga (Natascha McElhone), the requisite 'evil witch' for a fairy tale, hears Andreas play, informs him she has a cousin who is a famous violinist, and attracts him away from Cornwall to London where he ultimately gives his own concert.

Those are the bare facts of the film's story. The magic lies not in the story itself but in the submerged feelings of the two sisters. Ursula, having never been in love in her youth, falls in love with Andrea, fully aware that there is no possibility of consummation. She feels long desired emotional attachment to the lad and the stirring in her breast is overwhelming to her. Janet, who once loved but lost that love to death, likewise falls for Andrea. It is this sibling rivalry over the passion for Andrea that provides some of the most touching and understated brilliant acting moments ever recorded on film. There is a scene where, resting from a stroll on the cliffs, Andrea rests with his head on Ursula's lap, perhaps the first physical contact with a man she has ever known, and the gentility of the slow and reticent placement of her hand on Andrea's resting head is a crystal of acting magic. How the sisters cope with this time with Andrea and his eventual leaving for his career is the climax of the film. And touching and understated it is.

Judi Dench and Maggie Smith give pitch perfect characterizations, creating two lovely beings we will never forget. Likewise Daniel Brühl is superb in a role far different from his usual German repertoire (Goodbye Lenin!, The Edukators, Love in Thoughts) and manages to create the illusion that he is actually playing the violin (while the true artist is Joshua Bell in some stunning performances). The atmosphere of Cornwall is magically captured by Dance and his cinematographer Peter Biziou with assistance from Ed Rutherford. Nigel Hess has written a musical score, incorporating well-known classical violin works as well as his own hauntingly beautiful music that adds immeasurably to the film's success.

LADIES IN LAVENDER is not a major blockbuster of a success nor does it try to be. It is simply a exquisitely crafted and acted fairy tale that gently reminds us that age does not prevent the heart from responding to that most beautiful of emotions, Love. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

Who but Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith could play elderly sisters who don't particularly agree too much with each other's conventions utlizing such subtle acting talents? The script is terrific with lines thatare worthy of both great British stage and screen actors. Supporting characters present fine performances as well.

It's terrific to have such a quality drama that is true to the real lives of senior women who live in another culture outside of my own in the US. Forget all of the nonsensical bleeping of scripts loaded with cursing (even though I am no prude!). Such scripts lack the integrity of presentation of a superior English lexicon. Forget the loud, fast paced action that appeals to more violence-craving audiences than me. Forget wacky comics who'd use all sorts of gimmicks and graphics to create anything but a character close to any culture's true life.

Have a good look at the very strengths that abound in the whole of this film. The story plot line is a excellent one, I assure you. It goes like this: The ladies in lavender find a body of a young man barely still alive on the rocky, rough surf, beach in front of their old home. They take him in and nurse him to health. He turns out to be an extraordinarily gifted individual. When it is discovered that he is, the ladies have to face a harsh reality in order for him to realize his potential.

It is comparable to "Tea with Mussolini" in both quality of script, story, and especially cast. How it slipped under popularity radar when "Tea . . ." didn't, is a mystery. This is a film that needs to be viewed by any age group of people. There's nothing about it a child couldn't understand and plenty about it that senior people would relate to, as well. "Whales of August" with Bette Davis and Lillian Gish is a superior treasure.

Beautifully acted. The delineation of sibling rivalry between the two sisters, Ursula and Joan (Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, is a masterclass in itself. And what a treat to be entertained by Miriam Margoyes. Her Dorcas is the perfect foil for the two prim spinsters.

The script is finely wrought and the understated English humour a joy. There are moments when you just have to laugh out loud. At other times your empathy for the characters moves you to deep sadness and regret at lives that have had times of sorrow or been unfulfilled.

The visual imagery in this film is evokes the nostalgic feel of an English rural landscape of sixty years ago. The beautiful cinematography was complemented by the musical score.

This is the second English film in two weeks I have been really impressed by.

The film, directed by Charles Dance, is the epitome of good, low budget, British cinema. Two major actresses, Judy dench and Maggie Smith underplay their parts very well. Maggie Smith has that special gift of "scene stealing". The locations were superb and true to life as I remember that era well. The casting director gathered a supporting cast who added to the enjoyment of the film. My only complaint was that the editing for the first 30mins of the film lacked sympathy with the plot and, at times, very abrupt. The question of how the boy got into the water is never explained but it didn't matter because the script was more of a story without a beginning and without end. A great film, I loved it!

Delicate and unpretentious, this story of an old lady's infatuation with a young violinist is like a refreshing whiff of air amidst the sultry stench of brouhaha "fat-cash" movies that contaminate the silver screen this summer. Its overall impressionistic and bland atmosphere of old rural England with seemingly plain, but emotionally tense story has a mollifying effect on our senses, long warped by clink-clank of special effects and overblown plots.

If one has to compare this film with other forms of art, "Ladies in Lavender" feels like a fine piece of vintage literature, transfered on screen and complemented with exquisite acting and gorgeous music. At the same time, it is so much "slice-of-life" story thanks to meticulous nuances in depicting the characters' lifestyle and subtle performances of the film's main stars.

Contrary to some reviews, I don't have an impression that the story is deficient or lacks in details. I find it rather complete and coherent. Moreover, I think that giving any additional background information on the characters would have only diluted the story. The director's objective is clearly to focus on the internal feelings of the two old sisters and for that enough information is provided in their own comments. After all, it's not the story of the stranger that is so important; but the story of their loneliness and attachment to this young man that is the cornerstone of the plot.

Not as shattering as some more action-driven movies, this film is a good treat for those who want to get away from the din of our modern life and enjoy some excellent music for precious one and a half hours.