Cuatro notas de amor

Set in a British retirement home for ageing musicians, Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut is a well-crafted drama, which deters away from negativity to focus on the bright side of elder life. Partly a homage to opera and music in general, it always serves as a swansong for those artists, who fade away forgotten by the passing time. Featuring a multitude of real-life famed English musicians, "Quartet" breathers life and significance with its delicate and graceful touch.

This exclusive and vast Beecham Home for retired musicians is forced to survive through the help of sponsors, who once a year show their gratitude to the retired artists, in exchange for a performance by the residents of this facility overflowing of outdated talent. Within its confines live three of a foursome - Cissy, Wilf and Regie - which gained international acclaim for their performance of "Rigoletto". Randy old wolf Wilf Bond (Billy Connolly) and the Alzheimer challenged Cissy Robson (Pauline Collins) were competent voices, but the quartets strengths lay in their star duo of ex-lovers Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay) and Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Reginald himself, unlike most of his comrades, has found a curious solace in old age, gracefully living out the days at the residence, while occasionally holding lectures on opera destined for the youth.

This idyll is seemingly corrupted when Jean Horton becomes the new inhabitant of the retirement home, thus reigniting old passions and unhealed wounds. However only a performance by the quartet of singers seems to have the power to save the home from closure...

Featuring a delightfully funny performance by Billy Connolly, reinforced by some welcome lightness from most other residence dwellers, "Quartet" does however falter at times with building the dramaturgy, often falling into light fluff filler with not enough punch. That said the sunny outlook on life on offer, which punctuates the bright sides of elder life, bypassing, albeit not ignoring, doom and gloom, may just fit better in such a slight picture, where room for change and happiness is but a smile away, irregardless of age-old vitriol. As mentioned Connolly steals the show, with his crowd-pleasing effort as one of the most vibrant inhabitants of the Beecham House, refusing to give in to his elderly inhibitions tirelessly making lewd proposals to the caretakers or to the local doctor Lucy Cogan (Sheridan Smith). Similarly well-worked is Pauline Collins as the mentally incapacitated Cissy, who struggles with her mind-lapses to live a dignified life. Here her friends come to her aide countless times with what is the most emotionally impactive element of the story, as this lovable, ever-smiling dame is victimised by her senile disability.

Dustin Hoffman's stylish debut seems confident in its concept, offering a carefree look at seniors, not offering much surprise, but catches on with its surefire optimism. Not often do you get to chance to see a movie featuring the elderly, which does not offer a philosophical outlook on death and spending eons of energy on presenting the inevitable. This occurs despite the lack of family, as most inhabitants of the institution focused their life on their art, instead of their family. Here however the protagonists manage to overlook the past, whether it be regrets, built-up animosities or the facades of former glory. Even the physical disabilities of age can't keep them down and out, when each of them must deal with bigger or smaller demons to be able to contemplate happiness.

What remarkable good fortune that Dustin Hoffman chose this Ronald Harwood play (and screenplay) for his directorial debut at age 75. This is a movie for actors, and there are many terrific performances in this wonderful ensemble piece about the residents of a home for aging musicians, which we saw at our movie preview club.

But the warmth of the story - the vibrancy of the seniors playing string quartets and practicing their cellos and clarinets, their friendships, annoyances, disappointments, and even loves - marks this film as something very special.

Hoffman has taken a beautiful English estate and turned it into a world of music filled with well-drawn and compelling characters: the woman with advancing dementia who relishes the CD of her performing Rigoletto 40 years ago; the flirtatious Wilf, whose "advances" towards the women on staff are never offensive and always charming; the aging diva - the always wonderful Maggie Smith - who is horrified by the thought that by moving in her life is over.

The best drawn (and in my mind, played) character is Wilf's best friend Reggie, who doesn't get Wilf's preferential treatment but has a quiet dignity and love of his life and his art that quietly shines through. His scene teaching students by comparing opera and rap may be this film's best.

Reggie is played by one of the most underrated and powerful British actors of his time, the estimable Tom Courtenay. It's hard to believe it's been 50 years since he starred as a 25-year-old in The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner. In a performance of grace, nuance, and elegance, Courtenay outshines even Maggie Smith. Perhaps he's inspired by working again from a Harwood screenplay; it was Harwood who wrote The Dresser, an excellent 1983 vehicle for Courtenay and Albert Finney.

One more note: Finney was apparently supposed to play the Wilf role, but unfortunately was not up to it health-wise. But comedian Billy Connolly's performance is just splendid.

See this movie!

I saw this in Savannah (Film Festival), with a crowd that was averaging 50 and above. Everybody was laughing through out the whole picture, when I came out of the theater everybody only said nice things about it, I have never seen so many old people come out of a theater so happy!!!

Please see this film, NO MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE. People don't make movies for such a demographic, or at least rarely, this movie quite frankly made me weep, laugh, and have a range of feeling that I have not experience from any picture released this year!

Some moments hit you hard man, real hard, you might be laughing one scene and then the next scene you just realized that the 'thumb up' from one old man to the next gives chills on how life can end at any moment and at any time.

Dustin Hoffman, my man, you have made many people, many seniors of this country really happy, you have done what most always want but never will.

Thank You, to the cast and to the crew!!!!!

I cried tears of joy at the end of this wonderful movie. The acting, the sets, the country side and most of all, the story. This comedy-drama revolves around a home for retired musicians, patterned after the real-life Casa di Riposo per Musicisti founded by Giuseppe Verdi. The annual concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean, an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents. Maggie Smith is a remarkable actor, and she is at her finest here. Michael Gambon has the most intense air about him, Pauline Collins is a delight to watch and, of course, Bill Connolly is a wee bit over the top here, though a delight to watch as well. This is a beautiful story, told by many talented actors and it deserves to be seen. Brava!

Well, speak of the devil - just the other year I asked my lady-friend "whatever became of Dustin Hoffman?" - and here he is with his first work as director. And it's a really nice film, too! A nursing home for retired musicians, situated in the lush landscape of rural England, forms the refined stage for this adapted play. The financial future of said home depends on the success of the yearly gala concert to honor Verdi's birthday, and if you think you can guess the script from this description you're probably right since the story unfolds in a pretty formulaic way, no, thank you, no risk with my tea today. A love-gone-wrong, a little jealousy, health problems are thrown at our wrinkled protagonists but nothing can avert the happy outcome! Though formulaic, I'll recommend this film: The acting is very fine, the comedy is well-timed, and the music is very good. Plus, it manages to stay on the healthy side of sentimental, it's absolutely no tear-jerker. And stay for the end credits!

A note on the actors: Michael Gambon and Billy Connolly carry the comedic parts and do so with obvious joy.

Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay are Jean and Reggie, a couple with a past, on whom the plot centers. Maggie Smith's performance is flawless; Tom Courtenay looks a bit wooden opposite her (or is it the role?).

Since the couple's love story is a bit dry and shallow, the key role in "Quartet", though, falls to Pauline Collins as Cissy - the emotional heart of the film. It's not a fine line, but rather a very wide area between "sane" and "demented", and Pauline Collins boldly explores the expanse of this terrifying region and hits every single note, be it unwitting comedy or devastating fear and disorientation or childlike trust. Often actors impersonating disabled persons limit themselves to a few ticks (Mr. Hoffman himself has some experience here I believe); with Collins' versatile performance you're never sure how "here" or "there" she is at the moment as is true with real-life demented persons.