Un piano pour Mrs. Cimino

Bette Davis stars in this sensitive drama about an old woman's fight for some dignity in her life. In her prime years in A Piano For Mrs. Cimino. Davis was a music teacher and owned a music store with her late husband who died the year before.

Now her sons want to take control of her assets after a mild stroke Davis sustains. In a way I can understand how George Hearn and Leroy Schulz feel. They're guarding an inheritance and when she does go into a nursing home he bank and the social welfare system insist she sell her house.

Davis is down but not out and with the support of a favorite granddaughter Alexa Kenin she fights back and shows a lot of life.

A Piano For Mrs. Cimino reunites Davis with her co-star from Phone Call From A Stranger Keenan Wynn. With Davis on the piano and Wynn on the clarinet they do make some beautiful music together.

Two other roles of note are Penny Fuller as the head of the nursing home Davis is residing in and Graham Jarvis the trustee the brothers get for her estate.

A PianoFor Mrs Cimino is a fine role for the aged Bette Davis. Her fans and future fans will love it.

Have regarded Bette Davis very highly as an actress, and still do. She was in many very good to masterful films throughout her very long career and she was seldom less than good. Her Margo Channing in one of my favourite films 'All About Eve' is iconic. Another big selling point of 'A Piano for Mrs Cimino' was the subject matter, one that can be universally related to and one that is still relevant now and not always easy to portray.

'A Piano for Mrs Cimino' does a great job with how it handles the difficulties and different sides of old age and how it affects others, the latter not being trivialised which was a good thing. Handling it in a knowing manner that is both compelling and emotional. Sure it is not always subtle and at times gets on the melodramatic side, a danger with dramas dealing with difficult and universal subjects. The pace is mostly secure actually but occasionally drags and doesn't find its rhythm straight away. Anything, regardless of how the execution is, that explores themes like those seen here and ones even heavier though is worthy of admiration for even trying. 'A Piano for Mrs Cimino' is no exception.

Davis is the main reason to see 'A Piano for Mrs Cimino' in a performance that is not among her all-time best but for me it is among her better later years performances. Like the handling of the subject matter, it is not always a subtle performance but it is a very moving and quite powerful ones. To me the pathos was not overdone and was portrayed poignantly, and neither was the feistiness which stopped the portrayal from becoming too mawkish and made one admire her character more.

The rest of the cast shouldn't be overlooked, with a touching and sympathetic Alexa Kerrin being the one to primarily stand out as the most sympathetic supporting character, and even perhaps character overall, in the film. George Hearn does very well portraying his character's unscrupulousness, avoiding the cartoonish route. Graham Jarvis is likeable too. The characters do have a realism to them.

Visually, 'A Piano for Mrs Cimino' looks pleasing and doesn't look too made for television while not being too flashy. It's thought-provokingly scripted and doesn't become too over-the-top or too low-key. As said already, the difficult and relevant subject depicted is handled maybe not subtly but in a way that's poignant and relatable.

Overall, very good. Not a Davis high-point but it is well worth seeing for her alone. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Grandma Esther defies the challenges of old age with dignity and her character is deliciously charming, sensible and intelligent. I always adored her. This grand film should, undoubtedly, have been made for the movies. Well told story, superbly depicts old people when they become a problem to the family. It reminded my own struggle to keep my Grandma with me and my parents insisting on my ruining my future by doing so.

What a trip to read about the movie with BD and Keenan Wynn filmed for 2 days at my house on Superba St/Blvd.in Venice, CA. for 2 days in the scene where Betty gets back together with Keenan Wynn. I remember how uptight Betty was when our black cat got out of the bedroom and ran across the set in the living room and she freaked out. When I left for work the first day of filming Keenan was outside and invited me to come sit with him, a sweet, sweet man. My late ex-wife was 6 months pregnant with our firstborn and the fees paid for our belated honeymoon in Kauai! I remember coming home from work and Keenan was making out with Betty on our sofa! Sweet Hollywood memories!

In a very sympathetic and sensitive manner this fine little TV-movie portrays the difficulties of old age - and the problems that arise when the younger generation has to make a decision: what shall we do when our grandparents can't manage their lives any more. Bette Davis is very touching as she struggles for her self-responsibility. The film has many aspects, even love between older people, which gives it an additional touch of romance. Though the pacing is at times somewhat slow, this is not a flaw. It contributes to the overall atmosphere - the light and dark sides of old age.

7 out of 10