Un couple peu ordinaire

Original title: A Rather English Marriage

TV Movie
1998
Tous publics
1h 44m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

656

YOUR RATING

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Drama

A squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until... Read allA squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until their unlikely friendship is threatened by the arrival of an alluring woman with a hidden... Read allA squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until their unlikely friendship is threatened by the arrival of an alluring woman with a hidden agenda.

Director
- Paul Seed
Writers
- Andrew Davies
- Angela Lambert
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

656

YOUR RATING

Director
- Paul Seed
Writers
- Andrew Davies
- Angela Lambert
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 4 BAFTA Awards
- 8 wins & 4 nominations total

Videos1

Clip 2:23

A Rather English Marriage

Photos10

+ 2

User reviews15

7.7656

Featured reviews

7moonspinner55

BBC production par excellence...

Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay, reunited from 1983's "The Dresser", are just as impressive this time as two widowers, an elderly squadron leader and a retired milkman, who are put together by social services for convenience and companionship. Finney's blustery, randy woman-chaser, cheerfully bloated and lazy and horny, initially thinks of Courtenay as a prude, someone he can boss about. But efficient, humble Courtenay isn't willing to be a doormat, and Finney's appreciation of his housemate's quiet strength helps to produce a surprising friendship over time. Adaptation of Angela Lambert's book, produced for British television, is nimbly directed and edited, both frank and moving, providing the two justly-celebrated leads with rich character roles. Finney and Courtenay revel in these delicious dramatic opportunities and are a joy to watch.

10kjff

a terrific little movie of the kind that the Brits excel at

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.

lorenellroy

Wonderful

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.

10Boris-34

An enriching experience

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.

9HenryHextonEsq

Masterful Drama- brilliantly acted

A really wonderful drama. A good plot, elevated hugely by two perfect performances from Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney. They are truly superb as Southgate (working-class) and Reggie ("The Squadron Leader"-staunchly upper-class), two widowers who strike an unlikely friendship to come to terms with life again. Finney and Courtenay truly show exactly what brilliant acting is, and this is comfortably the best original single drama in 1998.

Trivia
Television movie debut of Rosamund Pike (Celia). The same about Priyanga Burford.

Quotes
Liz Franks: Reggie, I've done wrong. I can't marry you. I should never have agreed. I'm going away, abroad. Almost at once.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Where are you going?
Liz Franks: Italy.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Is it some chap you met there?
Liz Franks: No, it's not a chap. Oh, Reggie, darling, you're very sweet but I'm going to leave you. There's no point in saying sorry or anything. I won't even say that I never would have made you happy. But I'm not a nice person.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Thought we could have children.
Liz Franks: [delicately] Oh, Reggie, darling, I'm 52.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: That's extraordinary. You look like a young girl to me. Will I see you again?
Liz Franks: [on the verge of tears] No, I don't think so. But you never know.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: It was that young bloody nephew of mine, wasn't it? Sticking his nose in.
Liz Franks: It was actually Southgate who put me in the picture. Did it quite tactfully.
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Did he?
[sigh]
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Well, it's over now.
[pause]
Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: You do look lovely Liz.
Liz Franks: [crying] Please, Reggie, don't go on. I can't bear it.
[Liz kisses Reggie on the cheek, leaving a lipstick smudge. She rubs it partially away with her thumb and stands]
Liz Franks: Don't see me out.