Quartet
(UK, 95 min.)
Dir. Dustin Hoffman, Writ. Ronald Harwood
Starring: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly,
Pauline Collins,
“Growing old ain't for sissies.” The proverbial Bette Davis
line arises frequently during Quartet,
which tells of a retirement home for aged artists. Beecham House is a bit like
the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, except that it offers group opera sessions
instead of bed bugs and cricket. Like Marigold
Hotel, Quartet is a fine tale of finding fulfillment during the golden
years of life, as it marks the directorial debut of Dustin Hoffman, who jumps
into the director's chair for the first time at the tender age of 74. Quartet is a strong project for Hoffman
to make his debut, as it is truly an actor's virtuoso piece. With Quartet, Hoffman shows that an old dog
is never too old to learn new tricks.
When Quartet begins,
the opera singers are preparing for their annual gala. Their star singer is
sick, which tends to happen more frequently with old age, but the curmudgeonly
old coot who chairs the opera (Michael Gambon) says 'on with the show.' The loss gives little
reason for worry, though, since the opera features the members of a once-acclaimed
quartet.
Rules of etiquette say ladies first, so the one female member
of the quartet at the residence is Cissy (played by Pauline Collins). Cissy is
a bubbly soprano suffering from Alzheimer's, but she remembers the good old
days and carries the quartet's finest recording on a portable CD player, which
keeps her mind sharp. The two male members of the quartet both live at the
residence: Wilf (Billy Connolly) tends to his libretto and libido both, and he
does his best to charm the elderly ladies whose husbands have long since
expired. His dirty old man tricks land him nary a kiss, but they do land him
apricot jam. (It's the little things that one learns to cherish near the end.)
Reggie (Tom Courtenay), however, detests apricot jam, but he loves the opera
with all his heart and is keen to inspire a future generation of fans. This is best shown
by his lecture to a group of young adults to whom he likens the opera to rap
music in an effort to show that the opera, too, began as the voice of the
common people. As played by Courtenay's rapport with the young actors, Reggie would probably have been a great father if he'd had the chance. The regret of living dying alone pains him visibly.
Quartet takes away
the opera's tone of elitism, and makes for a fun escape, much like a night
enjoying the arts should be. The uppity opera is knocked from its pedestal when
the fourth member of the quartet finally packs up and moves into Beecham. Jean
(Maggie Smith) is the quartet's leading lady. She knows it, too, and enters the
home feeling as if she's a step above the rest. Jean’s arrival causes quite a
stir at the home, chiefly because the old folks enjoy the novelty of seeing a reigning diva join their ranks. Everybody dies, but few accept the fact
gracefully. Cissy aptly reminds her friends about Bette Davis’s old adage and
it's clear that, in spite of her airs, Jean is a bit of a sissy.
Jean’s move-in causes more excitement among the members of
the quartet. Jean, as it happens, is Reggie's old flame. She hurt him badly thirty
years ago. Their divorce lead to the break-up of the quartet, so Wilf and Cissy
must do their best to play peacemakers. Jean wants to make amends; Reg, on the
other hand, refuses to be in the same room as Jean. Some wounds just don't heal.
In spite of the drama that Jean’s appearance provides, she
also proves a godsend to the opera singers. Her celebrity offers just the
ticket the gala performance needs, especially if it means the quartet's first
reunion performance in the decades. Jean, unfortunately, refuses, as she deems
the thought of four broken old cronies trilling the scales with their weathered
vocal chords a bit absurd. Jean holds on to the memory of her wonder years like
a true a diva. She doesn't sing anymore; she only listens to old recordings of
herself in secret.
Through Jean’s insecurity and Reggie's fear of burned love, Quartet offers a lovely and intimate
tale of growing up when growing old. The film gives a fair, even-handed look at
the elderly years of life. Quartet
celebrates undying passions, such as love and opera. Hoffman's approach to the
difficulties one faces during the aging process, like broken bones and egos,
are handled respectfully and with a hearty hint of humor. Much like this year’s
sleeper hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,
Quartet is a hilarious and poignant
film that should speak to viewers of all ages.
Like Marigold, Quartet is most praiseworthy for its
winning cast. There is a quartet of award-calibre performances in this
ensemble. (A four-category sweep, if you will.) Maggie Smith proves herself an
actress still very much in her prime as Jean. Smith is on a roll with Marigold Hotel and her work on Downton Abbey, and her feisty performance
as the diva of Quartet gives her
those acerbic lines that she delivers with expert dryness and timing. It also grants her some
especially heartfelt moments with Tom Courtenay, who matches her every move
with his subtle and dignified turn as Reggie. Likewise, Courtenay has indelible
rapport with Connolly, who offers wonderful comedic relief as the old hound dog
Wilf. Cusses and dirty lines spew forth from Connolly’s mouth, as will chortles
from the audience. (However, it’s funniest when Maggie Smith drops an F-bomb.)
Last but not least, Pauline Collins is truly endearing as Cissy. Like Connolly,
Collins has a spirited comedic role; however, she also has the task of handling
the slippages of Cissy’s memory. Collins knows when to play Cissy's flubs for laughs and when
to play them straight, so her performance is particularly good in furthering the
film’s frank portrayal of aging. All four veterans deserve several curtain
calls for Quartet, as do the roster
of retired opera singers who fill the minor roles.
Dustin Hoffman should take a bow for getting such strong synergy
from his actors. Hoffman smartly makes Quartet
a minimalist affair, for one hardly needs the added flair of the camera when
the script and actors are this strong. Yet it should be noted that there is no moment when Quartet feels like a filmed play: Hoffman simply keeps this an intimate affair. A small-scale miracle of film, Quartet ranks atop the most pleasant surprises
of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It's winning, irresistible, and without a false note. It could very well be the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel of the
holiday season.
Quartet screens at The Mayfair April 19-24.
Rating: ★★★★★ (out of ★★★★★)
