DAISIES IN DECEMBER

UK, 1995, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jean Simmons, Joss Ackland, Muriel Pavlow.
Directed by Mark Haber.

Daisies in December is a pleasing British telemovie. It is a star vehicle for Joss Ackland and for Jean Simmons. He portrays a curmudgeonly stockbroker who is retired, put by his family in a hotel for the Christmas period as they go off to ski. He is angry, has previously had an accident in which he lost his house in a fire, resents people, doesn't want to mix, pretends to be deaf - until he meets and is attracted towards Jean Simmons. She is a widow who is suffering from cancer. The film shows the transformation in him, the holiday for her and her enjoying his company. As he realises his love for her, he proposes a voyage during the Christmas period which she, conscious of her illness, has to reject.

The film is predictable in many ways but has strong dialogue, and is given a sometimes quite acerbic edge by the two stars which stops it falling into mere sentimentality. The south coast of Britain offers attractive scenery (and fine weather for December) and some views of Mount St Michael. There are echoes of British mythology, King Arthur and Tristan and Isolde.

1. The title? Romantic? Flowers in the wrong season? The symbol for the elderly and their falling in love and blooming?

2. The locations, the hotel, its interiors, exteriors? The town, the coast, the beaches? Mount St Michael? Attractive scenery for this kind of story? The musical score - especially Vaughan Williams?

3. The credibility of the plot, people in their 60s and 70s, their treatment by their family, their loneliness, holidays together, the jollity of the organisers of such hotels for meals and activities? Shyness, reserve, not wanting to mix? People meeting one another, attracted, sharing, falling in love? Age and its disabilities and illness? Prospects of death?

4. The portrait of Gerald? A curmudgeonly man? Not wanting to be at the hotel, growling all the time, wanting to be unhappy? His relationship with his son, liking his two grandchildren, his daughter-in-law? The fuss he made on arrival? His rudeness to the assistant, to the person at the desk? His going for the walk, getting lost? Meeting Derek the taxi driver? Not knowing the name of his hotel, driving around? Coming back to the hotel, his grudgingly accepting the sandwiches? Going to the table, the women chatting, his pretending to be deaf?

5. Pushing into Katherine and his apology? Her absence from the breakfast table? His meeting her, chatting with her, her coming to the table, his having to pretend not to be deaf? His hearing the music in her room? His bluntness in chat, his attraction towards her, sharing stories? Their going for walks, his telling his life story? His decision to go on the tour to Mount St Michael? Discussions in the bus, his formality, suits, ties? Her mellowing him? Her turn at Mount St Michael and his consideration? Their watching Brief Encounter together - her being ill, his falling asleep? His discovery about the medicine, asking the nurse, his angry response? The collage of their shared experience - and his talking on the phone and his double messages about staying at the hotel?

6. His agreement to give a talk on the stock exchange? Katherine's decision to leave early, his offering her the tickets for the cruise, her having to think, her consciousness of her illness, her refusal? The formality of her leaving, going with her nephew to the talk? The ambiguity of his response to the question about risks? Her departure - and her return? His commitment to her, no matter what, love? Their future?

7. The portrait of Katherine, in herself, memories of her husband, her illness and treatment? Her reading, music, conversation? Gerald's indignation at the man from the table making a play for her - and her provocative responses? His being scandalised? Her enjoyment of his company, going to dinner, making him dance, his holding her? Brief Encounter and her being unwell? Resting together, the intimacy?

8. The staff at the hotel, their fussiness, gradually being seen as humane? Derek the cab driver - and his ironic comments about Gerald being lost, taking them for drives, booking the restaurant?

9. The other members of the table, the two elderly women, their chatter, shouting, playing games - and Gerald having to do the charade of Gone With The Wind? Katherine warning that he might come to like this kind of relaxation? The questions at the discussion about the stockbroking and the stock exchange?

10. The son, trying to do right by his father, remembering the fire (and the flashback nightmare for Gerald)? His explanations of the fire to Katherine? The grandchildren and their love for their grandfather?

11. A romantic drama? Niceness - but without sentimentality? Characters and edge? A story that audiences could identify with?