QUARTET

UK, 2012, 106 minutes, Colour.
Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon, Andrew Sachs.
Directed by Dustin Hoffman.

Quartet began as a play on London’s West End. It was written by the prolific Ronald Harwood (Oscar for The Pianist), and directed by Dustin Hoffman, his first film as director (at age 74).

The film is about the elderly for the elderly (an increasing niche market: think The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). It is beautifully shot in country England. It is full of music, a wide range of classics, opera and instrumental, and some popular English songs like Underneath the Arches. It has a supporting cast of singers and musicians (who are shown in photo with career highlights during the final credits). And it has a star cast at their best. Quoting another song, ‘who could ask for anything more?’.

The location is Beacham House (named after conductor, Sir Thomas Beacham), a home for elderly musicians. During the day, they play their instruments, they sing – but they also have their regrets, their happy memories, but also physical weakness and memories going. Some are haughty, some are genial. All have their eccentricities.

Annually, there is a gala musical event, an opportunity to raise funds for Beacham House to continue. Director is Cedric (pronounced Ceedric), Michael Gambon in full flight playing a kind of variarion of Professor Dumbledore), snobby about classical music, not averse to photo opportunities and to applause and bows.

But it is the quartet themselves who are the focus. The title also refers to the quartet from Rigoletto with which they had had a triumph and which is the request for the finale of the gala.

The four veteran actors who portray the quartet play perfectly off each other. Pauline Collins steals so many of the scenes she appears in. She is Cissie, a singer, who is chatty, scattered and on the way to losing her memory. Billy Connolly plays another singer who has had a stroke which has made him lose some of his inhibitions – though his character makes demands that, while he can offer the rude comment, he has to be more restrained than many of his other screen personas. Connolly does this very well and ingratiatingly.

Tom Courtenay has the serious central role, a singer who is conscious of lost opportunities, of his failed marriage which has haunted him for decades. He has his moods but is kindly – there is a fine scene where he teaches a group of teenagers and makes links between the experience of popular opera and of rap music.

Into their midst comes Maggie Smith, a diva who has been driven by ambition and is humiliated in coming to Beacham House. She has a history with the other members of the quartet. There are clashes, highly emotional at times. But, this is a benign imagining of growing old, a basic niceness underlying the whole film.

There are some funny situations and lines (from Billy Connolly’s innuendo to Maggie Smith’s acerbity), but a lot emotion, pathos and, all the time, music and song. (Busloads of older audiences flocked to the Marigold Hotel; the buses will surely be re-hired for trips to Beacham House.)

1. The appeal of the film? Older audiences, younger audiences? Older audiences identifying?

2. Beacham house, stately mansion, the interiors, the rooms, the meeting rooms, the grounds, the countryside, the church? A taste of old England?

3. The title, the reference to the four singers, individually, as a group? The quartet from Rigoletto?

4. The range of music throughout the film, classic, popular English, rap music, opera? The singing, emotions, comparisons with rap as popular music, opera as elitist? Performances?

5. Ronald Harwood and his plays, screenplays? Dustin Hoffman and his career? Making a very British film?

6. The cast, the four leads, Michael Gambon, the range of singers, pianists, actors of stage and television, orchestra members?

7. The house finance, organisation? The doctor and her role, relating to the staff, the residents? The members of the staff, different ethnic backgrounds, in the house, the men in the grounds, seeing everyone at work, teaching the residents dancing and movement? The need for diplomacy? The meals, the infirmary?

8. Wilf, Billy Connolly, his age, stroke, continue to be mischievous, wit and jokes, strong personality, flirting, his friendship with Reg, the long friendship, rich supporting him in the home? Sissy and her long friendship, singing partner? His taunting Cedric? Hiding the drink? Apricot jam, wandering? His past, his wife, infidelity? Best man for Reg and jean?

9. Reg, his age, serious, his career, his memories? The apricot jam issue? The lesson to the young people, the consulting the Internet, explanations about opera and rap? The response of the young man about rap? Reg’s ability to communicate? The posters in his room?

10. Sissy, her vitality, the loss of her memory, wandering, carrying her bag, being on the committee, always late, needing reminders, Cedric and his reliance on her? Her chatter? Jokes? Her kindness?

11. Cedric, his clothes, as a director, losing his memory, preparing the gala, taking other people’s ideas? His hopes? The rehearsals, the reaction of the group, Wilf and his upsetting Cedric, the singing, the jokes? The range of people at the rehearsal, Anne Langley and her haughtiness, attitude towards jean? The old men singing Flanagan and Alan? Robert and his fussiness, the secrets?

12. The preparations for the new guest? Jean, standing at the windows, leaving her home, arriving at the house, a Prima Donna? Acknowledging the welcome, hard times, hip replacement, her room, wanting her meals alone, wistful?

13. Her past, career, number of curtain calls, Reg and their marriage, love, infidelity, mistake, subsequent marriages, her voice failing? Reg and his tension, Jean’s coming to the class, talking, walking, going to the church, sharing regrets? The plan for the dinner, to ask her to sing? Sissy upset, Jean hitting her with the gift of the flowers?

14. Cedric, his eccentricities, His running the committee, asking questions, his plan for the quartet? Treatment of sissy? Robert? His forgetfulness?

15. Reg and his beginning to relent? The dinner, enjoyment, regrets, preparation for the gala?

16. Sissy and her being hurt, jean and her apology, the gift?

17. The agreement, the rehearsals, jean and the training for her voice, in the church, her frustrations, improvement?

18. The gala, the doctor’s speech, the need for support, finance, keeping the home open? Their performances and the audience response, the Brindisi, the
Flanagan and Allen’s songs, Anne Langley and her aria from Tosca, jean and her reaction to this? Cedric, his pride, acknowledging the applause, except for Flanagan and Alan?

19. Sissy, her mind going, thinking she had to get the boat? Her bewilderment? Jean helping, telling her she had time? Reg and the proposal? Jean’s surprise? Ready for the quartet?

20. The voices over the final credits? The pictures of the cast, present and past? The audience feeling good as they left the cinema?