MR MORGANS LAST LOVE

Germany, 2014, 116 minutes, colour.
Michael Caine, Clemencei Poesy, Justin Kirk, Gillian Anderson, Jane Alexander.
Directed by Sandra Nettlebeck.

After 50 years in films, Michael Caine can still get top billing. Here he is playing Matthew Morgan, an expatriate philosophy professor, who has lived in Paris in retirement with his wife but who is still grieving three years after her death from cancer. Interestingly, Michael Caine is playing a character who is his exact age, 78 at the time of filming.

The film opens with his wife’s death and his stubbornness concerning the removal of her body. But, he has survived for several years, going through various daily routines, somewhat alienated from his son and daughter who live in the United States. Perhaps not a great premise for an almost two hour film. In fact, it is, with the first hour showing a light and happy touch, the second hour becoming more serious.

When Mr Morgan stumbles in a local bus, a young woman, Pauline, assists him, accompanying him home. She has a lively and attractive personality and when Mr Morgan sees her in a bus again, he gets out at her stop – and thus begins a most genial acquaintance and friendship. Mr Morgan starts going out more frequently, discovering that Pauline is a dance teacher, cha-cha and other lively dances. Slowly he becomes a participant. But, he has always had thoughts of suicide after his wife’s death and he makes an attempt with pills, fails, and finds himself in hospital.

His son, Miles, arrives from America, finds his father embracing the young woman and thinks the worst, that she is a gold-digger after his father. He is an angry man, his wife leaving him, with his resentment towards his father and his poor parenting as well as seemingly preventing himself and his sister from saying farewell to their mother at her dying abroad.

The sister also arrives, a much tougher character than her brother. This leads to many discussion sequences, the sister returning to America, the brother staying, antagonistic towards Pauline, not happy with her intervening to make peace. In the second half, after our sympathetic attitude towards Mr Morgan, we begin to see the other side of his life and behaviour, his inability to affirm his son, his keeping his distance, and the perceived selfishness in keeping their mother’s death from her children.

Clemence Poesy is charming as Pauline. Justin Kirk is Miles and Gillian Anderson is the sister. But, Michael Caine’s American accent sounds forced and reminiscent of his terrible accent, despite his winning the Oscar) in The Cider House Rules.

Towards the end there is rather sudden or too-sudden dramatic development, which the audience is not quite prepared for, but it paves the way for a resolution, for Miles, Pauline and for Mr Morgan himself.

This is a film for older audiences who will identify with Mr Morgan and his situation, with his wife and her terminal illness. It is a film for middle-aged audiences who have to think about their relationship with their parents and imminent old age and death.

1. The title, the focus on Mr Morgan, his experience at his age?

2. The title and its application? The title of the original novel of

3. Paris, the city, ordinary Paris, not touristic Paris, one inclusion of the postcard of Notre Dame? The Eiffel Tower as part of the area? The streets, the buses, hotels, cafes, restaurants, the dance centre? The musical score?

4. Matthew, his relationship with his wife, the opening with her death, his stubbornness, removing her body? The tone of his grief? his wife reappearing to film, talking to her husband, memories, intimacy and love? The cancer, dying, her wanting to stay in Paris?

5. Three years passing, Mr Morgan’s routines, his landlady and her help, going out, books, the philately exhibition, the man giving his advice? The bus, Mr Morgan stumbling, Pauline helping him, walking him home? Seeing her the second time, getting out at her stop? The conversations, a genial kindness, mellowing Matthew, his going to the dance studio, watching, deprecating, joining in the steps?

6. Pauline, the good woman, dead father, not having a college education, the mother saying she lacked ambition? Dance instruction, enjoying it? The momentary scene with the boyfriend? Sharing with Mr Morgan, the meals, the restaurants, their lives? Her changing Matthew?

7. Yet Matthew’s desire for death, taking the pills, going to hospital, Pauline keeping vigil, the embrace?

8. Miles, the phone calls from Matthew, talking to his son? His arrival, shock at seeing the embrace, immediate suspicions, upset? Pauline and the Coca- Cola, talking? Miles and his anger? His sister, the visit to Matthew, a more matter-of-fact person, her family, returning to America?

9. Mile, staying at the hotel, his relationship with his father, his angers resentment, the talks?

10. The audience seeing Matthew in a different light, from the perspective of his son? Parenting? Philosophy professor, reading, lecturing? His always
blaming Miles and lack of achievement? His rationale for this> That he did not know how to affirm?

11. Memories of St Malo, holidays, Matthew and Pauline going, the house, his wanting to leave it to Pauline, not selling? She leaving the house? He returning to Paris in the taxi?

12. Pauline and her attempts to mediate, the invitation to the meal, Matthew upset, Miles upset? Miles and his discovery of the dance centre, seeing his father doing dance steps and enjoying it?

13. Matthew telling the truth to Miles about his mother’s request that she die in Paris? Miles saying that he and his sister wanted to say goodbye to their mother? The prospect of his divorce, his pregnant wife to another man, having his son with him?

14. The surprise of Miles and Pauling embracing? Matthew seeing, his reaction?

15. Matthew, happy with his son, the house at St Malo, Pauline, Miles with Pauline? His walking through the door – death, or suicide?

16. Pauline sitting on the bench? Matthew with her? Miles arriving, their walking away, what future?