GOLDEN YEARS
UK, 2016, 96 minutes, Colour.
Bernard Hill, Virginia Mc Kenna, Alun Armstrong, Una Stubbs, Simon Callow, Sue Johnston, Brad Moore.
Directed by John Miller.
Within the first few minutes of this film, we realise that the title is rather ironic. We visit a home for the elderly and find an official in charge explaining the “offerings “for the residents – that is, what they eat. We find one of the elderly men interned to keep them under control. And just as Arthur (Bernard Hill) goes to an office for a complaint, he is told that the company that he used to work for has gone bust which will severely limit his pension (and he’s assured that the letter is accurate because it came through at 5 AM, Delhi time). For some minutes, we might suspect that we are in Ken Loach territory – and, in fact, Daniel Blake might enjoy this film.
In fact, Golden Years is somewhere in between Ken Loach and masked robbers bank jobs like Point Break.
The setting is a rather sunny Bristol. And the two central characters are Arthur and his wife, Martha, yes Arthur and Martha, Martha played of all people by Virginia Mc Kenna. For older moviegoers it is a treat to see Virginia Mc Kenna again, heroine of action and war films in the first part of the 1950s, star of A Town like Alice, in the 60s doing animal films in Africa with her husband, Bill Travers, like Born Free. A check reveals that she was born in 1931. Also born in the 1930s, 1937, is Una Stubbs, very well known for televisions Till Death do us Part and, more recently, Mrs Hudson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock. Una Stubbs is Shirley and is married to a rather exhibitionist Royston (Simon Callow in a rather exhibitionist performance), a very theatrical type, a big fish in a rather small pond. Rounding out the chief oldies is Brian, Phil Davis,
The group and their neighbours spend a lot of time down at the local club, chatting, drinks, a touch of dancing, and, every fortnight (because it is becoming too expensive to bring it every week) a bingo night.
So, what about the banks and Point Break masks?
You will enjoy seeing how Arthur comes across a treasure trove of money from a security van by accident (literally, the security guard tripping on Arthur’s cart). Off he goes. Luckily, Brian and the others explain the dye that is put on the cash – which Arthur is able to avoid and uses the proceeds to buy a caravan to take Martha on a tour of the regional stately homes.
Once bitten, try again. Nobody notices the two elderly people with their cart, and the police are baffled. The chief investigator is played by Alun Armstrong and his name is Sid (but he is not vicious) – and, would you know, his wife is Nancy (Sue Johnston).
A final crisis gives everybody the opportunity to a bit do a bit of point breaking, to get enough money to save the club which is to be sold to developers. And poor Sid, who is moving towards retirement, is continually being upstaged by his vain associate Stringer (Brad Moore), in it for self-glory – which, of course, he does not achieve.
There are some continuity gaps which make the last bank exploit a bit difficult to follow – but, it is all in a good cause (which somebody says robbers always say, but the final stash is that which is being kept for bonuses for bank chiefs!).
The film should do good business at day sessions with busloads of senior citizens enjoying the film and some sandwiches and cakes – but, in its own demanding way, risking a few risqué asides, it is an entertaining British pastime.
1. The irony of the title? A film about the elderly? About social concerns? Finances and exploitation of the elderly? And their comeback?
2. The city of Bristol, the views, the homes, the street, the club? The variety of towns, the stately mansions, the banks of the robberies? The musical score?
3. The social comment? Homes for the elderly, the treatment, the technical language about meals as offerings? Confining the old people, tablets? The lesssening social benefits? Companies going bust and pensions lapsing? Clubs for the elderly, bingo, the selling of the land for development? The reality of this picture of treatment of the elderly?
4. The story of Arthur and Martha? Their long marriage, no dependents, their help for their neighbours, Arthur going to the home, helping the old man? The agency and the information about his pension?
5. The club, Arthur and Martha going, enjoying the bingo, the drinks? Sitting around chatting, Martha and Shirley, the encounter with Thelma and her dead husband and her buoyant attitude? Royston, theatrical, Chariots of Fire, references to plays, performances and recitations? His relationship with Shirley? Brian, practical, quiet, woodwork, training apprentices? The bonds between them all? The risqué jokes and sex references?
6. Arthur, the accident with the van, knocking out the guard, the money ejected, his taking it? Trying to open the case, discussion with the men, the information about the dye, his borrowing the tools, success? His buying the trailer, the plan for travelling round to the mansions, Martha and her joy? Her curiosity about the shed, being covered with the money dye? Going to give the neighbour the meal (and her continued criticisms), stained by the dye?
7. Arthur, his explanations, Martha’s caution, the financial situations, her agreement? Her wanting to be on the job?
8. The next robbery, the masks and coats, the cucumbers as guns, their trolley, getting away with the money, disappearing? The police being deferential, Martha giving them sandwiches?
9. The police, Sid, his work, getting older, Stringer and his presumption, looking down on Sid, his work with the other police? Sid and his associate, the scenes of the crime, the encounters with other Martha, the sandwiches? Sid at home, Nancy and her frustrations? His always being away, not noticing her, preoccupied? His eventually realising the truth? His associate, the map, the stately homes, the possibilities for robbery, phone call to Sid, being overheard, Stringer taking over, the briefing, Sid being ousted?
10. The robberies, the style, the masks, the people – and the bank people responding to the robbers, positively? The media, Stringer and his description of the robbers and their expertise, military, young men…? Stringer and his wanting to do the press conferences, and his getting the artificial tan?
11. The news of the sale of the club? Arthur and Martha and getting everybody in on the act, everybody agreeing, Brian and his hesitation, but seeing himself as having the brains, the calm of the control? Royston, his excitement, dropping dead? The funeral?
12. Sid and Nancy, Nancy working out where Sid was, going to the house, Martha’s collapse, Nancy helping, the ambulance?
13. The auction, the bids, the woman bidding 2 million – and success for the club?
14. The robbery itself, the details, everybody involved, their particular roles, Thelma as the hostage? The vault and their putting the manager in, with a thermos and the newspaper? Stringer, not wanting the other squads, getting into the bank, the door smashing his face? Everybody getting away? His humiliation?
15. The happy ending for all – and all the reflections on stealing, compensation for injustice – and the final haul being the bonuses for bank managers!
