QUEEN BEES
US, 2021, 104 minutes, Colour.
Ellen Burstyn, Ann Margret, James Caan, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine, Christopher Lloyd, Elizabeth Mitchell, Matthew Barnes, Alec Mavor, French Stewart, Rick Russert.
Directed by Michael Lembeck.
A film for octogenarians. It is definitely the target demographic. However, a number of the characters are in their 70s. Which means that septuagenarians might also enjoy the film with some kind of hope and anticipation. For audiences under 70, an opportunity to try to understand and appreciate grandparents and parents. So, possibly, something for everyone.
However, the film is not an analytic study of ageing. Rather, it is more of a romantic comedy (yes a romantic comedy of octogenarians). Which means then that the film is something of a fantasy/reality imagining of what life could be like after 80. And, it is based on the experience of the writer, Harrison Powell, with his grandmother.
The grandmother figure of this film is Ellen Burstyn (turning 90 in 2022). She is central to the film, dominating it, Helen, a strong-minded widow, tangling with her strong-minded daughter, but with a great fondness for her grandson. She locks herself out of her home many times, accidentally sets fire to the kitchen, the need for her to have somewhere to stay during repairs – so the residential village for the aged that her daughter has been promoting seems just the place. In theory, rather than in practice.
One hopes that residential villages for the aged are something like the one on the screen – it is a village rather than a place for aged care for those who are ill or debilitated. Which means then that it is pretty lively in an extroverted American kind of way. All kinds of things to do, bridge groups, massages, Helen indulging her passion for flowers in the flower shop.
There is also a cantankerous mean girls, or mean old ladies, led by an obnoxious Jane Curtin (but we hope that change is always possible), with Ann Margaret and Loretta Devine, nice and cheerful, as other members of the group. There is also Christopher Lloyd with a strange wig (eventually removed) as an amorous widower who is living in the past. And then there is James Caan, the charming widower who befriends Helen and, of course…
Helen can stand her ground but she also learns that she needs to be with other people, relate to them, go out of herself, become her better self. And so do all the others.
So, some charm for the octogenarian audience – and some happy moments for those who are younger!
- The target audience of octogenarians? Septuagenarians watching in anticipation? Under 70s and interest in parents and grandparents and ageing? The needs of those advancing in age, loss of spouses, loss of home?
- Introducing Helen, age, Ellen Burstyn in her late 80s, the home, locking herself out, her daughter’s exasperation, her grandson kind? The cooking, the fire, destroying the kitchen, locked out, the brigade, bereft?
- Helen, the death of her husband, not informing her daughter, her daughter busy, touches of bitterness? The question of where Helen was to stay? Her daughter and the possibility of the retirement village? Helen’s agreement to go for a month, strong stipulations about the month?
- The retirement village, the management, staff, Helen finding it over-welcoming? Her room, going to the meals, the table reserved for the Queen Bees, the treatment of Helen, her reaction? Getting used to the village, stipulating the month, the masseur and his kindness and the massage? The swimming pool and the muscular instructor? The bridge club, Janet excluding her? Sally, coming to her room, friendly, persuasive, Margot and her friendliness?
- The others at the village, noticing Arthur, his hairpiece, his flirting, Margot attracted to him? His loss of memory, seeing the other women as his wife, flirting with her? Margot visiting his room, his breaking down, all the notes in his room to remind him of what to do, removing his hairpiece?
- Dan, his arrival, encounters with Helen, looking at her dancing through his window, arriving with the wine, the conversation, Helen and her wariness, but charmed? Working with Helen in the flower shop? Meals together, the gossip about them? Bonding, the possibility of marriage? The revelation of the truth about his being hired, Helen’s daughter arriving with the news, upset? Helen and her anger with Dan? Persuaded to go to see him, meeting his sister, her moment of jealousy? The discussion, reconciliation? Dan’s role, being hired by the manager to make Helen’s stay more comfortable?
- Janet, bitter, caustic remarks, leader of the group, yet their moments of rebellion against her? Angry at Helen, finding out the truth about Dan, phoning Helen’s daughter? Creating mischief? Behaviour during the bridge games? Her birthday, her fiction about her son coming to see her, the women coming, celebrating with her, her feeling guilty? Behind-the-scenes, Helen and Dan and the others preparing the birthday party, the celebration?
- Sally, the story of her cancer and its returning, her jovial attitude? Margot, her collapse, the stroke, losing the use of the arm, in hospital, returning, full of vitality, and the meeting with Arthur?
- Helen, deciding to stay, Dan’s proposal, reconciliation with her daughter and her relenting, the bond with her grandson, his visits in care for her?
- The proposal, Dan getting down on one knee, the wedding ceremony? Helen visiting the house, looking at it, being able to let it go? And the decision to stay in the unit at the village?
- An idealistic, romantic look at possibilities for octogenarians?
