MRS PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT
UK, 2005, 108 minutes, Colour.
Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend, Zoe Tapper, Anna Massey, Robert Lang, Marcia Warren, Georgina Hale, Millicent Martin, Michael Culkin, Timothy Bateson, Clare Higgins.
Directed by Dan Ireland.
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is based on a novel by Elizabeth Taylor (whose novel Angel was brought to the screen with Sam Neill and Romola Garai). Elizabeth Taylor herself had written the screenplay for a TV version of Mrs Palfrey in 1973 which starred Celia Johnson.
The film is a tour-de-force for Joan Plowright who brings Mrs Palfrey vividly to life. She is a widow, moving into a rather faded London hotel, wanting some independence in her old age. When her grandson doesn’t reply to her and she has a fall in the street and is helped by a young writer, the young writer becomes her grandson in the eyes of all the guests at the Claremont.
The film screenplay refers to Terence Rattigan plays and the look of the film is that of Separate Tables. There is also reference to Brief Encounter – and the DVD is used as a means of bringing the young writer close to a young woman with whom he will fall in love.
The film introduces Rupert Friend who was then to appear in Young Victoria and Cherie. Zoe Tapper is the girlfriend. There is a gallery of older character actors as the residents of the hotel – with the opportunity for a song (sung originally in The Boyfriend by Georgina Hale) by Marcia Warren, Georgina Hale and Millicent Martin.
The film is genteel and elegant. It shows the strong friendship between Mrs Palfrey and the young writer and the effect on her in her old age, giving her some joy in life before she died as well as showing the maturing of the young man.
(The 1973 version of Mrs Palfrey was written by Ray Lawlor, the author of The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.)
1.A genteel film, delightful, elegant? A film about age, friendships? Friendship and love?
2.The reference to Separate Tables and the look of the dining room at the Claremont? The reference to Harold and Maude and an old woman and a young man? To Brief Encounter?
3.London, the Lancaster Gate area, flats and streets, the Claremont and its interiors?
4.The musical score, the songs, the use of ‘For All We Know’? The song by the three ladies?
5.The opening, Ludo and his writing, the credits and the typesetting? The voice-over? Ludo and Sarah, his writing her story? Sharing friendship, the completion of the book and his bringing it to the hospital after she had died?
6.The portrait of Mrs Palfrey, Joan Plowright’s presence and performance? Her arrival, age, dress, manner of speaking, her bearing? The taxi driver, chat, not helping with the cases? The old porter carrying the cases? The manager and his welcome? Her room, the toilet down the corridor, the poor view? Her hopes? Her photo of her husband – and her memories, the explanation of their marriage, their daughter, grandson? His death? The meals and her dressing up for the first meal? The separate tables? The waitress and the rules? Timetable? The people and her response? Mrs Arbuthnot and her helping her? Mrs Post and her questions – and Mrs Arbuthnot’s criticism? Mr Osborne? Mrs De Salis and her son, theatre? Shirley Burton and her exuberance? Mrs Palfrey interacting with them all? The news about her grandson, his not answering her phone call? The task for Mrs Arbuthnot, the library, her fall in the street, Ludo and his help, her inviting him to the meal, asking him to pretend to be her grandson, coaching him, the meal, the various reactions, the residents liking him? Their continued talks, visits? The story and sharing? Mrs Palfrey? enquiring about his mother, their going to see her, Mrs Palfrey praising her son? Mr Osborne, the Masons, going out, his drinking, the proposal? Mrs Arbuthnot and her collapse, reading her obituary in the paper? The grandson actually arriving, Mrs Palfrey ousting him? The rules that no relations were allowed? Elizabeth, coming to visit her mother, the puzzle? Hearing about the friendship, the poetry? Mrs Palfrey being unwell, recovery for the visit, meeting Gwendoline, the story of Brief Encounter, seeing them through the window? Her being upset with Mr Osborne and the guests, her collapse? Ludo reading poetry to her in hospital? Her death?
7.Mrs Arbuthnot and prim, yet helping Mrs Palfrey? Her collapse, being ready to die? Mrs Post and the interrogations? Mrs De Salis, her son, wanting Ludo to come to the theatre? Shirley and the song?
8.Mr Osborne, his character, food, drinking, going out, the proposal, his being taken aback at the end by Mrs Palfrey’s criticism?
9.Ludo, his writing, helping Mrs Palfrey, the tea, walking with her, coming to the meal, pretending to be the grandson, enjoying it, his comments about his mother, taking Mrs Palfrey to visit her, overhearing her comments in praise of him? His girlfriend turning up, her rudeness? Going to the video store, getting Brief Encounter, the encounter with Gwendoline? The visit to the castle and its beauty? His busking and the people giving money, meeting Mrs Palfrey? The questionnaire about estimating personality? Mrs Palfrey’s collapse, the letter to him, explaining to the residents that it was a nom de plume? Reading the poetry, finishing the story, Mrs Palfrey’s death?
10.Desmond, visit, the relatives, Elizabeth, hard in her attitude?
11.Themes of age and ageing, family, independence, happiness and memories, friendship?
