The Quartet

BBC has done it again. In Quartet, they've created a quiet masterpiece. They bring Ronald Harwood's story about elderly musicians putting on a gala from the stage to the big screen with an all-star cast including Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins, and Michael Gambon. While quite a simple story on the surface (the annual gala to save the nursing home is at risk when a new resident upsets the balance), they touch on such topics as the negatives of aging (dementia, bad hips), pride, love and loss, and finding yourself, no matter what age.


At 98 minutes, this film is short, but not a moment is wasted, nor is a scene rushed. My favorite skill of British films is the ability to tell a story, especially the exposition, without using words. The film opens quietly and has its share of quiet moments, but the story never stops being told. I guess a benefit of aging is learning to stop and smell the roses while you still can, and this film takes those moments as needed. Even though the director is not British (Dustin Hoffman), you'd never guess it from the final product. It has all the airs and affectations of a quality BBC film.

There is a much appreciated earnestness in the performances in this film. All of the stars are actually nearing this stage of their lives (in fact Maggie Smith was undergoing chemo while filming Harry Potter), and so there is no disconnect in their performances whatsoever. The close-ups, of which there are a fair share, show every wrinkle and line on their time-worn faces. And it is stunningly beautiful. In this day and age, when every cosmetic counter or drugstore is packed with anti-aging products it is lovely to see the beauty of naturally aged individuals. They have lived their lives, lives full of adventures I'm sure we do not know of, and they've earned each and every laugh and frown line. It's like a fingerprint of the lives they've lived, and I think it is gorgeous.

There's not much to analyze in this movie. The plot is simple, the performances genuine, and the story worth being told. One of the very best moments of the film comes after it fades to black and the credits start rolling. Because, you see, the rest of the cast are real musicians. Through the credits they show the musicians, as they are and as they were, along with the positions they held in various prestigious performing groups. These are miraculous individuals and filming with them must have been amazing.

My final thought about the film is this: I wish Beecham House, the nursing home, was real. It had been shown that music can help alleviate dementia in the elderly, so imagine I house full of musicians reaching that part of their lives. I know my great-aunt lived a better last few years with Alzheimer's because she played the piano every day. I think someone, somewhere, should help make this place a reality, because it would be spectacular.

5 out of 5 stars