A true labour of love for writer/director Charles Dance, LADIES IN LAVENDER is a low key historical romance that explores an unusual love triangle that takes in pre-WW2 Cornwall. It's one of those films that's all about feelings and subtlety, so although there's virtually nothing in the way of on-screen action, it gets across a mood and feeling to be sufficiently watchable.
A couple of lonely spinsters have their lives put into disarray when a young German is washed up on their beach, badly injured. He recuperates at their home, where one of them soon falls in love with him and convinces the other that he's Polish rather than German. Meanwhile, the arrival of a Russian girl in the village spells further trouble...
The first half of this film brings to light a kind of wistful, nostalgic atmosphere for forgotten times when things were simpler. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith play to type, but both are good when they get to the heart and humanise their characters in later scenes. Dance's hands-off direction allows the story to play itself out at a leisurely pace, and I admit that I was gently enthralled. Daniel Bruhl (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) is a nice choice to play the German character. Later, attempts at intrigue with the Natasha McElhone character - as pretty as she is - don't really go anywhere and the plot falters a little. Still, the music scenes are delightful and at least the story never betrays itself, even if the ending is rather slight.
A couple of lonely spinsters have their lives put into disarray when a young German is washed up on their beach, badly injured. He recuperates at their home, where one of them soon falls in love with him and convinces the other that he's Polish rather than German. Meanwhile, the arrival of a Russian girl in the village spells further trouble...
The first half of this film brings to light a kind of wistful, nostalgic atmosphere for forgotten times when things were simpler. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith play to type, but both are good when they get to the heart and humanise their characters in later scenes. Dance's hands-off direction allows the story to play itself out at a leisurely pace, and I admit that I was gently enthralled. Daniel Bruhl (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) is a nice choice to play the German character. Later, attempts at intrigue with the Natasha McElhone character - as pretty as she is - don't really go anywhere and the plot falters a little. Still, the music scenes are delightful and at least the story never betrays itself, even if the ending is rather slight.