Possible Spoilers
'Ladies in Lavender' is an example of the genre which has become known as 'Heritage Cinema'. The term is generally used to describe films set in the past, often in the nineteenth or early twentieth century, and which aim for a detailed recreation of the period. Plots are often taken from literary sources, there is often (but not always) an emphasis on the wealthy or well-to-do sections of society, the films tend to concentrate on emotions and psychology rather than dramatic physical action, and are often very visually attractive with lovingly shot photography of the scenery that forms the backdrop to the action. Although the genre is sometimes criticised as being backward-looking or over-conservative, it is one in which it is possible to work creatively and one in which much good work has been done in recent years, especially in Britain.
The film is set in the 1930s and centres around two elderly sisters, Janet (a widow) and Ursula (a spinster), two live together in a cottage by the sea in Cornwall. (For non-British readers, this is a rural county in the extreme south-west of England). Their lives are changed one morning after a stormy night when they discover a young man cast up on the beach after being washed overboard from a ship. They take the stranger back to their cottage where they care for him and nurse him back to health. They discover that he is Polish, that his name is Andrea and that he is a talented violinist. A romance develops between Andrea and Olga Daniloff, a Russian émigré artist, whose brother is himself a famous violinist and takes Andrea under his wing as his protégé. This romance, however, arouses the jealousy of Ursula, who has herself developed feelings for the young man. Andrea and Olga also arouse the suspicion of the locals, especially when they are heard speaking German (their only shared language) together; this is the period leading up to the Second World War, and anyone believed to be German is regarded with deep distrust.
Like many 'heritage cinema' pictures, this one makes good use of the scenery; there is some fine photography of the Cornish landscapes. Nigel Hess's music also plays an important part; I understand that he composed not only the incidental music but also the wonderful violin concerto which we hear Andrea playing in a concert near the end of the film. (This was supposedly composed by Boris Daniloff for Andrea to play. It did seem a little too conservative in style for the 1930s, but possibly Daniloff was a follower of, say, Rachmaninov rather than the likes of Stravinsky).
What really makes the film a success, however, is the fine acting. The two Dames, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, are two of the best actresses of their generation in Britain. (They were born within three weeks of each other in December 1934). Both give marvelous performances here, bringing out the differing individual personalities of the two sisters. Janet is the dominant personality, Ursula the quieter, more passive one. Judi Dench shows us the full tragedy of Ursula's situation. Unlike her sister, whose husband died in the Great War, has never previously been in love with a man; she only falls in love when it is too late and her love is an impossible one for a much younger man. There is some enjoyable comic relief from Miriam Margolyes as Dorcas, the sisters' loyal but outspoken housekeeper. Daniel Bruehl is also very good in a trilingual performance as Andrea. (He has to speak dialogue not only in his native German but also in English and Polish).
I had never heard of William J. Locke, who wrote the short story on which this film was based. I understand that he was a popular and prolific author in the Britain of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, but he now seems almost completely forgotten. Literary survival, however, is often as much a matter of fashion and chance as of merit, and many fine stories have been written by authors whom we do not remember today. In his directorial debut Charles Dance has shown that even the works of a neglected author can form the basis of a fine film. This is a memorable tale of love and longing. 8/10
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