Quartet

Rating:
Summary: AVOID AT ALL COST...
Review: Merchant-Ivory have never been more self-conscious or grasping for, for , what...a decent script by the usually capable Ruth Prawer Jhabvala? Here, she was either out-of-town - or completely overdosed on absinthe.

A more disastrous film one has not encountered in a very long while. Truly embarrassing for the astoundingly gifted Isabell Adjani - who, here, is reduced to whining, clownlishly awkward self-dubbing of her English. The late Alan Bates serves up a ridiculous performance as her paramour. Maggie Smith tries hard but comes up laughable. Anthony Higgins is the one source of interest in the entire thing - and yet has such little screen time that he is genuinely better off not being remembered as having appeared in this fiasco.

The liner notes proudly claim that they spent only 1.8 milion dollars on this 'event'.

I - or you - could have filmed this very small and lacklustre story for a tenth of these monies, and come up with something more real.

Avoid this at all costs...

Rating:
Summary: an overlooked Merchant/Ivory treasure
Review: Since its release in the early 1980s, Quartet hasn't been remembered as much as some of their other films. Thats a shame because Quartet is one of their finer works. A very engrossing drama about mind control and deceit. As one would expect from M & A, the attention to detail in recreating the roaring 20's is fabulous. Alan Bates does a wonderful job as H.B., the controlling maniac disguised as a gentleman. Maggie Smith is heartbreaking as the passive wife who tries desperately to cling to her husband despite his infidelities. But its Isabelle Adjani who steals the show. Her character's development from innocent, to arrogant, to ignorant makes Quartet memorable.