Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont (2005)
Overview
All but abandoned by her family in a London retirement hotel, an elderly woman strikes up a curious friendship with a young writer.
Cast
Joan Plowright
Mrs. Palfrey
Rupert Friend
Ludovic Meyer
Zoë Tapper
Gwendolyn
Anna Massey
Mrs. Arbuthnot
Marcia Warren
Mrs. Post
Georgina Hale
Mrs. Burton
Robert Lang
Mr. Osborne
Millicent Martin
Mrs. De Salis
- Similar Movies
- Reviews
- Videos
CinemaSerf
This reminded me a little of "Mrs. Caldicot's Cabbage War" (2002) as it depicts the determination of an older person not to just let their toes curl up whilst waiting for God. The recently widowed eponymous lady (Dame Joan Plowright) arrives at the residential "Claremont" hotel and is introduced to quite an eclectic clientele who are all in a similar boat. She's is walking back from the post office when she takes a tumble outside the flat of the floppy haired young "Ludo" (Rupert Friend). He takes care of her, gives her a cup of tea and that's the start of the friendship that livens up both of their lives with some gentle mischief and a growing inter-dependency that reinvigorates her and helps him to get back to his writing. Robert Lang, Anna Massey and an on-form Marcia Warren provide extra richness as her fellow inmates, and the gentle humour and very less-is-more stye of delivery from Dame Joan works well with the engaging effort from her young Friend. Was she abandoned by her family or did she abandon them? It's quite a touchingly written character study and though maybe fifteen minutes too long, is still worth a watch to see some true professionals at work.
