Customer Reviews

Ladies in Lavender (Parfum de lavande)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are looking for edge of your seat excitement, this is not the video for you. But if you love laid back gentle British humour and pathos, you will love this one. It is only improved by the fact that it has both Maggie Smith and Judy Dench, who are brilliant!

What a tremendously sad movie. Ladies in Lavender creates two elderly female characters who react to the arrival of a beautiful young man. One reacts to him as a mother would, the other as something much different. This is a movie about regrets, loss and loneliness. This is a cautionary tale that asks the viewer to review decisions made in the present tense that can make the future tense. The performances are beautiful, of course, the story leaves one thinking afterwards. As credits you will probably want to think about what you've seen more than talk about it. I think I saw the movie in time ... I'll know in a few more years. Even so, I'll thank the cast and the scriptwriters now.

My wife and I recently watched this film because of Judi Dench's being in the cast and we thought she and Maggie Smith were excellent. It is a quiet movie showing a small slice of life and was very well performed. If you like either or both of Dench and Smith you will love these performances.

Great movie about life.Very touching and Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are wonderful. Loved it.

Two elderly ladies (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith) of good standing in the community and of some means find that a storm has washed up a well dressed young man (Daniel Brühl.) They take him in to revive and mend him. During the time he is there he stirs up memories for one lady and loosens unknown passion in the other lady.

It is a short story of his recovery and how he and the community discover each other. Many overlapping themes come into play as a war has just finished and another is brewing. The young stranger says he is Polish and speaks fluent German. It is his talent that will eventually determine his fait.

This is one of those stories that requires watching and rewatching to pick up all the nuances. It will also leave a warm feeling after the wrap-up.

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The person actually playing the violin behind the actor is Joshua Bell who also played the violin for Violon rouge, Le (1998). He tours once in a while so if you are lucky you may get a chance to hear him in person.

Daniel Brühl never played the Violin and had to learn to mime in less than a month.

David Warner plays the local doctor Dr. Mead. He also played a doctor in "Time After Time" (1979).

The DVD has a Featurette: Ladies in Lavender that explains the adaptation form the story to the film.

Charles Dance Writer/director found the story by William J. Locke about two spinsters living in Cornwall. They were in their forties; he changed that to the 70's as the age in the story is negligible.

He also purposely left many questions unanswered because in a fairy tale you just have to have faith.

The beginning was slow and repetitive, but the characteization by the main actors was excellent.One of the viewers fell asleep by the first half.

I consider this rating, because well, I 1st bought it for the main actresses : Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. I found the "Andrea Marowski" character to be quite plain and this "quest" of gaining his attention by two bored ladies didn't much appeal to me.

Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are 2 very seasoned actresses and make this another simply wonderful story. I find these sort of stories refreshing and so un Hollywood.

Two great actresses in a very touching movie & at times, very amusing. I enjoyed watching this feel good movie

Judy Dency and Maggie Smith. These two are the cornerstones of British actors. Love the interaction between the two characters. Well worth seeing