song for marion

“Everything that follows is as predictable, dreary and proverbial as the weather in Manchester”.

I don’t usually read reviews before seeing a film but, today, I did and this was the final sentence of Philip French’s review in the Guardian.
Not exactly encouraging!
I seem to be on a bit of a roll as far as “senior” films are concerned – my previous two being “Amour” and “Quartet”! This film, directed by Paul Andrew Williams, starred Vanessa Redgrave as a terminally ill wife, who embraces life as a member of the local community choir and, by way of contrast, Terence Stamp as a grumpy old man fixed in his routines. There were less than 20 of us in the audience this afternoon at the Watershed – most of them were women who were perhaps keen to see how their young 1960s heartthrob (Stamp!) had stood the test of time. Actually, the answer is quite well, I think!
As it happens, Moira is a member of a local community (fortunately WITHOUT any life-threatening illness) and I am often referred to – COMPLETELY unfairly in my view(!) – as a grumpy old man… so, at times, it felt a little close to home!
It’s predictably sentimental and “heartwarming” (even joyous and charming on occasions) – despite being predictable and somewhat patronising at the same time.
Another one of those rainy Sunday afternoon DVD films.