"Ladies in Lavender" (2004) is a film starring two of the best British actresses, Dame Judy Dench and Dame Maggie Smith as two lonely sisters, a widow and an old maid who live quietly and uneventfully in their cottage on the seaside in Cornwall, England. The film takes place in 1936 before the WWII begins. One morning, the sisters discover a young man, almost a boy injured and washed ashore near their home and their lives were changed forever. The sisters take the boy in and care for him. As time passes, they learn that Andrea was on the ship heading to America where he hoped to become a professional musician. Andrea is extremely talented violinist and one day, his playing attracts the attention of a young Russian woman -painter, Olga who lives in the village. Olga's brother is a world renowned violinist and she is ready to offer the boy the chance of his life but the sisters, especially Ursula (Dench) seems very reluctant to let Andrea and Olga communicate. Ursula who never been married feels deep tenderness, warmth, and longing for Andrea that she has difficulty to hide. Her sister who is very close and compassionate to her sees quite well what goes on but she also understands that some dreams would always stay just the beautiful dreams...
The main reason to see the movie is acting and chemistry between two beloved actresses, both in their 70s and both on the top of their profession. As for the story of two lonely elderly sisters in their coastal home, it was told better in Lindsay Anderson's "Whales in August" (1987) that starred Bette Davis and Lillian Gish, and Anderson's film does not have a young foreign boy to make it compelling and moving. The verbal and silent communication between two sisters as played by Gish and Davis makes the earlier movie a quiet and poignant gem. As for the unrequited tender vulnerable love that comes when one least expects it and that makes the life of an older person heaven and hell at the same time, watch "Death in Venice", the tragic masterpiece by Luchino Visconti.
The main reason to see the movie is acting and chemistry between two beloved actresses, both in their 70s and both on the top of their profession. As for the story of two lonely elderly sisters in their coastal home, it was told better in Lindsay Anderson's "Whales in August" (1987) that starred Bette Davis and Lillian Gish, and Anderson's film does not have a young foreign boy to make it compelling and moving. The verbal and silent communication between two sisters as played by Gish and Davis makes the earlier movie a quiet and poignant gem. As for the unrequited tender vulnerable love that comes when one least expects it and that makes the life of an older person heaven and hell at the same time, watch "Death in Venice", the tragic masterpiece by Luchino Visconti.