Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

Movie / Show Details

Amazon.com

The talented indie director Dan Ireland (The Whole Wide World, ) brings his deft, intimate touch to a lovely tale of family–and how to build one. Joan Plowright is Mrs. Palfrey, a genteel widow who moves to London to start her life anew, and to be less of a burden to her daughter. When she arrives at the dowdy Claremont Hotel, which is not quite the picture of loveliness it was in the brochure, Plowright delivers Mrs. P’s quick assessment–“Oh, dear”–with a spot-on mix of fleeting disappointment and stiff-upper-lip-itude. As she settles in among the oddball residents of the hotel, her life appears to be heading into a slow, downward decline. But when she meets young aspiring writer Ludovic (the adorable British actor Rupert Friend), Mrs. P–and we–learns that real family ties can be chosen, not inherited. The storyline is familiar and simple, with echoes of Tuesdays with Morrie, but the intimacy portrayed by the two lead actors brings surprising layers and emotion to the film, which envelopes the viewer like a cozy shawl. Extras include an excellent commentary with Ireland and producer Zachary Matz, Plowright’s acceptance speech for an AARP award for her role in the film, and photo galleries. –A.T. Hurley

Product description

Oscar-nominated actress Joan Plowright is the titular Mrs. Palfrey in this heartwarming comedy. When an elderly Scottish widow moves to London she finds the big city less welcoming than she expected. Mrs. Palfrey is disheartened when her nephew doesn’t return her calls. But when a young man (Rupert Friend) helps her after a fall she discovers that the metropolis may not be as lonely as it first appeared. Though Plowright has made a career out of playing strong supporting roles she easily makes the transition to leading lady in this film.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/GENERATION GAP UPC: 798622343826 Manufacturer No: WLV3438

Review

A tender, touching deeply moving film –Jeffrey Lyons, NBC Reel Talk

The great Joan Plowright stars in a sleeper well worth discovering on DVD. Joan Plowright is one of England s foremost character actresses, but Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont offers her a starring role as an older woman whose children don t have much use for her… so she moves into a residential hotel in London that caters to senior citizens. The gossip quotient runs high in the communal dining room, so when Plowright enters into an unlikely friendship with a nice young man, played by Rupert Friend, she claims he s her son. This little white lie snowballs and causes considerable confusion as the story develops. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont is a genteel slice of life with winning characters and wonderful performances. It didn t get much promotion when it played in theaters, but it s getting a second lease on life thanks to DVD, and I encourage you to give it a try. I think you ll find it a charmer –Leonard Maltin – KNX RADIO