Director James Ivory brings the bohemian Paris neighbourhood of Montparnasse in the 1920s to life in this film based on the novel by Jean Rhys. Isabelle Adjani stars as Marya Zelli, a beautiful young wife who finds herself destitute after her art dealer husband is sent to prison for theft. A rich patron, H.J. Heidler (Alan .. Read more
| Starring | Alan Bates, Maggie Smith, Isabelle Adjani, Anthony Higgins |
|---|---|
| Director | James Ivory |
| Genres | Drama |
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Director James Ivory brings the bohemian Paris neighbourhood of Montparnasse in the 1920s to life in this film based on the novel by Jean Rhys. Isabelle Adjani stars as Marya Zelli, a beautiful young wife who finds herself destitute after her art dealer husband is sent to prison for theft. A rich patron, H.J. Heidler (Alan Bates), and his painter wife, Lois (Maggie Smith), offer to take Marya in. Heidler, a womanising ogre with a history of taking advantage of helpless young women, soon seduces Marya while Lois painfully accepts his philandering ways. Rhys based her novel on her own experiences as a young woman in Paris after her husband was sent to jail. The writer Ford Madox Ford, who promised to help the young novelist with her writing, befriended Rhys. He and his artist wife, Stella, took her in and Rhys became Ford's lover. However, as QUARTET reveals, there was no easy resolution to Rhys's or Marya's predicament.
| Starring | Alan Bates, Maggie Smith, Isabelle Adjani, Anthony Higgins, Daniel Chatto, Pierre Clementi |
|---|---|
| Director | James Ivory |
| Studio | ODYSSEY VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 36 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1981 To Rent: DVD: not available To Buy: DVD: 24 Nov 2003 |
Slow-moving, good-looking study of characters in a milieu; as usual with films from this stable, it has nothing to please the majority.
- 6
- 3
Quartet
Despite the brilliant cast this film to me stayed in the mediocre bracket.
I expected more
[Highly rated reviewer]
- 0
- 0
Shallow and disappointing
1920s Paris. Bohemian arty people having extra marital relationships openly. Maggie Smith was not allowed to show her true potential in this terrible ... read more »
- 2
- 1
Beautifully Filmed
I think I must now be growing out of Merchant Ivory concepts. I found the pace of this production to be very slow and I became impatient. I wanted the narrative... read more »
- 2
- 0
worth a look for Merchant Ivory fans
a little slow but with some wonderful performances from Maggie and Isabel (who is rather lovely to watch aswell).
Dustin Hoffman is planning to make his directorial debut with a film adaptation of Ronald Harwood's acclaimed play Quartet. Great Brits Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Tom Courtenay will star in the production, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film revolves around four ageing opera stars who are living in a retirement home. Read more
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