Ladies in Lavender
Movie Magic Magazine: October/November 2004
Ladies in Lavender
It seems fitting for the first issue of Movie Magic that one of the forthcoming
film releases is set in Cornwall. With a highly respected cast and a backdrop
of some of the county’s most picturesque settings, Ladies in Lavender
looks set to please audiences of all ages and tastes.
Anyone passing through Helston, St Ives or the fishing village of Cadgwith
during early autumn last year would have seen the areas transformed into the
1930s settings for the film. And they may well have caught a glimpse of the
Oscar and BAFTA award-winning actresses Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith,
who play the leading roles of sisters, Ursula and Jane Widdington.
The directorial debut of actor and writer Charles Dance, Ladies in Lavender
sees the lives of the two sisters changed forever with the discovery of a
Polish castaway on the beach next to their home. Swept overboard from a ship
bound for New York, Andrea Marowski’s intention was to make a new life
and escape the anti-Semitic feeling in Europe that was becoming an increasing
threat to the young Jew. Taking Andrea in and nursing him back to health,
Ursula and Jane discover some details of his past, not least his talent as
a musician. The presence of this handsome young man in their home has an unsettling
effect on both sisters, particularly Ursula. When it would seem that Andrea
could become a permanent fixture in their lives, someone else comes along
to take an interest in both him and his musical talent.
Hotly tipped actor Daniel Brühl, who recently won the German Film Award
for Best Actor for his performance in Goodbye Lenini plays the charismatic
young musician. Joining this top-notch cast are Natasha McElhone, Miriam Margoyles
and David Warner.
The enchanting film is based on a short story by British author, William
J Locke. Inspired by its innocence and fairytale-like quality, Charles Dance
was determined to bring the story to the screen. Having grown up in the Westcountry,
there was no question concerning where to locate this stirring yet charming
film. “There’s something about Cornwall in particular, especially
the quality of the light, that really attracted me,” he says. “It’s
like nowhere else in England.”
Dance was also aware of Cornwall’s air of mystique and this, combined
with the fairytale element to the material, made for an appealing mix. “I
tried to retain that fairytale-like quality and shooting in Cornwall lent
itself well. I don’t know why, but when you cross the Tamar and you
get into Cornwall, you get a real sense of being in a very different part
of England. It’s such a unique place, so beautiful, with all these wonderful
little coves and backwaters.”
Ladies in Lavender is very much a character-driven piece that didn’t
require special effects or as Dance comments, “any tricksy cinematography.”
Dance’s key aim was to allow Cornwall and the two ladies to look their
best and to let the emotional content of the material shine through. “The
sea and the whole landscape in this part of Cornwall has a kind of shimmering
quality. Even the greys aren’t real grey, they’re more silver.
We were thankfully blessed with the most fantastic weather – a kind
of Indian summer, so there was a wonderful deep blue in the sky, providing
a light that made you want to half close your eyes.”
A veteran of the big screen for over forty years, Maggie Smith has certainly
experienced working with the cream of international filmmaking talent. Cornwall,
coupled with the top-notch team involved, Smith feels that the film will be
a winner all round, “I think we’ve captured something rare. Peter
Biziou is a fantastic cinematographer and hopefully it will look simply amazing.”
Judi Dench shares Smith’s enthusiasm for the project and the experience
of filming in Cornwall. “It was lovely being down in Cornwall with Maggie;
we’ve been friends since we worked together at the Old Vic in 1958,”
reveals the actress. “We’ve had a wonderful time together on this.
We spent hours playing endless games of cards in this lovely old attic, gazing
down at the sea.” The experience stirred some fond memories for the
actress who used to come down with her family from York every summer during
the war.
Filming in Cornwall doesn’t come without its problems though. The small
locations, cliff tops and winding lanes presented great logistical challenges
for the crew, who Dench describes as “phenomenal.” However, there
were some very magical moments; Dench recalls one in particular after finishing
a scene where she was standing in the sea, “I quickly turned around
and there was a seal watching me! He appeared quite a lot after that and it
was almost as if he was saying, ‘What are you doing in my bay?’”
The lasting impression of the area was certainly positive. “I think
the Cornish tourist board will be very pleased,” concludes Dench.
The crew paid careful attention to recreating the 1936 setting with authenticity.
For one scene, a layer of mud was laid over Church Street in Helston, and
the fronts of many of the shops were altered to maintain the historical accuracy.
Bowden’s Home Hardware was transformed into Penhaligon’s the Outfitters
and the museum became The Market Place.
The Cornish location also had an impact on the visual image of the ladies
and the people in the community around them. “The big thing about being
in Cornwall, is that the skin tones are really different,” observes
top hair and make-up designer Fae Hammond. Ursula and Janet have lived in
Cornwall all their lives so Judi and Maggie were given a wonderful deep colour.
“We’ve deliberately gone for that brown, warm, nuttiness, giving
everyone an attractive glow,” says Hammond. “Everyone who comes
on to the make-up truck leaves a few shades darker and it all fits in well
with the gorgeous overall colours of the film.”
Working on his first English-language film, Daniel Brühl’s only
knowledge of Cornwall was from English school books in Germany. “It
was my first time and I was amazed by its beauty,” he says. The young
actor found the people in Cornwall very mellow, reminding him of the Mediterraneans.
“The place underlines the magic and beauty of the whole story –
its gentleness and quietness,” he comments. “Being here has just
slowed everything down so the environment has an impact on the film, which
is great for the overall look, feel and story.”
Brühl is optimistic about audience reactions to the film, “From
what I’ve seen from the rushes, it’s a very warm, bright film
and everything looks really beautiful – not just the countryside and
locations, but Judi and Maggie as well. I think it’s a very special
and precious film. It’s very gentle, it’s not fast - it’s
like Cornwall!”
Although he’s the youngest member of the cast, Brühl is clearly
way ahead of his years and sums up the appeal of Ladies in Lavender beautifully,
“I love stories about relationships between different generations and
it’s great that it deals with love. As a subject, it’s timeless
and age doesn’t really matter.” He thinks men and women of all
ages will be charmed by the film, “It’s not just for women over
forty; I think it’s for everyone from twenty to eighty.”
The combination of such remarkable acting talents and cinematography, not
to mention the touching storyline, should go a long way to boost Cornwall’s
profile in the film industry. It might even reverse the fortunes of the tourist
industry after a summer of constant rain. So if you’re keen to reflect
on the dramatic scenery of our Cornish home, coupled with the heartwarming
moments of a fairytale, then Ladies in Lavender is not to be missed.
Article kindly supplied by Movie Magic Magazine
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