A true labour of love for writer/director Charles Dance, LADIES IN LAVENDER is a low key historical romance that explores an unusual love triangle that takes in pre-WW2 Cornwall. It's one of those films that's all about feelings and subtlety, so although there's virtually nothing in the way of on-screen action, it gets across a mood and feeling to be sufficiently watchable.A couple of lonely spinsters have their lives put into disarray when a young German is washed up on their beach, badly injured. He recuperates at their home, where one of them soon falls in love with him and convinces the other that he's Polish rather than German. Meanwhile, the arrival of a Russian girl in the village spells further trouble...The first half of this film brings to light a kind of wistful, nostalgic atmosphere for forgotten times when things were simpler. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith play to type, but both are good when they get to the heart and humanise their characters in later scenes. Dance's hands-off direction allows the story to play itself out at a leisurely pace, and I admit that I was gently enthralled. Daniel Bruhl (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) is a nice choice to play the German character. Later, attempts at intrigue with the Natasha McElhone character - as pretty as she is - don't really go anywhere and the plot falters a little. Still, the music scenes are delightful and at least the story never betrays itself, even if the ending is rather slight.

This is one of the best films I've seen. It's no summer blockbuster, with big budget post-processing and popping colours. To be honest, the colours in the film looked quite bland, but the atmosphere is absolutely suitable. The film's pace is quite slow - it's best to simply give in and savour every bit.The emotional depth of this film is incredibly powerful. Joshua Bell's violin performances featured in the film certainly helped towards that, but ultimately it's the filmmaker's portrayal of a very complex set of emotions in a way that's genuine, bare. Jealousy, insecurity, joy, serenity are all pictured with great fidelity. With no Megan Fox-like actresses and no Chris Hemsworth-like actors, the film felt real, intimate, and is a great film to treasure.

Normally I would rather walk a mile over broken glass than watch a film featuring mesdames Smith and Dench in cosy Cornwall with a cast of several,all using their best R.A.D.A. general purpose "country" accent,and a whimsical storyline about a handsome young man washed up on the beach who turns out to be a brilliant violinist,but......... Somehow "Ladies in lavender" manages to considerably exceed the sum of its parts due in no small way to the subdued (and there's a first) playing of the two aforementioned Dames. In trepidation of a repeat of the appalling histrionics of "Tea with Mussolini" or the terminal cuteness of the even worse"Calendar girls",I was pleasantly surprised by strong hand Mr C.Dance obviously exercised(charmingly,I'm sure) over his principals. Miss N.McElhone lends her spectacular beauty to the production in a part that does not stretch her but does allow her to outcharm even the two stars. It is a little sentimental,of course,but if,like me,you want to believe in the unifying power of music,you may find it oddly moving despite yourself.

It was interesting to learn that this film was the directorial debut of actor Charles Dance, I only knew it before for the two lead actresses, and it turned out to be not bad. Basically the lives of the elderly Widdington sisters, Ursula (Dame Judi Dench) and Janet (Dame Maggie Smith), living in the 1930's in Cornwall, are turned upside down when they rescue a handsome young man after they find him washed up on the nearby beach. This young man, named Andrea Marowski (Daniel Brühl) can't speak English, and is apparently Polish, who also knows some German, and the film basically sees the sisters looking after him while he heals, teaching him some English, finding out his musical talent (although you can tell the actor isn't really playing), coping with him hanging out with not much liked Olga Danilof (Natascha McElhone), and some other stuff. Eventually Andrea is able to leave, he was originally going to go with suspicious Olga, but he didn't, and he instead goes to London to perform his musical talent live to many, including Ursula and Janet in the audience. Also starring Miriam Margolyes as Dorcas, David Warner as Dr. Francis Mead, Freddie Jones as Jan Pendered, Clive Russell as Adam Penruddocke, Toby Jones as Hedley, Joanna Dickens as Mrs. Pendered and Gregor Henderson-Begg as Luke Pendered. The performances by Dench and Smith are very good, and support from the likes of Margoyles, Warner and McElhone are fine, in a subtle period drama. Worth watching!