JourneyOnline
Song for Marion
Stars: Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston, Terence Stamp
Rated: PG
Reviewed by Sue and Kate Hutchinson mother and daughter.
Song for Marion is a genuinely affecting story of love, friendship, heartache, persistence, hope and redemption.
For fans of Quartet, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Calendar Girls, this warm-hearted movie, even if predictable, will delight and move you. Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) is a lively grandmother, thoroughly enjoying every opportunity life brings.
Her grumpy husband Arthur (Terrence Stamp) is the opposite: desperate to hold onto life as he knows it.
Marion and Arthur's life is a story of enduring love and respect.
Marion adores her husband and loves him as he is, while holding strongly on to what is important to her – the joy of singing and participating.
Arthur is devoted to his wife, ultimately doing everything in his power to make her happy, even if he has to be manoeuvred and pushed into doing it.
At the local community centre a group of old-age pensioners come together under the voluntary directorship of Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton).
An assorted collection of wonderful characters, they sing, dance and enjoy themselves.
Elizabeth chooses varied and unexpected styles of music, frequently with hilarious results.
When the opportunity to enter a national choir competition comes up, Marion is determined to take part, despite her increasing frailty.
Arthur does not understand her outlook on life and is most reluctant to support this.
Elizabeth, the young choir director, finds being involved in this venture is very much a two-way street.
She remains patient and persistent with Arthur, putting up with his cantankerous outbursts and building trust between them.
When heartbreak strikes, Arthur has to rethink his approach to life and relationships in general.
Eventually he realises it is never too late to change and reaches out to the son he pushed away for many years.
Watch out for the granddaughter, whose love and admiration for her grandfather are straightforward and encouraging.
Director Paul Williams loosely based the characters Marion and Arthur on his grandparents.
He wrote the script after the death of his grandmother from cancer. Rated PG, Song for Marion bridges the generation gap.
We thoroughly enjoyed the movie and found it touched themes in our own lives. A word of warning is necessary: don't forget your tissues!
Photo : Photo courtesy of Bloom PR and Marketing
