Saturday, February 2, 2013

Ronald Harwood's Quartet

Speranza


Quartet.
Directed byDustin Hoffman
Produced byFinola Dwyer
Stewart Mackinnon
Screenplay byRonald Harwood
Based onQuartet by
Ronald Harwood
StarringMaggie Smith
Tom Courtenay
Billy Connolly
Pauline Collins
Michael Gambon
Music byDario Marianelli
CinematographyJohn de Borman
Editing byBarney Pilling
StudioHeadline Pictures
BBC Films
DCM Productions
Finola Dwyer Productions
Distributed byMomentum Pictures
Release date(s)
  • 9 September 2012 (2012-09-09) (TIFF)
  • 1 January 2013 (2013-01-01) (United Kingdom)
  • 11 January 2013 (2013-01-11) (United States (limited))
Running time98 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$22,320,668[1]

"Quartet" is a 2012 British comedy-drama film based on the play of the same title by Ronald Harwood, which ran in London's West End from 1999 - 2000.

The film stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as retired opera singers who annually put on a concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday, however the arrival of Jean Smith disrupts the equilibrium.

It was filmed in its entirety at Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire in autumn 2011.

The film is actor Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut.

Reg, Wilf and Cissy are all retired members of AN OPERATIC QUARTET, living in Beecham House, a retirement home for gifted musicians.

The musicians and singers living in the house put on a concert on Giuseppe Verdi's birthday every year.

However, the arrival of the fourth member of the quartet, Reg's ex-wife, Jean, results in old rivalries and theatrical temperaments and it becomes unclear if the show will or will not go on.

Cast

Production

The story of Quartet is based at Beecham House, a retirement home for musicians. Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire, was used as the location of Beecham House as well as several scenes at St Nicholas' Church, Hedsor.

Release

Quartet premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2012.

The 2012 Mill Valley Film Festival honoured director Hoffman with a tribute and a screening of the film on 9 October 2012.

Quartet received its Welsh premiere at Cardiff's Cineworld complex on Thursday 6th December 2012, in a charity event arranged by the Rotary Club of Blackwood, with proceeds donated to charities including Crohn's and Colitis.

The premiere was attended by the film's producer Finola Dwyer, who gave an interview on the making of the film.

References

[edit] External links


 

 

 

 
 
 

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