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5.8/10 • 32

1981-10-251h 41m

DramaRomance

When her husband's arrest leaves her penniless, a woman accepts an invitation to move in with a strange couple.

Directors
James Ivory
Writters
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Michel Maingois
Editors
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Michel Maingois, Humphrey Dixon

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Isabelle Adjani

    Isabelle Adjani

    Marya 'Mado' Zelli

  2. Maggie Smith

    Maggie Smith

    Lois Heidler

  3. Alan Bates

    Alan Bates

    H.J. Heidler

  4. Anthony Higgins

    Anthony Higgins

    Stephan Zelli

  5. Suzanne Flon

    Suzanne Flon

    Mme. Hautchamp

  6. Sheila Gish

    Sheila Gish

    Anna

  7. Daniel Chatto

    Daniel Chatto

    Guy

  8. Pierre Clémenti

    Pierre Clémenti

    Theo

  9. Daniel Mesguich

    Daniel Mesguich

    Pierre Schlamovitz

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

May 23, 2024

6/10

"Marya" (Isabelle Adjani) finds herself out on a limb when her husband "Stephane" (Anthony Higgins) is incarcerated for a year for some art fraud. Luckily (or not) she is taken pity on by "H.J." (Alan Bates) and his doting wife "Lois" (Maggie Smith). They invite her into their lives but quickly, she realises that he has a bit of a wandering eye and that though his wife is fully aware, she is too afraid of losing him to intervene. "Marya" doesn't welcome his attentions, indeed she makes it clear that she's not the slightest interest at all, but a combination of circumstances and her foreign birth (she is originally from the Caribbean) make it tough for her to find acceptance or a job. Despite repeated attempts to flee, she finds herself drawn more and more into his toxic manipulations - even once her husband is released from prison. "Stephane" is under no illusions as to the scenario and so now it's choice time for everyone who has got used to the situation and the lifestyle. Thing is, here, it's all so gorgeously filmed, costumed and designed but the delivery of the story is entirely sterile. Bates, especially when he tries to get emotional, is frankly pretty terrible and Smith's character is just so weak and feeble that she has little to get her teeth into the role beyond playing (well) a porcelain shadow of a woman. It's probably Adjani who disappoints most, though. She's as flat as a pancake with her performance, coupled with the rest of the lacklustre direction, presenting us with something that is very much a victory for style over substance.

Media

  • Quartet poster
  • Quartet poster
  • Quartet poster
  • Quartet poster
  • Quartet poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
French
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
prisontheftbased on memoir or autobiographycouple1920s