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 enlarge | Director: Charles Dance
Actors: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Natascha Mcelhone, Daniel Bruehl, Miriam Margolyes
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.94
Buy Used: $3.89
You Save: $11.05 (74%)
New (51) Used (35) from $3.89
Rating:  96 reviews
Sales Rank: 6660
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), German (Original Language), Polish (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 99
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: COLD13106D
ISBN: 1404914331
UPC: 043396131064
EAN: 9781404914339
ASIN: B000BITVAG
Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Release Date: December 6, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 91-95 of 96
 Competition for Love on the English Coast June 24, 2005
Debbie Lee Wesselmann (the Lehigh Valley, PA)
96 out of 103 found this review helpful
This quiet British film starring two of Britain's most acclaimed actresses, Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, is unabashedly a vehicle for these two leading ladies. Janet (Smith) and Ursula (Dench) are two unmarried sisters living on the coast. When one morning after a storm they discover an unconscious young man (Daniel Bruhl) on the rocky shore, their daily rhythms change as each woman develops a crush on the helpless man. Each vies for his complete attention. When Janet is able to finally communicate with Andrea in German (he is Polish), Ursula becomes consumed with jealousy and compensates by pampering him. Both, however, are pushed aside as it turns out that Andrea is a virtuoso violinist (music played by Joshua Bell), and the entire town in drawn to him. Even worse for the sisters, a beautiful visitor, Olga, discovers him as well, drawing him away from Janet and Ursula, into her own world.
Judi Dench is given more to work with than her co-star, and so comes across as the more complicated woman, but Maggie Smith turns in a fine, reserved performance as the more hard-edged sister. Daniel Bruhl is a little awkward in his role; while Natascha McElrone turn in a more memorable performance, though hardly as commanding as Dench and Smith. The cinematography lends affection to the English countryside and coast, and it highlights the isolation of the small town.
This film is slow-moving and carefully articulated, without much happening beyond what is revealed in the actresses' faces. Without Dench and Smith, it would have no appeal, and so should be seen more for the two stars than for the film itself. 3+ stars.
Bedazzled by Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Daniel Bruhl! June 2, 2005
Wing Lee (Toronto, Ontario)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
Ladies In Lavender is a delightful romantic comedy featuring two of England's finest actresses as the leading ladies. This film is going to have a strong following of female audiences over forty, and it's a must see for all Maggie Smith and Judi Dench fans! Also, the captivating landscape of the seashore and the violin score is very pleasing.
Janet(Smith) and Ursula(Dench) are sisters living in a village by the sea, and their peaceful and mundane lives are changed when they rescued a handsome stranger(Andrea/Daniel Bruhl) washed up onto the shore after a severe storm. Ursula instantly had a crush on the foreigner who spoke no English and soon learnd that he was Polish. Janet could speak some German, and communicated to him, while Ursula had to used sign language and eventually taught him some English.
When Andrea gradually recovered from his leg injury, he had the opportunity to play the violin when the sisters invited an amateur violinist friend to visit. Everyone were dazzled to see that Andrea was a great violinist, and his music instantly captured the attention of a travelling Russian artist named Olga(Natascha McElhone) whose brother happens to be a renowned violinist. She became interested in persuading him to leave the village and join his brother so he could launch his music career. The sisters were unprepared for his unannounced departure....
Natascha McElhone is wonderful and looked beautiful as an artist, and she delivered her lines in Polish and English, but she had limited screentime. Mariam Margolyes(Being Julia) was a comic relief as the sisters' housemaid. Daniel Bruhl looks so much like Jake Gyllenhaal. He had some great moments acting with Smith and Dench, and he was gorgeous and mesmerizing in the concert scene. Maggie Smith is great as usual, and she held her own opposite Dench, but the script had Dench doing more of the emotional scenes that was a heartfelt experience. The moment when Maggie Smith held Judi Dench together when she had her breakdown was an emotionally impacting scene.
 No one can escape the skirmish paradox of feelings! May 24, 2005
Shrutii (UK)
9 out of 25 found this review helpful
Probably at old age one lives with a wish of nothing major changing and at the same time with a hope of something little changing.
This is debutante Charles Dances's gentle rendering of two lonesome ageing sisters Ursula(Judi Dench) & Janet Waddington(Maggi Smith)living on Cornish coast in mid 1930s. They're comfortable living pretty much a regular life in each other's company.
Their life calls for a sudden change when they catch sight of a stranger's body by the beach that needed immediate medication because of his dismal condition. This polish stranger Andrea Markowski(Daniel Bruhl)slowly makes way into Waddington Mansion, then to their hospitality and then into their generous hearts. He brings out the sisters' maternal sides where Janet is more composed in display of her feelings, but on other hand lovelorn Ursula is more expressive and sometimes goes overboard in exhibiting her true feelings for this young boy who has his own dreams of becoming a great violinist someday. To achieve his dream he'll have to walk out on these wonderful sisters. It was by the grace of god and the nursing & caring of these two lovely ladies that Andrea got another chance to live in this world. So does he reach his goal with the help of lovely Olga Daniloff(Natascha McElhone) or do the sisters' accept their destiny as it is and let go off him to achieve his dreams??
Amidst the commendable performances by lead ladies and pleasing cinematography and Joshua Bell's lilting violin score,one feels scarse on some real material which is script.The real problem is that nothing much happens in the entire film leaving the viewer with some kind of imprecision.
Maybe of interest for all those who would like to feast on some british heritage vista, others like me might wonder about the
absenteeism of some real content inspite of many promising factors.
 Poignant, heartwarming, exquisite violin by Joshua Bell May 19, 2005
No Name (los angeles,, california United States)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
I loved this movie! It was so sweet, and so poignant. It reminds me of the saying, "Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." This movie about about 2 old sisters in 1936 Cornwall, England who rescues a young man washed ashore on the beach. They take him into their home and nurse him back to health. One of the sisters falls secretly in love with him. This is an enchanting movie, well directed, well acted, and the music soundtrack is exquisitely orchestrated, especially the violinist, Joshua Bell. I saw the movie twice.
Your Going to Love it. May 8, 2005
John Masker (Lloyd Harbor, NY USA)
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I have seen it twice, and would go again in a heartbeat.
It is a funny, deep, sexy, movie that pulls your heartstrings.
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