ARTS & FILM: In 1963, Cliff Richard and his twenty-something mates headed off on an idyllic summer holiday to Greece. Now fifty years later his generation of 70 year olds have discovered a new holiday or rather retirement haven in India.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, directed by John Madden
In 1963, Cliff Richard and his twenty-something mates headed off on an idyllic summer holiday to Greece. Now fifty years later his generation of 70 year olds have discovered a new holiday or rather retirement haven in India.
These are the new lost children of England who run from their grandparental duties, the lack of available new partners and the preponderance of Indians flooding into the country.
These pensioners decide that they can eke out their pensions in India and have some sort of physical and possibly spiritual rebirth by following the guidance of the Karma Sutra.
They all wash up at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a slightly down at heel hotel in Jaipur run by an enthusiastic young Indian who is only halfway through the renovations.
It is a light hearted look at the internationalism and globalization of culture where Indians invade England and the English start to take over India, again.
It’s also an affectionate look at the perils and dangers as well as the joys and freedom which come with old age and travel.
Each of the main characters has something of a back story or a future yet to come.
There is the Maggie Smith taking a spell away from Downton Abbey playing a housemaid now in retirement. She is appallingly racist but is charmed by the young “untouchable” cleaning girl at the hotel and ends up having a life changing moment or two.
Tom Wilkinson plays a retired judge who has returned to India in partly to find the young man he had a disastrous affair with fifty years before. His meeting with the now married, impoverished Indian contrasts markedly with the Englishman’s own life of privilege.
Judi Dench having battled the Indian call centre when she lived in England ends up taking a job instructing call centre workers in the refinements of the English language
Ronald Pickup’s Norman is looking to recover his youthful conquesting while Celia Imrie’s Madge is on the lookout for any old man – with money.
Actually the film looks as though it is the swan song for eight aging British actors some of whom normally make their living by appearing in period dramas. This is their last shot at playing slightly youthful roles as they discover themselves in this new environment. It just a pity they didn’t include Sir Cliff.
