Search icon

Movies & TV

31st Dec 2012

Video: Billy Connolly and Maggie Smith in Dustin Hoffman comedy movie Quartet

Quartet sees Dustin Hoffman directing Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith and Pauline Collins in an Opera star retirement home comedy.

JOE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJzsH5bFWI

Quartet sees Dustin Hoffman directing Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith and Pauline Collins in an Opera star retirement home comedy.

By Genna Patterson

Is it just us or has Maggie Smith been the same age for the past 20 years? She was an aging grandmother in Hook – staring the Quartet Director Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook in the Peter Pan saga.

That was back in 1991, 21 years ago, and here she is playing a retiree Opera singer now. Good woman herself.

Since the success of old fogey comedy, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last year, also starring Maggie Smith, it seems that the movie world is looking to some talented older actors for its laughs now.

The Quartet story tells of retired Opera singers at Beecham House retirement home planning for a concert to commemorate Verdi, the Italian composer, when Jean (Smith) arrives. Jean is a bit of a diva and discovers her ex-husband living in the same home. She also meets former colleagues Wilf (Connolly) and Cissy (Pauline Collins) who try to persuade her to sing again at the concert, after a long hiatus.

Dustin Hoffman makes his directorial debut at the grand age of 75 himself.

The movie is set for release on January 4, 2013.

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!