Posts tagged Film Society

The long awaited day dawned, bright and clear, the day when I was going to see an old friend starring in a film. 

The film was “QUARTET” a story set in a luxury home for retired musicians – Beecham House.

It has a star studded cast, but my old friend was not Maggie Smith, nor Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay nor Billie Connelly – it was my grand piano, which had a starring role from the very beginning to end.

Three years ago when Wyn and I were downsizing, we decided to part with my piano which I rarely played, because it was in the same room as the T.V. with inevitable results.

I rang an old friend, an ex-pupil who has an upholstery business in Cowbridge and offered her the piano for her five children.  I wanted it to go immediately in case I changed my mind.  She accepted with alacrity, and by the next afternoon it had gone. 

Wyn, of course was quite right.  I very quickly filled the space.

Whilst the piano was being stored in the upholstery factory unit, before it had found its way to the new family home, representatives from the film company went to their warehouse to buy some furniture, saw the wonderful grand piano and ‘hired’ it on the spot! 

So began its journey to Hedsor House, the magnificent privately-owned Georgian country house in Buckinghamshire, which is the stunning backdrop of Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut QUARTET.  It is also a wedding venue and conference centre and the piano fitted in perfectly!

If you haven’t seen QUARTET, I heartily recommend it to you.  It has everything a good film needs, a good storyline, humour, pathos, romance, and unusually is absolutely wholesome.

Oh, it has also got a lovely grand piano!

                                                                                                                Pam James