La gran escapada

This is mainly going to be remembered as Glenda Jackson's last movie, and what a glorious swansong it is. Her ancient, heavily lined face - far removed from the face of Elizabeth the First, the role that sealed her stardom in 1971 - conveys shades of emotion that not all actresses can hint at. She's playing Irene Jordan, the wife of Bernard (Michael Caine) who has gone AWOL from the care home in which they live, taking himself off to Normandy to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings.

This is another of those small movies with a big heart. Nothing very dramatic happens (apart from brief flashbacks to D-Day which Bernard's best pal did not survive). John Standing has a nice supporting role as another veteran who takes Bernard under his wing; there was a hint of camp in Standing's performance, which made me think an LGBT 'attitude' moment could and should have been shoe-horned in.

Michael Caine has weathered the years better than Jackson (or he's had some work done, which Glenda very clearly has not). His performance is not quite as subtle as hers, but this is a beguiling and totally believable reconstruction of an episode which made the papers back in 2014. A couple who have loved each other for seventy years are two people you have to take your heart.

RIP Glenda, one of the finest actresses Britain ever produced. And Happy Retirement to Sir Michael, who has given us a great deal of pleasure in a long and splendidly wide-ranging screen career.

So much to enjoy in this film. Caine and Jackson are superb. Glenda died soon after completing work on the film and Michael has more than hinted that this might be his final film. That being the case, what a tremendous film for them both to go out on. The film is beautifully photographed on the English south coast and in France and has a gorgeous score by Craig Armstrong that supports and enhances the narrative. A story of determination, love, life, death and hope. The story is simple but none the worse for that. Set in 2014, Bernie and Rene live in a carehome in Hove. Bernie decides to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy despite missing out on a place on the offical trips. So he gets a bus from Hove to Dover and travels by ferry to france. The film tells the story of the people he meets and places he goes. Poignent and sad but also life affirming this is a fabulous film. However, when we saw it we were the only people in the cinema and I read it has so far failed to find a distributor for the US market. I sense this could find it's audience when shown on TV and it wouldn't surprise if BBC are saving it to show next June as part of the 80th anniversary celebrations.

Having missed an organised trip to the 70th anniversary of The D-Day landings, 90 year old Bernard John makes his own way to France, leaving behind his wife and care home.

I suppose I'd start by saying that I didn't want this film to end, magical from beginning to end. Bernard's story touched many people, I remember it being on The BBC news back in 2014.

They could have made the film overly sentimental or too sobre, but they struck the perfect mix, it's heartfelt, touching, inspiring and amusing, it's such a moving, real life story.

Several times it tugged away at the heart strings, the most powerful moment for me where Bernard say with The Germans, I had a lump in my throat.

The acting was truly incredible, it's the best I've seen from Michael Caine for many years, the emotion he put into this was quite something. What a send of for the late, great Glenda Jackson, again, a superb performance, the chemistry between her and Caine was noticeable.

John Standing also added to the mix, another actor who'd graced our screens for so long, wonderful.

One I'll happily watch over.

10/10.

A fabulous cast with amazing performances demonstrating why Jackson and Caine are so highly regarded. Covers many difficult topics - longevity, friendship, guilt, trauma, illness, alcoholism, forgiveness and redemption. My husband and I both cried on a number of occasions, but there was also some great humour - we laughed, we cried, we enjoyed the cinematography. I'm not sure it was a true reflection of the average care home, it all seemed a bit too lovely. An effective juxtaposition with the couple as their younger selves, which was well cast. My only criticism was I felt the shoe horning into the plot of the traumatised much younger modern soldier didn't really work and for some reason those scenes jarred. It felt like an editor had requested the writers add them in later and it didn't quite work. A lovely film, but take some tissues.

Both Michael Caine(? Last film) and Glenda Jackson (her last film)give touching performances as husband and wife, in this nice, decent drama based on a true story.

I hope both Laura and I see out our days in a residential home by the seafront, like the one they live in here!!!

After a slew of hard going thriller/horrors- Nowhere, The Passenger it's nice to see something light and friendly- like a hot chocolate under the duvet on a cold wet day.

I took Mum to see this at the Curzon and she enjoyed it- seeing it at home with Dad in a fugue of cigarette smoke and heavy atmosphere would have dimmed the experience.

The general consensus of the elderly patrons at the screening was that it was a nice, moving film, well acted- I agree.