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A Rather English Marriage

  • TV Movie
  • 1998
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
656
YOUR RATING
A Rather English Marriage (1998)
Clip: Dancing Clip
Play clip2:23
Watch A Rather English Marriage
1 Video
10 Photos
Drama

A squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until... Read allA squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until their unlikely friendship is threatened by the arrival of an alluring woman with a hidden... Read allA squadron leader and a retired milkman decide to bury their differences and move in together after they are both widowed on the same night. They become a companionable, if odd, couple until their unlikely friendship is threatened by the arrival of an alluring woman with a hidden agenda.

  • Director
    • Paul Seed
  • Writers
    • Andrew Davies
    • Angela Lambert
  • Stars
    • Albert Finney
    • Tom Courtenay
    • Joanna Lumley
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    656
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Paul Seed
    • Writers
      • Andrew Davies
      • Angela Lambert
    • Stars
      • Albert Finney
      • Tom Courtenay
      • Joanna Lumley
    • 15User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 4 BAFTA Awards
      • 8 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    A Rather English Marriage
    Clip 2:23
    A Rather English Marriage

    Photos10

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    Top cast30

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    Albert Finney
    Albert Finney
    • Reggie Conyngham-Jervis
    Tom Courtenay
    Tom Courtenay
    • Roy Southgate
    Joanna Lumley
    Joanna Lumley
    • Liz Franks
    John Light
    John Light
    • Young Reggie
    Joanna Scanlan
    Joanna Scanlan
    • Sister
    Priyanga Burford
    Priyanga Burford
    • Dr. Swann
    • (as Priyanga Elan)
    Ursula Howells
    Ursula Howells
    • Mary
    Katie Carr
    Katie Carr
    • Young Mary
    Aileen O'Gorman
    • Grace
    Iain Jones
    • Young Roy
    Caroline Carver
    Caroline Carver
    • Young Grace
    Rebecca Norton
    • Nurse
    • (as Rebecca Clarke)
    Laura Heath
    • Felicity
    Rosamund Pike
    Rosamund Pike
    • Celia
    Lucy Robinson
    Lucy Robinson
    • Susan
    Jeremy Clyde
    Jeremy Clyde
    • Vivian
    Matthew Lloyd Davies
    • Chaggers
    Orlando Wells
    • Dogleg
    • Director
      • Paul Seed
    • Writers
      • Andrew Davies
      • Angela Lambert
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    7.7656
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    Featured reviews

    7grabberlime

    Reuniting A Fine Pair of Character Actors

    Finney & Courtenay are teamed again in this tale of two widowers who are drawn together by a well meaning social services worker.

    Finney seems at first coolly detached from his loss, while Courtenay is the far more visibly shaken of the two. Finney is essentially left with a lifetime interest in his home and a small annual stipend by his late wife. Courtenay needs companionship. The social worker brings them together in a marriage of convenience.

    Finney assumes the role of the master of the house and Courtenay essentially the man servant.For those who enjoyed the pair in 1984's The Dresser, Courtenay calling Finney "Sir" will bring a smile to your face.

    As the plot evolves, we see Finney deteriorating while Courtenay steps up to the plate to assume the more dominant role. Both are forced to face tragedy again during their time together and learn to adapt.

    The film deals with how people deal with grief, or choose not, and in the end, how we all must make that choice.
    9HenryHextonEsq

    Masterful Drama- brilliantly acted

    A really wonderful drama. A good plot, elevated hugely by two perfect performances from Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney. They are truly superb as Southgate (working-class) and Reggie ("The Squadron Leader"-staunchly upper-class), two widowers who strike an unlikely friendship to come to terms with life again. Finney and Courtenay truly show exactly what brilliant acting is, and this is comfortably the best original single drama in 1998.
    9ncdoc

    A beautifully performed tour de force by the two male leads and all supporting cast. A MUST for a serious movie person,

    Albert Finny and his co lead are superb,acting at its best!!!! A story and performance to remember. I think it fits the over 50-55 year old set best. Just wonderful entertainment with brilliant script. I will see it again...and again Dr G Catapano
    lorenellroy

    Wonderful

    The pairing of Courtenay and Finney,whose contrasting styles combine so well together,were brilliant in The Dresser,which makes their pairing in this drama so very welcome.They play contrasting men widowed on the same day and paired together by social services.Finney is a womanising ex=Battle of Britain pilot whose wife came from wealthy stock while Courteney is a former milkman.Courteney possesses all the requisite domestic skills while Finney would struggle to boil water without a recipe book. Against all odds and not helped by Finney's habit of assuming command they rub along well together until the arrival of Joanna Lumley a gold-digger who sets her sights on Finney

    Beautifully written and impeccably played character study.It illustrates that dumbing down ,while having achieved epidemic proportions on UK television,has not yet conquered all bastions of the box.
    7moonspinner55

    BBC production par excellence...

    Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay, reunited from 1983's "The Dresser", are just as impressive this time as two widowers, an elderly squadron leader and a retired milkman, who are put together by social services for convenience and companionship. Finney's blustery, randy woman-chaser, cheerfully bloated and lazy and horny, initially thinks of Courtenay as a prude, someone he can boss about. But efficient, humble Courtenay isn't willing to be a doormat, and Finney's appreciation of his housemate's quiet strength helps to produce a surprising friendship over time. Adaptation of Angela Lambert's book, produced for British television, is nimbly directed and edited, both frank and moving, providing the two justly-celebrated leads with rich character roles. Finney and Courtenay revel in these delicious dramatic opportunities and are a joy to watch.

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Television movie debut of Rosamund Pike (Celia). The same about Priyanga Burford.
    • Quotes

      Liz Franks: Reggie, I've done wrong. I can't marry you. I should never have agreed. I'm going away, abroad. Almost at once.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Where are you going?

      Liz Franks: Italy.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Is it some chap you met there?

      Liz Franks: No, it's not a chap. Oh, Reggie, darling, you're very sweet but I'm going to leave you. There's no point in saying sorry or anything. I won't even say that I never would have made you happy. But I'm not a nice person.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Thought we could have children.

      Liz Franks: [delicately] Oh, Reggie, darling, I'm 52.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: That's extraordinary. You look like a young girl to me. Will I see you again?

      Liz Franks: [on the verge of tears] No, I don't think so. But you never know.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: It was that young bloody nephew of mine, wasn't it? Sticking his nose in.

      Liz Franks: It was actually Southgate who put me in the picture. Did it quite tactfully.

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Did he?

      [sigh]

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: Well, it's over now.

      [pause]

      Reggie Conyngham-Jervis: You do look lovely Liz.

      Liz Franks: [crying] Please, Reggie, don't go on. I can't bear it.

      [Liz kisses Reggie on the cheek, leaving a lipstick smudge. She rubs it partially away with her thumb and stands]

      Liz Franks: Don't see me out.

    • Connections
      Featured in Masterpiece: A Rather English Marriage (1999)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Jeremy Burnham [United Kingdom]
      • PBS (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Женитьба по-английски
    • Filming locations
      • Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Wall to Wall Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 44m(104 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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