Camilla (1994)

This is a rather silly, inconsistent and unconvincing piece of fluff. And yet, despite this, it is still very watchable and interesting.The plot, is quite convoluted and ever-changing. In fact, it's really secondary at best in the film. Because of this, I really want to explore the acting and writing and direction. This was Jessica Tandy's last film and she shows amazing vigor for a woman in the last months of her life. Her character is silly, but she infuses it with a lot of sentimentality and charm--and you can't help but like her. I also like her son as well as some of the VERY quirky characters you meet along the way. Graham Greene is perhaps the most charming car thief and nut-case, and the Indian-born small town sheriff is really pretty funny (though difficult to believe in rural Georgia). As for Bridget Fonda, she is okay in the film, but is clearly upstaged by Tandy.The journey, as handled by director Mehta, is slow and gorgeously framed. I have loved all the other movies I've so far seen from this director and look forward to seeing more. Even when the material is weak, her skill is quite evident.By the way, as I mentioned, the plot is a silly and muddled thing. Early in the film, Fonda says she no longer eats beef as she feels sorry for the poor cows and Tandy states that she NEVER eats meat. Later, they are sitting in a restaurant chowing down on cheeseburgers--sloppy touches like this are unforgivable for the writers.

This was Jessica Tandy's last movie, and even as an 80-something was lovely and sexy enough to do a nude skinny-dipping scene in the Atlantic off Georgia. Her foil was played by Bridget Fonda, and the main of the story is the two of them taking off to go back to Toronto to hear a Brahms violin concerto while Tandy's son and Fonda's husband are out of town on business. A highlight was a scene near the end when Camilla met up with her old boyfriend, played by her real husband, Hume Cronyn, and there is something very special seeing two actors who have been married for over 50 years do a romantic scene. Critic Ebert has a fairly accurate review, but I believe is overly harsh in his analysis of it being too contrived. The film was meant to be funny, with Camilla making up these grand stories and her flustered son trying to find out where she had run off to. All she wanted was to get back to her old Russian boyfriend. I would recommned this film to anyone who likes a "character" film. It felt more like they were allowing us, the audience, to enter in and become a part of their lives.

Noteworthy in the first place because of Jessica Tandy, a great actress. Because her acting is great also in this film, she looks so young and lively at 85, because it is her last film. But noteworthy also because of the rest of the cast, all of them credible and well-played. And certainly also noteworthy because of the script. It moves so effortlessly from light to heavy, from drama, to adventure, to comedy, and so equally effortlessly weaves in small subplots and sidelines. The writers really should have gotten top notch assignments after this great performance. Sad to see they didn't really. Also soundtrack fits very nicely (esp. the Brahms).I saw the film on TV in Romania, on a channel usually aimed at the housewives taste. The film deserves much better than that.

A gem of a movie! Jessica Tandy's Last screen credit, is yet another winning performance. Sweet and pleasant movie, never awarded the attention it deserved, however somehow to the average viewer it is not that memorable.Dealing with just a so-so story-line that is very soft and mellow. It won't be hard to like this movie, if you can acually find it at the video store. Tandy and Fonda work well together, but watch this one for Tandy's sake, she is a film legend, and deserves this one on us!