Maggie Smith's face
deserves an Oscar. More specifically, her vast array of contorted and
puckered facial expressions deserve an Oscar. Downton Abbey
appearances have consolidated
her popularity for acerbic put-downs and withering one-liners and her
latest film, The Lady in the Van,
will only cement
her position as a national treasure.
The Lady in the Van
started off life as an Alan
Bennett memoir, based on the (mostly) true story of his encounter
with a certain Miss Shepherd, an old and cantankerous lady who parked
her van “temporarily” on his London driveway and then proceeded
to stay there for 15 years. Later came a stage adaptation – in
which Maggie Smith also played Miss Shepherd – and now a film,
directed by Nicholas Hytner. Anyone who is a fan of Alan Bennett is
bound to enjoy this snug adaptation, saturated as it is with his
recognisable style of humour and observations on human nature.
On
the surface, Nicholas Hytner's film is a fairly safe and warm-hearted
affair, held together by Smith's domineering performance. No other
actress could have taken on the role of Miss Shepherd, a woman with a
mysterious past and a love of yellow paint and the Blessed Virgin
Mary - “I've had guidance”, she says when asked why she's moved
her van on to double yellows. Of course, her well-to-do neighbours
are not overly pleased when she decides to park up in Gloucester
Crescent, terrorising the young children for holding a concert in the
street and lambasting social workers for bringing her second-hand
coats: “green is not my colour!”. She is eccentric, rude, bigoted
and unhygienic in equal measure. And yet, she's all-the-more loveable
for it.
Credit
goes to Smith, of course, but Alex Jennings as the exasperated Alan
Bennett also offers plenty of laughs. The screenplay's inventive use
of “two” Alan Bennetts on-screen – the writer and the person –
allows for the author's internal monologues to shine through and
explores more poignant themes of loss and old age. The film's
supporting cast reads like a who's-who of Alan Bennett and Nicholas
Hytner's past creative partnerships: James Corden, Russell Tovey,
Dominic Cooper, Sacha Dhawan, Stephen Campbell Moore and Frances de
la Tour all starred in 2006's The History Boys and
pop up again in The Lady in the Van.
The
appearance of these actors hints at one of the film's weaknesses: at
times, it feels a little too self-congratulatory and entrenched in
Alan Bennett's world. Whilst it is true that much of the comedy is
funny and the character of Miss Shepherd is perfect, it often felt as
though there was no real spark to lift the whole thing up a level. In
other words, it will do little to win over those who aren't a fan of
Alan Bennett's work.
Maggie
Smith's twinkle in her eye and fierce performance is enough of a
reason to see The Lady in the Van.
It is a comfortable film which balances eccentricity with telling
insights into human nature and compassion. The main problem is its
self-indulgence which threatens to undermine many of the funnier
jokes and sequences. That said, Maggie Smith is fantastic. Have I
already said that?!
Clapperboard Rating: * * *
