More proof that motion pictures are not all cliche and can be a delight to watch is the English gem, "Is Anybody There?" To say a movie that deals with death, decay and dementia is delightful shows just how well crafted this movie is. This is the story of The Amazing Clarence (Michael Caine) who is world weary as well as suffering from dementia. He comes to stay at an old folks home after a resident passes away. His eyes are tired and are as broken as is his soul. He is tired of being alone, tired of being nothing and tired of being old.
The retirement home is run by a middle age couple, (Anne-Marie Duff) and (David Morrissey) their son Edward (Bill Milner) is a ten year old who is obsessed with death. Edward had even placed a microphone recorder under the bed of the gentleman who just recently passed away. Edward just wants to hear or see proof of the other side so badly. When Clarence first comes to the house, Edward wants nothing to do with him, he even asks his father why he has to be there in the first place. When by accident Edward sees Clarence perform a trick Edward asks him if he is a magician, Clarence replies that "no I'm a retired flasher." The mood around the home is quite sad, their are several older people living in the house, everyone is suffering from one sort of ailment or another, their is a lady, Elsie (Rosemary Harris) who used to be a dance teacher but now has a plastic leg, one that is a little shorter than her real leg. She likes another resident, Reg (Leslie Philips) but he is unaware of her feelings because he can only find his in a bottle of liquor.
When Clarence tries to kill himself, Edward takes it upon himself to hide his ties, shoelaces and belts. When Clarence gets out of the hospital he and Edward start up a nice little friendship. Clarence notice that Edward has a fascination with the occult so he tells Edward that they should hold a seance in the basement. Edward agrees, and Clarence bangs the table around and knocks some stuff from the shelf, Edward buys the whole act. Soon Edward and Clarence are spending all their spare time together, and one day when Clarence takes Edward to where he has stored all his magic props, Edward learns that Clarence's wife is dead. The dementia starts to get worse and one day during a trip Clarence drives his van the wrong way and ends up in an accident. Everyone is ok but this scares Edward. The touching way that the two care for each other will move you. The two become friends, and when Clarence suggests Edward put on a magic show and invite his friends, Edward quickly agrees. During the party Clarence is on stage in all his glory, when he asks for a volunteer from the audience, he gets another older gentleman to sit in on the trick. In a bout of dementia Clarence forgets that he has fixed the machine and resets it, this causes the older gentleman to lose his finger. It is sad that a person can be reduced to this level and that no one cares. That a life can just waste away.
Edward also tapes his father hitting on the young girl who works for them, this causes Tanya (Linzey Cocker) to quit, just when Edwards mum needs her the most. When Edward plays the tape for his mum she throws her husband out. The tenderness that is displayed between Edward and Clarence is one of the best I've seen for characters with no love interest, or previous friendship involved. The movie is bleak and dark, it's set in a small seaside village in England in the eighties. Ninety per cent of the film is set in an old people's home, and the little that is set outside is dark, damp and lonely. Yet the overwhelming brilliance of Caine's portrayal of a man suffering with dementia allows all the dimensions of his talent to shine like a bright beacon.
I give Is Anybody There? a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0 this is a delightful film to watch, slow but graceful. This film is a really great example of British film making at its finest, rarely do we get an up close look at what its like to lose control, to wonder is anybody there?
Is Anybody There? is rated PG-13 for Language Including Sexual References and Some Disturbing Images
Running times is 1 hr. 32 mins.
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