---
product_id: 1533558
title: "Quartet"
price: "₱1302"
currency: PHP
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1533558-quartet
store_origin: PH
region: Philippines
---

# Quartet

**Price:** ₱1302
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Quartet
- **How much does it cost?** ₱1302 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ph](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1533558-quartet)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
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## Description

Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman has never been one to zig when he can zag. Not only did he wait until he was in his mid-70s to direct his first feature film, but his crowd-pleasing adaptation of Ronald Harwood's 1999 play is a thoroughly British affair. Set at one of England's most scenic estates, the fictional Beecham House for Retired Musicians, Quartet centers on four opera singers. Cecily (Pauline Collins), Wilfred (Billy Connolly), and Reginald (Tom Courtenay, who appeared in Harwood's The Dresser ) are busy preparing for the annual Verdi Gala when word spreads about a famous new resident. After Reggie catches sight of the elegant figure, his excitement about the benefit gives way to sorrow: it's his ex-wife, Jean ( Downton Abbey 's Maggie Smith). If the amusingly acid-tongued Jean appears to have moved on--she's married twice since--Reggie hasn't, and still blames her for the failure of their brief marriage. Under the directorship of the supremely self-satisfied Cedric (Michael Gambon), the entire facility continues to rehearse for the concert, except Jean, who says she's retired from singing, though her former partners long to perform their acclaimed version of Verdi's Rigoletto . As they concentrate on persuading her to reconsider, the ice between Reggie and Jean starts to thaw just as Cissy's memory starts to fade, but priorities shift as old friends become reacquainted. If Quartet doesn't offer many significant surprises, Hoffman skillfully honors the humor, the romance, and the wall-to-wall music--most played by veteran performers--of Harwood's warm-hearted script. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Beecham House is abuzz. The rumor circling the halls is that the home for retired musicians is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it's a star. For Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay), Wilfred Bond (Billy Connolly) and Cecily Robson (Pauline Collins) this sort of talk is par for the course at the gossipy home. But they're in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Can the passage of time heal old wounds? And will the famous quartet be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House's gala concert?

Review: Loved this film. - For me, anything with Maggie Smith is a must-see. This film was no exception. The mix of humor and deep feelings was perfect. The incomparable elegance of Maggie Smith was a wonderful counterpoint to the whimsical, yet almost sad, humor added by Billy Connolly.
Review: Suddenly 5 stars are not enough. - What will follow will be a sophisticated adult version of a 10-year-old squealing OMG I love this movie, with six L s and about 10 !'s As I write this review there are 285 four and five star reviews two hundred of them five-star, 28 one or two star reviews and 48 straddling three stars. Several of the movie haters speak of technical problems with the DVD and perhaps should not be counted. You should be aware that some folks have had technical issues. Others who speak against the movie seem to be upset that the language is not uniformly dignified. I'm not sure what to say to that. The language seemed very authentic. One soul felt that the movie was to geriatric. I'm guessing they missed all of the advertisements and did not pay attention to the picture on the cover. One negative person sniffed that this movie did not deal authentically with aging issues. This is not an issues movie; Quartet is if anything a slice of life -it is just happens that the slice of life under discussion is very close to the end-of-life. Director Dustin Hoffman has assembled one of those classic casts of British performers who are as at ease in supporting roles as in leading roles and know how to impart a quality depth to every performance. The philosophy on display here is that there are no small roles and small actors need not apply. While the performances and the script tends to favor classifying this is a comedy, the underlining theme is that these are people serious as death. Quartet takes place in a retirement home for British musicians. Overall these are plush quarters but clearly assignments are made based on the reputation and status of the now retired artists. The story arc revolves around the long ago failed marriage between newly arriving Opera diva Jean Horton (Dame Maggie Smith) and equally diva -ish longer retired Reginald Pajet ( Tom Courtenay). Between them must be resolved first the issues that ended their marriage issues he has never gotten over. And second her loss of confidence in her singing ability so that she can participate in an upcoming fundraiser needed to keep the retirement home open. We can be almost confident how the story lines will be resolved but the brilliance in the writing is to keep us just enough unsure such that the dramatic tension holds through to the end. The real story line in quartet and the reason why I will not shrugged it off as a light comedy is in the nature of the personalities involved. The most immediate fact is that these are old people very aware that they are losing all of their individual capabilities due to their advancing age. These people are very aware that death awaits them impatiently. Secondly these people are all artists used to performing at very high levels. All have had to make sacrifices in the name of their artistic skills and now they are facing the fact that they must now sacrifice their standings as artists. There is an old expression "nothing quite focuses the mind like the certainty that one is to die in the morning". A premise of quartet is that to the degree that these minds can focus; they are aware that time is against them. Consequently decisions that have been delayed for years have to be attended to rapidly and in such a manner as to leave them neither compromised nor dissatisfied with their decisions. Ultimately these are people who choose to enjoy the time that is left to them. Besides a very well written story, a first class team of actors and one of those classic British Manor home film sets; Quartet is graced with the plethora of enjoyable small things. There is a 2 to 3 second image of a young girl in a white summer pinafore running across a green grass trailing a red shawl. It is visually breathtaking. There is a similar visual of Dame Maggie Smith in a simple, regal turquoise dress suit striding into the dining room which again speaks to what superb cameramen can achieve. Dir. Hoffman has filled the retirement home with real musicians. They are honored in the closing credits and they honor us with beautiful musical interludes throughout the movie. Something else Dustin Hoffman gets correct is that faces do not have to be conventionally beautiful to be beautiful. If there is one thing that American movies tend to render boring it's conventionally beautiful faces. From beginning to end quartet is filled with faces that are not normally allowed in close-ups and the movie is better for this decision. I am a huge fan of small-scale movies that do not require lots of flashing lights or loud noises or huge scale issues. Quartet is homage to art, to artistry and a movie that respects and therefore honors the elderly. This movie could have become maudlin or morose. It has more than a few cliches except that they are all used in creative and original ways. If you haven't figured it out yet I like this movie and I recommend it without hesitation.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Contributor | Billy Connolly, Dario Suter, Dickon Stainer, Dustin Hoffman, Finola Dwyer, Jamie Laurenson, Maggie Smith, Marc Schmidheiny, Michael Gambon, Pauline Collins, Stewart Mackinnon, Tom Courtenay, Xavier Marchand Contributor Billy Connolly, Dario Suter, Dickon Stainer, Dustin Hoffman, Finola Dwyer, Jamie Laurenson, Maggie Smith, Marc Schmidheiny, Michael Gambon, Pauline Collins, Stewart Mackinnon, Tom Courtenay, Xavier Marchand See more |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,610 Reviews |
| Format | Color, Multiple Formats, NTSC, Widescreen |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Initial release date | 2013-01-11 |
| Language | English |

## Product Details

- **Genre:** Comedy
- **Format:** Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
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}));  Pauline Collins, Jamie Laurenson, Dario Suter, Dickon Stainer, Finola Dwyer, Tom Courtenay, Maggie Smith, Marc Schmidheiny, Billy Connolly, Dustin Hoffman, Stewart Mackinnon, Xavier Marchand, Michael GambonPauline Collins, Jamie Laurenson, Dario Suter, Dickon Stainer, Finola Dwyer, Tom Courtenay, Maggie Smith, Marc Schmidhei…    See more
- **Language:** English
- **Color:** Color

## Images

![Quartet - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91fdk--5JrL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this film.
*by K***R on February 28, 2026*

For me, anything with Maggie Smith is a must-see. This film was no exception. The mix of humor and deep feelings was perfect. The incomparable elegance of Maggie Smith was a wonderful counterpoint to the whimsical, yet almost sad, humor added by Billy Connolly.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Suddenly 5 stars are not enough.
*by P***D on July 24, 2013*

What will follow will be a sophisticated adult version of a 10-year-old squealing OMG I love this movie, with six L s and about 10 !'s As I write this review there are 285 four and five star reviews two hundred of them five-star, 28 one or two star reviews and 48 straddling three stars. Several of the movie haters speak of technical problems with the DVD and perhaps should not be counted. You should be aware that some folks have had technical issues. Others who speak against the movie seem to be upset that the language is not uniformly dignified. I'm not sure what to say to that. The language seemed very authentic. One soul felt that the movie was to geriatric. I'm guessing they missed all of the advertisements and did not pay attention to the picture on the cover. One negative person sniffed that this movie did not deal authentically with aging issues. This is not an issues movie; Quartet is if anything a slice of life -it is just happens that the slice of life under discussion is very close to the end-of-life. Director Dustin Hoffman has assembled one of those classic casts of British performers who are as at ease in supporting roles as in leading roles and know how to impart a quality depth to every performance. The philosophy on display here is that there are no small roles and small actors need not apply. While the performances and the script tends to favor classifying this is a comedy, the underlining theme is that these are people serious as death. Quartet takes place in a retirement home for British musicians. Overall these are plush quarters but clearly assignments are made based on the reputation and status of the now retired artists. The story arc revolves around the long ago failed marriage between newly arriving Opera diva Jean Horton (Dame Maggie Smith) and equally diva -ish longer retired Reginald Pajet ( Tom Courtenay). Between them must be resolved first the issues that ended their marriage issues he has never gotten over. And second her loss of confidence in her singing ability so that she can participate in an upcoming fundraiser needed to keep the retirement home open. We can be almost confident how the story lines will be resolved but the brilliance in the writing is to keep us just enough unsure such that the dramatic tension holds through to the end. The real story line in quartet and the reason why I will not shrugged it off as a light comedy is in the nature of the personalities involved. The most immediate fact is that these are old people very aware that they are losing all of their individual capabilities due to their advancing age. These people are very aware that death awaits them impatiently. Secondly these people are all artists used to performing at very high levels. All have had to make sacrifices in the name of their artistic skills and now they are facing the fact that they must now sacrifice their standings as artists. There is an old expression "nothing quite focuses the mind like the certainty that one is to die in the morning". A premise of quartet is that to the degree that these minds can focus; they are aware that time is against them. Consequently decisions that have been delayed for years have to be attended to rapidly and in such a manner as to leave them neither compromised nor dissatisfied with their decisions. Ultimately these are people who choose to enjoy the time that is left to them. Besides a very well written story, a first class team of actors and one of those classic British Manor home film sets; Quartet is graced with the plethora of enjoyable small things. There is a 2 to 3 second image of a young girl in a white summer pinafore running across a green grass trailing a red shawl. It is visually breathtaking. There is a similar visual of Dame Maggie Smith in a simple, regal turquoise dress suit striding into the dining room which again speaks to what superb cameramen can achieve. Dir. Hoffman has filled the retirement home with real musicians. They are honored in the closing credits and they honor us with beautiful musical interludes throughout the movie. Something else Dustin Hoffman gets correct is that faces do not have to be conventionally beautiful to be beautiful. If there is one thing that American movies tend to render boring it's conventionally beautiful faces. From beginning to end quartet is filled with faces that are not normally allowed in close-ups and the movie is better for this decision. I am a huge fan of small-scale movies that do not require lots of flashing lights or loud noises or huge scale issues. Quartet is homage to art, to artistry and a movie that respects and therefore honors the elderly. This movie could have become maudlin or morose. It has more than a few cliches except that they are all used in creative and original ways. If you haven't figured it out yet I like this movie and I recommend it without hesitation.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2012 Quartet, NOT Merchant Ivory!
*by J***E on January 24, 2013*

Here is a cast to die for, playing characters in a home for retired opera singers; they are preparing for their annual celebration of Verdi's birthday. But there is a "spanner (wrench) in the works" when a former diva arrives, in the person of Maggie Smith. Based on the play by Ronald Harwood and directed by first-timer Dustin Hoffman, this delicious PG-13 comedy bathes us in classical music, witty dialogue and a lovely setting. In fact the opening credits include some of the finest editing I've had the pleasure to enjoy in recent years. Kudos to Barney Pilling for the film editing; Ben Smith for the art direction; and Dustin Hoffman for respecting the music. The world of opera is a relatively small one, so it is no surprise that a few of these divas and divos have a shared "history," and therein lies our tale. Let's look at some of this wonderful cast: * Maggie Smith ("Downton Abbey") is Jean, who always had at least 12 curtain calls but hasn't been in the spotlight for far too long! * Michael Gambon ("Harry Potter") is Cedric, in charge of the star-studded gala, with a towering ego of his own. * Billy Connolly ("Brave") is Wilf, proof positive that an old horn dog never quits sniffing around. * Tom Courtenay ("Gambit") is Reggie, a kind, considerate fellow who is still nursing a broken heart. * Pauline Collins ("You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger") is Cissy, the sweet busybody who can't think of one bad thing to say about anyone. Just a couple of important tips: 1) If you have any hearing problems, either see this in a theater that features closed captions, or wait for the DVD with Amazon.com so you can turn on the subtitles. 2) Be sure to stay through the final credits because Mr Hoffman generously included the faces of many of the performers, along with a head shot of that same performer during his or her heyday. What a beautiful finale! BTW: I just received my DVD from Amazon and it DOES have closed captions. Yippee!

## Frequently Bought Together

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*Product available on Desertcart Philippines*
*Store origin: PH*
*Last updated: 2026-09-11*