Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War (2002)

After her husband's death and being forced into a nursing home, a woman starts looking for independence.

Director:

Ian Sharp

Writers:

Vernon Coleman (book), Malcolm Stone (adaptation)

Stars:

Pauline Collins, Peter Capaldi, Anna Wilson-Jones

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pauline Collins	...	Thelma Caldicot
Peter Capaldi	...	Derek
Anna Wilson-Jones	...	Veronica
Gwenllian Davies	...	Audrey
Sheila Reid	...	Joyce
Frank Mills	...	Leslie
Frank Middlemass	...	Bernard
John Alderton	...	Hawksmoor
Isla Blair	...	Matron
Paul Freeman	...	Jenkins
Martin Jarvis	...	JB
Tony Robinson	...	Nick Reid
Terence Rigby	...	Henry Caldicot
Wanda Ventham	...	Victoria
Angela Bruce	...	Gina

Storyline

Not so aged widow Thelma Caldicot is coerced into a rest home by her manipulative son and daughter-in-law after the death of her bullying husband. Apathy turns to anger and then action as the medication is discarded and Thelma discovers her mettle. She and her aged cohorts stage a rebellion but the result is something nobody envisaged.

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Plot Keywords:

walk out | widow | retirement home | mother son relationship | protest | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Did You Know?

Goofs

In the scene where everyone is watching the TV interview from the hotel room, there is a reflection in the silver serving trays of the studio lighting rig. Something moves back and forward, possibly a boom mic.

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Quotes

[Thelma is being interviewed on national television about her "mass breakout" from the nursing home; Nick Reid, the interviewer, is trying to be provocative]
Thelma Caldicot: Mrs Caldicot, you're in the news because you led a walk out at the Twilight Years rest home. Now it's being said that you led the walk out because you couldn't stand cabbage. That's rather extreme, isn't it?
[audience sniggers]
Thelma Caldicot: Well, it's true that I didn't want to eat any more cabbage., but that's not why I left. I left because it was a ...
[...]

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Soundtracks

DOWN AT THE OLD BULL & BUSH
Composed by Harry von Tilzer (as Harry Von Tilzer), Andrew B. Sterling, Russel Hunting and Percy Krone
Published by B. Feldman & Co. Ltd and Redwood Music Ltd

User Reviews

Life you wouldn't want of a care home.

This film shows just how people are regarded over the age of 60, and unfortunately because generations are getting older, it will only get worse. Everyone in this film shows just what can be achieved if you don't have to sit & eat cabbage and be doped up to the eye balls.

Pauline Collins, plays her part so well, to be put into a home, just because her son (Peter Capaldi) and his wife want her home after his father dies, and now his mother has become "past it." The film shows just how in a position to either be putting someone in to a care home, or being made to go into a care home should be aware of, because this certainly is an eye opener. People are not "past it" just because they don't work, or have lost their partners.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 January 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Guerra do Repolho

Filming Locations:

Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$999,142

Company Credits

Production Co:

Evolution Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)