My Old Lady (2014)

An American inherits an apartment in Paris that comes with an unexpected resident.

Director:

Israel Horovitz

Writers:

Israel Horovitz (written for the screen by), Israel Horovitz (play)

Stars:

Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Kline	...	Mathias Gold
Michel Burstin	...	Rabbi on Bicycle
Elie Wajeman	...	Man at Gate
Maggie Smith	...	Mathilde Girard
Raphaële Moutier	...	Woman on Bicycle
Sophie Touitou	...	Female Opera Singer
Dominique Pinon	...	Auguste Lefebvre
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Chloé Girard
Christian Rauth	...	Furniture Dealer
Delphine Lanson	...	Femme de Ménage
Noémie Lvovsky	...	Dr. Florence Horowitz
Stéphane De Groodt	...	Philippe
Jean-Christophe Allais	...	Jean-Christophe
Jocelyne Vignon	...	Chef
Nathalie Bernas	...	Younger Kissing Couple

Storyline

Mathias, a penniless fifty-odd-year-old New Yorker, lands in Paris. Both cynical and at the end of his tether, he looks forward to selling the mansion house his late father owned in the Marais district. But what he finds out there just appalls him: his secretive dad had never told him he had acquired the property as a life lease, a typically French custom he never heard of. As a consequence, not only will poor Mathias be unable to sell the house into cash (at least as long as Mathilde stays alive) but he will have to pay the old lady a pension into the bargain...!

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | dysfunctional family | cheating husband | cheating wife | selling an apartment | 

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Taglines:

He's in the will. She's in the way.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 2014 (UK)

Also Known As:

Mi vieja y querida dama

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$124,680, 12 September 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,011,530, 9 January 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Cohen Media Group, Deux Chevaux Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This picture reunites Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas for the second time as mother and daughter roles. They starred in Keeping Mum together first.

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Goofs

Lefebvre says he bought his boat with a viager and that he was lucky because the owner died six days later. Under French law the seller must live for at least 20 days after the contracts are signed.

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Quotes

Mathilde Girard: Englishness is so obvious, you have no choice.

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Crazy Credits

Midway through the credits, Mathias reveals his final decision on what he will do with the apartment and why. Additionally, after the end credits Mathias asks LeFebvre where he learned to speak English.

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Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

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Soundtracks

La ci darem la mano
(uncredited)
from "Don Giovanni"
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

User Reviews

Slow throughout but worth a watch

25 November 2014 Fiona's Second Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - My Old Lady. I thought this was going to be a comedy, but in reality the best mildly funny scenes were all included in the trailer. Having said that, this was a very touching film about relationships and dysfunctional families and a very strange set of French Laws. In a nutshell, Mathias Gold, played by Kevin Kline, inherits an apartment in France from his late father. Spending his last dime to travel to Paris he discovers to his dismay that the apartment comes with a tenant Mathilde Girard (Maggie Smith) who is allowed to stay there until her death, and to compound things he has to pay rent to her. Determined to find a way to sell the apartment and make some money Mathias tries everything he can to achieve his goal. As the story progresses we meet Chloe who is Mathilde's daughter and has issues of her own. Although slow in places this charming film winds it's way through the streets of Paris much as the seine flows past Notre Dame and once again having watched a film set in France I find myself wanting to go and visit once again.