The Company of Strangers [Strangers in Good Company] **** (1990, Alice Diabo, Constance Garneau, Beth Webber) – Classic Movie Review 10,983

Canadian director Cynthia Scott uses wonderfully spirited non-professionals to tell their own revealing life stories, and shoots in a disarmingly direct, naturalistic style, in the 1990 drama film The Company of Strangers [Strangers in Good Company].

A hard one to sell, this. Seven old ladies and one 27-year old get stranded in the gorgeous Quebec countryside when their tour bus breaks down, and they talk a lot while waiting for help.

Humorous, heartwarming and different, it is beautifully written and performed from a script (co-written by the director) based on extended interviews with the remarkable elderly women. When one of them finally discards her wig, it is a life-affirming act of liberation that you want to cheer.

It features Alice Diabo, Beth Webber, Constance Garneau, Winifred Holden, Cissy Meddings, Mary Meigs, Michelle Sweeney and Catherine Roche.

Although credited as written by Gloria Demers, with Cynthia Scott, David Wilson and Sally Bochner, this movie was mostly ad-libbed by the women, talking about their lives.

The Company of Strangers [Strangers in Good Company] is directed by Cynthia Scott, runs 101 minutes, is made by National Film Board of Canada, Bedford Entertainment and First Run Features, is released by National Film Board of Canada (1990) and Electric (UK), is written by Gloria Demers, Cynthia Scott, David Wilson and Sally Bochner, is shot by David de Volpi, is produced by David Wilson, is scored by Marie Bernard and designed by Christiane Gagnon (scenic artist).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,983

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