The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - 2011

The next film we profile is 2011's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", which features an all-star cast.  The film centers on a group of retirees who move to India from England in the hope's of finding a better retired life there.  When they arrive, nothing is at it was promised and now they must learn to navigate this strange new world.

The film's cast includes Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Maggie Smith, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie, Dev Patel, Tena Desae, Diana Hardcastle, Lillete Dubey, Sid Makkar, and Ramona Marquez.

We first meet Evelyn, a widow whose deceased husband has left her financial affairs in a mess.  Unable to continue living as she did, she must sell off her assets and decides to move to India after she sees a brochure for a hotel that offers wondrous living for retirees.

Graham is a London High Court judge who decides to retire.  He harbors a secret and is moving to India, not just to retire, but for something else entirely.

Douglas and Jean have to contend with a seriously reduced retirement fund after they invest it all in their daughter's start-up company.  Unhappy with their UK options, they decide to test the waters of India.

Mrs. Muriel Donnelly needs a hip replacement.  If she has on in England, she must wait for six months.  If she is outsourced to India, she can have one almost immediately.  The trouble is she is intensely prejudiced against people of any skin color but her own.

Norman is a lonely man who moves to India in the hopes of finding someone to make him feel worthwhile again.

Madge decides to move their as well.  Tired of her living her life out of someone else's home, she goes to India for a fresh start, as well as the chance to meet someone new.

Our characters all meet up at the airport.  Sitting together a row, they don't know they are all headed for the same destination.

Bad weather cancels their connecting flight in India.  Instead of waiting around for another flight, they decide to get a bus to take them to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

As Evelyn says, to the uninitiated, India is an assault on the senses.  Our weary travelers pack into a crowded bus for hours as they make their sometimes perilous journey to their destination.

They arrive at a hotel that's severely run down and overseen by an very young, incompetent manager.  Having nowhere else to go, they all decide to stay.

To some degree, they all start getting involved with life again.  Graham goes on a quest, and ends up teaching the finer points of cricket to some local kids.

In need of money, Evelyn goes to work at a call center, where she helps teach the callers how to speak with older people.

Douglas tries to immerse himself in the cultural life of India.  His wife, Jean, however, can barely manage to leave her room, let alone the hotel.  She cannot come to terms with her new living arrangement.

The manager's (Sonny) mother comes to the hotel and tries to intervene in her son's love life.  She's got an arranged marriage all ready for him, but Sonny already has a girlfriend he wants to marry.

Mrs. Donnelly has her hip operation and befriends a servant girl from the lowliest caste, overcoming her staunch prejudice in the process.  She also observes the comings and goings of the other hotel residents.

Sonny takes time to talk to his girlfriend, Sunaina, about their future and his plans.  "It has to succeed.  It has to," he tells her.  "Because then you can stand up to your family?" she asks.  "Because then I can stand next to you," comes his reply.

Madge and Norman join the local country club in the hopes of meeting new people.  Norman meets Carol and is instantly smitten.  Madge still can't seem to find anyone.

Graham dies unexpectedly of a heart condition, and the hotel residents travel to Udaipur for his cremation and the scattering of his ashes.  His death brings the reality of their time of life freshly to the forefront of their minds.

As Jean retreats further away from the world and gets constantly more negative, Douglas and Evelyn grow closer.  They share many talks and find they have a lot in common.

Eventually, Jean decides to leave India.  Douglas tries to get her to stay, but she begs him to not come after her.  She flies back to England, and Douglas stays in India.

Mrs. Donnelly eventually becomes the assistant manager of the hotel.  With everyone finding an excuse to leave India, she uses her observations of them to get them to stay.

Sonny finds a way forward with Sunaina, and Douglas and Evelyn also begin their romance.

Evelyn ends the film with the following phrase: "Everything will be all right in the end.  So if it is not all right, it is not yet the end."

Cast rundown:

   Judi Dench............................Evelyn Greenslade

   Tom Wilkinson.......................Graham Dashwood

   Bill Nighy..............................Douglas Ainslie

   Penelope Wilton.....................Jean Ainslie

   Maggie Smith........................Muriel Donnelly

   Ronald Pickup........................Norman Cousins

   Celia Imrie............................Madge Hardcastle

   Dev Patel..............................Sonny Kapoor

   Tena Desae...........................Sunaina

   Diana Hardcastle....................Carol Parr

   Lillete Dubey..........................Mrs. Kapoor

   Sid Makkar.............................Jay

   Ramona Marquez....................Madge's Grandchild

And that's it for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  Filming took place in India, particularly in the state of Rajasthan, including the cities of Jaipur and Udaipur.  Ravla Khempur, an equestrian hotel, serves as the site of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  The building dates from the 1620s.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.