Ladies In Lavender
What they do not learn, what they cannot immediately discover, is how he happened to be in the sea that dark and stormy night: There was no shipwreck reported in the region. And so begins the mystery.
The sisters Widdington have lived quiet lives of certain desperation for many years: Janet is a widow, Ursula never married. Janet lived Life, for a time, and knew Love. Ursula has not known the same, but apparently holds it is never too late to do so: She has consideration for Andrea, and becomes somewhat possessive of him. Janet takes note of this and begins subtle indications she will stop it.
But before she can, before Ursula can act on her apparent desires, Andrea is paid a visit by Dr. Mead (David Warner), who advises he get bed rest. Andrea, apparently, is receptive to this, taking pleasure in watching the sunbeam come through the window and being waited on by the maid in the employment, Dorcas (Miriam Margolyes), a rather colorful character in an otherwise muted reality.
Eventually Andrea grows weary of his life, such as it is, and decides to go outside, where he meets Olga Danilof (Natascha McElhone), a painter of landscapes. She is not very accomplished or talent at what she does, but she is beautiful, young, speaks German, and quickly becomes his companion, much to the dismay and anguish of Ursula, who sees her one chance at Love slipping away.
Aside: It is ironic that Olga will become the key to Andrea's fate as a violinist. How this comes to be I will not say, for that would reveal too much of the mystery at hand.
And what is the mystery at hand? Andrea, who, it is suggested by the good doctor Mead, might be found to be a spy for the Germans. If this can be proven, then Andrea would like be sent off to prison, and Olga would be available to the doctor, who, it is learned, has interest in her.
Although the year in "Ladies In Lavender" is 1936, and Europe seems on the verge of war, the war and all elements related are, at best, superficial: When the local police chief stops by for a chat Andrea, with the prospect of being a spy, is quietly glossed over. So much so that if the matter of spies and spying had come up one might be hard pressed to qualify the content of
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