While THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is no Oscar contender, it is a film of great value to many who are living what is known as the advanced years of life. It has value as entertainment and equally as a practical philosophic guide to soaking up all the riches that old age can offer, if lived with zest and optimism.
I suppose that anyone who has an interest in this film realizes that THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is a sequel to THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, which came out in 2011. In the first movie, a group of unhappy British pensioners leave their native country for India for various reasons—all of which have to do with discontentment, lack of money, desperation, and/or ill health. In fact, whether seen as individuals or in a batch, they begin their journey as a very sorry lot!
In the first film, they form a community at a ramshackle hotel run by the aptly-named Sonny, a young man who has more dreams than money in the bank. Over a period of a couple months, most of these seniors move from being decrepit oldsters to adventurers in a new and wondrous world.
And so, with the sequel, the viewer rejoins this rejuvenated band of oldsters as they pursue the many possibilities that are available to them. What makes this and the first film so enjoyable are several elements.
First, there is the cast—and what a cast it is! Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, and others. They are among the apex of British stage and screen actors of their generations.
Then, there are the beautiful lush colors and textures: the vibrant hues of cotton and silk clothing, fabrics in the marketplace, exotic flowers, and the architecture. There also are picturesque ceremonial offerings of modern Indian culture.
Even though the screenplay does little more than follow the adventures of the characters, it sustains the viewers’ interests and keeps the story moving fairly nicely. One false note, however, is the sudden reappearance of Penelope Wilton in the sequel. In the first film, her character left India in no uncertain terms, with no expectations ever to return. The brief scenes with Wilton are relatively useless to the plot; they could have been covered in a Skype call. Could Penelope Wilton’s great popularity as Mrs. Crawley in DOWNTON ABBEY have prompted the MARIGOLD producers to recall this actress for a couple scenes in the sequel?
What further moves the film along are the constant reminders that old age doesn’t call for sitting in god’s waiting room till your name is called. There can be romance, meaningful work, learning, friendship, and community.
Will there be a THIRD BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL? Probably, and I certainly hope so. As the young and optimistic Sonny keeps saying, “Everything will be all right at the end, and, if it isn’t all right, it isn’t the end.”
Audrey Kupferberg is a film and video archivist and appraiser. She teaches film studies at the University at Albany and has co-authored several entertainment biographies with her husband and creative partner, Rob Edelman.
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