Quartet

Set in 1920s Paris, Quartet follows Marya, a young woman of Antillean background who performs in a music hall and lives a carefree bohemian life with her Polish husband, Stephan. When Stephan is arrested for handling stolen artworks, Marya is left without money or means. An English couple, the wealthy art patrons H.J. and Lois Heidler, take her in. Lois sees that her husband's interest in Marya is not charitable, yet she agrees to the arrangement, and Marya's position in their household becomes increasingly difficult.

James Ivory directed the film, the second in the chronological list of his features given here, between The Europeans and Heat and Dust. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Michel Maingois and Ivory wrote the screenplay, and Ismail Merchant and Jean-Pierre Mahot produced it, with Merchant Ivory Productions among the companies behind it. Isabelle Adjani plays Marya, with Maggie Smith as Lois Heidler, Alan Bates as H.J. Heidler and Anthony Higgins as Stephan. The cast runs to 38 credited performers.

Released in October 1981, the film draws modest numbers: on IMDb it holds 6.2 from about 2,200 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 5.8 from 41 votes. A critics' rating of 5 out of 10 from 17 reviews places it close to the audience scores, indicating a largely muted reception rather than a clear divide between reviewers and viewers.