Definitely not one for the Multiplexes this has Art House written all over it and it's all the better for it. There's a definite Checkovian 'feel' to this one, albeit minor Checkov, with five characters doing nothing much except give a Master Class in Screen Acting. If you actively look for such things you'll find resonances with titles like On Golden Pond and, having brought up Checkov I could argue that they could have re-titled it Two Sisters. Whatever it's a Collectors item even if the story is best not subjected to a strong light; two sisters, both widowed, continue to spend their summers in a cottage in Maine where, years ago, they could track whales briefly; now the whales have gone as has the metaphorical youth of the sisters. Sarah, Lillian Gish, has a suitor of sorts in Vincent Price, a White Russian who exists like Blanche du Bois on the kindness of strangers. Libby, Bette Davis, will have none of it and sends him on his way with a flea in his ear. The two other characters are Ann 'Maisie' Sothern, a friend of Sarah's for sixty years and Harry Carey Jnr - light years away from Monument Valley where he weighed in with support in almost every John Ford Western - as the local repairman. Gentle, Unobtrusive, Unforgettable.

The main draw for watching 'Whales of August' was the cast. Silent film star and DW Griffith favourite Lillian Gish in her final role. Bette Davis in one of her last. Horror icon Vincent Price against type. Seeing these legendary actors on their own is a delight in itself. Seeing them together in a story that sounded so graceful and touching was every bit as appealing and perhaps more so, even though their acting styles are very different to each other.

'Whales of August' turned out to be a truly beautiful film and couldn't have been a more perfect send off to Gish, can't think of any other silent film star to have a final appearance so good and so worthy of them. Few of them transitioned well to sound, but Gish shows that it is not impossible and it is one of the best examples. One would not think that Davis was not easy to work with later in life judging from the chemistry between the two and it is also proof that actors that tend to be typecast can do well against type as seen with Price. 'Whales of August' may test the patience for those that are not a fan of slow pacing and a good deal of talk, but to me this sort of film is right up my alley and this is a perfect example of why.

Sure, it is slight story-wise and will agree that Davis' dialogue is not always great and veers on overwrought.

However, so much is wonderful. The best aspect is the acting, which is masterly. Gish brings out all the charm that made her so appealing in her silent film days and also the pathos, that she always did so affectingly, that she had better than anybody in those days. It is a powerful final performance. She has beautiful chemistry with Davis, who is at times very subtle but at other times very vicious, doing so touchingly and unsettlingly. Especially in the quieter moments where her facial expressions and eyes tell so much, even the simpler ones.

Price proves that there is more to him than sinister, deliciously hammy and mysteriousness (which he always did brilliantly, one of the best in fact),his understated and sympathetic portrayal is truly a pleasure and one of the film's biggest surprises. The rest of the cast are great, with Oscar-nominated Ann Sothern being the standout, but not quite on the same level as those three.

It is a beautifully filmed film that is clearly in love with the picturesque scenery without being too in love with it. The direction is steady but also very classy and sympathetic, playing to the cast's strengths and making the absolute most out of them. The music doesn't intrude or overbear and the script doesn't ramble and is thoughtful and poetic, without falling into self indulgence, stumbling only with some of Davis' lines. The story is deliberately paced but also very charming and heart-breaking and the well fleshed out characters carry it beautifully.

Overall, truly great and a must if you want to see three legends at/towards the ends of their careers. 9/10.

I really liked this movie but could see most people being very bored by it as well. This is because I particularly drawn to this movie by its cast because I am a MAJOR old movie buff. The thought of seeing Lillian Gish, Bette Davis, Vincent Price, Ann Sothern and Harry Carey, Jr. again after all these years made this a must-see for me, but a lot of people have no idea who many (or even all) of these people are and the slow pace may irritate those who MUST have an action picture or comedy or nothing.

I must admit, the movie is very slow paced. But instead of this being an impediment, I see it as more a slow, leisurely movie based on older characters who SHOULD be slow due to their extreme age. What surprised me most was how incredibly spry and capable Lillian Gish was as an actress. I read that she was nearly 100 when this was filmed and she was EXTREMELY hard of hearing, but she pulled it off like a pro! Davis, though more than a decade younger, was much more infirmed and she spent most of her time yelling, acting senile and being nasty--but that also worked because that was the character she was playing. Unlike Gish and Davis, this was not Vincent Price's last movie (he did "Edward Scissorhands" just after this) and he is delightful as the charming and soon to be homeless neighbor.

Plot? Nah, it's not that important here--really. I mean YES, there is a plot but it really isn't that important--the joy of this movie comes from just turning on the camera and watching them do their craft.