‘THE LADY IN THE VAN’
Alan Bennett is a national treasure. He’s also a gifted writer, a humorist and a shrewd judge of character. These all come together in his latest film. ’The lady in the van’ is a superb characterisation of an elderly vagabond who randomly parks her van with herself in it, along the streets of Camden in London. One day, the van breaks down and she persuades Alan Bennett who just happened to be passing, to help her push the van to an area which more suits her. But she remains in the area and from that moment on, the two begin a kind of psychological war dance.
What’s wonderful about this film is the writer’s honesty because it’s not just about her, it’s about him and how he deals with the waves of hostility as well as the compassion he feels for this elderly renegade. Profoundly mistrustful of him, she also knows how to operate and it’s only after her death, that the pieces of her sad life come together.
Marguerite Valentine is a former child protection specialist now writing psychological thrillers. Her debut novel is 'Between The Shadow And The Soul'.