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AT Beecham House, a stately retirement home for classical musicians, the vagaries of old age are keenly felt among residents who once performed to packed theatres but are now reduced to bickering over the programme for the home's gala evening. Their skills have eroded and their health is fragile but once a diva always a diva, and being in the spotlight is always welcome.

Quartet is a movie in a minor key about a would-be reunion performance of Verdi's Rigoletto by four former opera singers. There are health problems and personal differences to overcome but it's nice to have a second chance, especially when life is deep into the final act.

For his directorial debut, Dustin Hoffman - no spring chicken at 75 - has chosen a story about ageing musicians who have been put to pasture.

This may seem like a lightweight theme for someone with two acting Oscars on his mantelpiece but as exemplified by recent movies like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 70 is proving to be the new 50 these days.

When those 70-somethings turn out to be veteran British actors like Maggie Smith (78), Pauline Collins (72), Tom Courtenay (75), Billy Connolly (70) and Michael Gambon (72), age is certainly no barrier to quality performances.

There might have been more walking sticks and hearing aids than usual on the film set but with so many consummate professionals present, Hoffman probably had an easier time than most first-time directors.

Growing old can be a drag. At Beecham House though, the atmosphere is more like an upscale frat house for the geriatric set. But the warm, well-balanced dynamic is interrupted by the arrival of new resident Jean Horton (Smith), a former star who is feeling vulnerable because her singing skills have diminished to the point where she no longer has the confidence to perform.

She secretly hopes to reconcile with other members of the Rigoletto quartet, who are already residents of the home.

These include her ex-husband Reggie (Courtenay), whose heart she broke and whose hopes for "a dignified senility" are now dashed; Wilf (Connolly), an incurable Lothario given to flirting with the female staff and relieving himself in public; and Cissy (Collins), a dotty dear whose mental faculties are fast receding.

Combined, their faces are more lined than a musical score sheet but they manage to retain a stiff upper lip about the fade to black that everyone eventually experiences. "Why do we have to get old?" Jean asks. "That's what people do," Reggie replies. "I was someone once," she says, forgetting perhaps that stardom is a privilege that touches only a few.

Many in the musically talented supporting cast were also "someone once" and during the end credits, it's a treat to see just who they were and how beautiful they were in their youth.

Quartet is unabashedly sentimental, with a storyline (written by Ronald Harwood, based on his play) that is painfully predictable. But watching these old pros at work is still a joy and thanks to the magic of the movies they will remain, in some eyes at least, forever young.

Rating: C+