Sir Michael Caine was recently quoted as saying that Is Anybody There? is "...an extraordinary film. It's the only script I've ever read that made me cry." High-praise indeed!

Is Anybody There? has been produced by David Heyman, who has worked on the Harry Potter films.

Set in an English seaside town in the Eighties, Caine plays a former magician, called Clarence, who forges an unlikely friendship with a lonely afterlife-obsessed boy called Edward. Sir Michael's character, who gradually succumbs to dementia during the film, is one of the residents of an old people's home which is run by Edward's parents.

The cast of Is Anybody There? also includes: former Coronation Street actress Thelma Barlow, former Shameless actress Anne-Marie Duff and former Carry On film actor Leslie Phillips.

Locations used during the making of the film included: Folkestone in Kent and Hastings in East Sussex. Studio work saw cast members at the historic Borehamwood-based Elstree Studios, where more-recently Caine returned to shoot scenes in Stage 8 for the film, Harry Brown.

Is Anybody There?, incidentally, was fated to be the final film of the veteran actress Elizabeth Spriggs. Spriggs sadly passed away while post production work took place on the film.

Is Anybody There? looks set to be one of the best films to be released during 2009. Already one film critic has gone on record as saying: "The marvellous Michael Caine gives one of the best performances of his career."

I am, of course, really pleased that Elstree Studios was used during the making of this film. And I must admit that I personally cannot wait to see this film for myself.

Is Anybody There? opens at UK cinemas on Friday 1st May 2009.

© Paul Burton