Joan Collins and Pauline Collins escape from retirement home in new film 'The Time of Their Lives'

Pauline and Joan Collins. Photo: Joan Collins ‏@Joancollinsdbe

Filming has begun on Joan Collins' next new romp: a film called The Time of Their Lives in which the 83-year-old star cavorts around France's ÎIe de Ré.

Collins, pictured here in he first official image from the film, plays former Hollywood siren Helen, who escapes the comforts of her London retirement home to gatecrash her ex-lover's funeral in the glamorous resort on the west coast of France.

She's assisted in her runaway mission by Priscilla, a downtrodden English housewife trapped in an unhappy marriage played by Pauline Collins.

The pair of them embark upon a road trip that will change their lives forever, especially when they encounter Alberto, an eccentric Italian painter (Italian film star Franco Nero) who finds himself in the middle of a love triangle.

The main cast are joined by Joely Richardson (101 Dalmatians, The Tudors) and Ronald Pickup (Best Exotic Marigold Hotel).

Filming commenced last week in France, before the cast and crew return to the UK to shoot scenes in Portsmouth and Bournemouth and then on to various London locations. Collins has been keeping her fans posted with updates on her Twitter account.

The Time of Their Lives hopes to reflect the success of other films which have been aimed at the "grey pound", such as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Quartet and Philomena.

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