Lady Henderson präsentiert

Oh isn't she terrific?! As a Brit, I get a bit tee-ed off with the 'heritage' type of movie; the type that present a picture that never existed, but the very presence of the old dame gives Mrs Henderson Presents a really uplifting quality. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, all the performances were excellent, Judes of course, but Bob Hoskins as well... oh, and Will Young - he reminded me of Tommy Tune in The Boyfriend - well worth a few quid of anyone's money! I saw it at a preview screening and had the good fortune to chat with Bob Hoskins after the film. He was wonderful, a pocket-sized bundle of fun (though Bob, you owe me two fags). I asked him what it was like working with the Dame (she has a reputation for being totally committed and therefore can be a bit scary). He grinned a grin the size of the Dartford Tunnel and said 'Judy! She frightened the effing (though he didn't say 'effing')life out of me!!' It was a great moment - he's one of my heroes; stunning in The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa... and a little, grey-haired old lady terrified him!! He said she on the ball twenty four hours a day and worked like a trouper. Wonderful!!! I would absolutely recommend Mrs Henderson Presents; it's nostalgic, yes; it's a bit contrived; but hey, artistic license is allowed still isn't it? And I'd rather watch this than sit through turgid dross like Notting Hill or Four Weddings. As British films go - this might just signal a bit of a comeback - we can but hope.

I cannot believe how badly this lovely film has been savaged on IMDb.

Apart from spectacular vaudeville staging, Judi Dench plays her eccentric, mischievous widow to perfection and the excellent Bob Hoskins is cast surprisingly out of type as a reserved, rather complex, gentlemanly but iron-willed theatre manager. Their argumentative relationship is amusing without being overbearing, as the film is essentially a nicely balanced ensemble piece. Dench's character Laura Henderson turns out to have a very touching motivation for her desire to stage daring musicals for brave young men off to war. Will Young gives an astonishingly strong vocal performance throughout. His mannered vocal style is perfect, and he looks every inch the part on stage. His few brief moments of acting are nothing to blush over either. Kelly Reilly, the star of the naked girlie reviews, is quite simply mesmerising to watch, and ultimately her character is full of pathos.

And if none of that were enough to engage you, you've got an interesting wartime plot, based on true events in the history of the Windmill Theatre, which in current circumstances feels highly topical and relevant for Londoners. 9/10

This little gem was given a bad review by a local newspaper critic and I couldn't disagree more!! I loved it. Judy Dench (the wonderful) and Bob Hoskins are fabulous in their roles and I loved the flirtatious undercurrents. This film made me laugh and cry .... I left the theatre feeling lovely ... what more could you ask for in a movie?? The history of the Windmill Theatre and the (ludicrious) laws allowing the nudes on stage was very interesting. I think Will Young did very well in his first movie, I am an oldie who enjoys his singing. All in all a great movie, Judy Dench fans wont be disappointed, and I hope some younger movie goers give it a go as its well worth the viewing.

As the closing feature of the 2005 St. Louis International Film Festival, "Mrs. Henderson Presents" was shown to a nearly full theatre. Coming from the United Kingdom, the film is not a drama nor is it a comedy. "Mrs. Henderson Presents" is best described as a "dramedy" mixed with a musical. Judi Dench dives into her usual role with ease, playing Laura Henderson. As an upper-class widow left with heaps of money, she decides to purchase a theatre, which she names The Windmill. Through the love-hate relationship between Mrs. Henderson and her theatre manager (the terrific Bob Hoskins), they present the most revolutionary program in England: nude women on stage. "Mrs. Henderson Presents," constantly switches from drama to comedy, but is so skillfully directed by Stephen Frears that it maintains a fluid and graceful tone. This is a film that is told through the eyes of its main character, Laura Henderson, so an unrealistic sense of optimism exists. The message lies in the naïve buoyancy Mrs. Henderson grabs from the continuous tragedy and sadness.

Stephen Frear's new film is truly heartbreaking and tragic, but ironically, is incredibly fun. In "Mrs. Henderson Presents," The Windmill Theatre stands tall like a knight in shining armor to the soldiers and crowds of England. It is also a pleasurable escape that certainly deserves more than one visit.

I love Judi Dench and this was premise of interest about this film. But the real gift was the admirable work of Bob Hoskins in this conflict with the rich lady, refuged in her ideal universe. A film like a kaleidescope. It is a comedy, a drama, a musical, a war film but , more important, it is just delightful. For fair balance, for humor and dramas, for final dance , for dialogue, for inspired state, mix of nostalgia and fresh perspective about people . So, delightful can be a good term defining it.