Mrs Henderson Presents (12A)

Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Kelly Reilly
UK, 2005, 1 hour 43 minutes

Undoubtedly one of the best British films of the year, this jaunty mix of social history and screwball comedy offers Judi Dench a deliciously witty script that she seizes upon with relish. She’s Mrs H, the merry widow behind London’s Blitz-battered Windmill Theatre, where the showgirls danced naked and the doors never closed. Frears masterminds a strong sense of period, and the inspired dialogue is both hilarious and emotionally honest. But it is Dench’s show as she gives a masterclass in screen acting.

Judi Dench has been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar 2006.

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