Director Stephen Frears presents a brand new breakthrough comedy in this British comedy/musical, with our favourite British actress Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins leading a group of beauties to go onto the stage - nude.
Dench plays Laura Henderson, a recent widow of the late merchant. After inherited the wealth from her late husband, she bought over a theatre as she could not accept the boredom of being a well-to-do widow. She names the theatre Windmill Theatre and runs the theatre with Vivian Van Damm (Hoskins) together with their newly recruited performers.
However, business fails after a period of time. Thus Mrs Henderson decided to introduce nude girls into the show, which is commonly seen in France. Afraid that it will be condemn by the society, Vivian is against the idea of nude performances. However, Vivian gives in after much persuasion. Eventually it not only make Windmill Theatre brings back its glorious days, but also becomes the only theatre that still runs the show during World War 2.
Frears do not sell nudity as a form of sex in Mrs Henderson Presents. More rather, it brings out the whole idea of the movie that is trying to present, where it makes Windmill Theatre not only stands up out of the other theatres (by being the only theatre that still runs the show during war.), but also the only places for entertainment during the war time, for both the people and the soldiers.
The film lacks elaboration on how it survives after WW2, which is the only disappointment in the film. Other than that, you are guaranteed with lots of hilarious jokes, the fanciful dance and sing segments, and of course, the constant bickering between Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins.
The dance and sing segment is part of the selling point of the film, where it not only present to the audience as a form of entertainment, but also it acts as a time line for the years Windmill Theatre being through. From the dance and sing segment featuring hunks and loads of beauties in the pre-WW2 era to the patriotic songs performances, the Windmill girls and guys are using their performance as a form of reflection to the world outside the stage curtains.
Judi Dench, amazingly, took the role of Laura Henderson well. While Dench leaves memorable impression of the role of M in James Bond series and the British aristocrats in her old works such as The Importance of Being Earnest and the recent Pride and Prejudice, she changes the impression of the audience with Laura Henderson, where she would do something that no one would ever did. Her decision not only takes the opportunity to fulfill her dead son's wishes (where at the start of the film, she visited her son's grave after her husband's funeral) but also the wishes of many men, including the soldiers. Judi Dench took the opportunity to express what Laura wants to did in this film by taking the leading role, Mrs Laura Henderson.
Mrs Henderson Presents makes it stands up out of the other British films with something that no want would want to do - nude performances in Windmill Theatre.
Dench plays Laura Henderson, a recent widow of the late merchant. After inherited the wealth from her late husband, she bought over a theatre as she could not accept the boredom of being a well-to-do widow. She names the theatre Windmill Theatre and runs the theatre with Vivian Van Damm (Hoskins) together with their newly recruited performers.
However, business fails after a period of time. Thus Mrs Henderson decided to introduce nude girls into the show, which is commonly seen in France. Afraid that it will be condemn by the society, Vivian is against the idea of nude performances. However, Vivian gives in after much persuasion. Eventually it not only make Windmill Theatre brings back its glorious days, but also becomes the only theatre that still runs the show during World War 2.
Frears do not sell nudity as a form of sex in Mrs Henderson Presents. More rather, it brings out the whole idea of the movie that is trying to present, where it makes Windmill Theatre not only stands up out of the other theatres (by being the only theatre that still runs the show during war.), but also the only places for entertainment during the war time, for both the people and the soldiers.
The film lacks elaboration on how it survives after WW2, which is the only disappointment in the film. Other than that, you are guaranteed with lots of hilarious jokes, the fanciful dance and sing segments, and of course, the constant bickering between Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins.
The dance and sing segment is part of the selling point of the film, where it not only present to the audience as a form of entertainment, but also it acts as a time line for the years Windmill Theatre being through. From the dance and sing segment featuring hunks and loads of beauties in the pre-WW2 era to the patriotic songs performances, the Windmill girls and guys are using their performance as a form of reflection to the world outside the stage curtains.
Judi Dench, amazingly, took the role of Laura Henderson well. While Dench leaves memorable impression of the role of M in James Bond series and the British aristocrats in her old works such as The Importance of Being Earnest and the recent Pride and Prejudice, she changes the impression of the audience with Laura Henderson, where she would do something that no one would ever did. Her decision not only takes the opportunity to fulfill her dead son's wishes (where at the start of the film, she visited her son's grave after her husband's funeral) but also the wishes of many men, including the soldiers. Judi Dench took the opportunity to express what Laura wants to did in this film by taking the leading role, Mrs Laura Henderson.
Mrs Henderson Presents makes it stands up out of the other British films with something that no want would want to do - nude performances in Windmill Theatre.