Review -- Mrs. Henderson Presents

Dame Judi Dench stars in this lovely little comedy about a recently-widowed, wealthy woman in the late 1930s who decides to purchase and refurbish a rundown theatre to put on musical revues. When the shows are less than successful, Mrs. Henderson suggests to her theatre manager, Vivian Van Damm (played by the ever-delightful Bob Hoskins) to put nude women in the revues. It's a hit!

Mrs. Henderson Presents was reminiscent of last year's Being Julia, and though I must admit that I was more blown away by Annette Bening's performance as Julia, Dench was shining in the role with her perfect timing and her ability to balance the comedic with the tragedy surrounding the character and the historical situation. The chemistry between Dench and Hoskins (though a strictly platonic relationship) was extraordinary, and the ensemble cast was lively and full of energy. Visually, I enjoyed the period costumes (well, what costumes there were! but, oh...the hats!) and the pre and during World War II London setting, and the staging of the song and dance routines brought me back to my own days in the theatre.

I'm sure that the film won't be seen by many as it probably won't make it to many screens, but if you like a quiet, honest, fun, and underrated cinema experience, I highly recommend it. It gets 3 1/2 stars!