accessAtlanta

'Mrs. Henderson Presents': Nimble acting by a pair of pros
by Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

Dame Judi Dench tosses her hat — or would that be a tiara? — into the Oscar race with "Mrs. Henderson Presents," a tailor-made showcase for her particular brand of tart good-heartedness. Set in London in the 1930s and '40s. the movie is based on the true story of a wealthy widow and her theater, the Windmill, which became a symbol for British pluck during the Blitz. When the West End theaters closed because of the Nazi bombs, the Windmill stayed open, pretty much 24/7. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
Mrs. Laura Henderson may be a widow but she is by no means going to spend the rest her days playing bridge. The Windmill Theater becomes her game and the infamous showman Vivian Van Dam becomes her partner. The Germans are bombing London as Laura convinces Lord Cromer to allow her actresses to be the one thing no one could ever imagine: Nude.

FILM FACTS ...

The Weinstein Company

'Mrs. Henderson Presents'

Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, William Young, Kelly Reilly, Thelma Barlow
Run time: 103 minutes
Release date: Dec. 9, 2005
Rating: R for nudity and brief language.
See showtimes

On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require Quicktime

READ THE REVIEW

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B
"... isn't as fusty as it sounds nor as spiky as it intends, but it's an amusing and well-meaning celebration of the stiff-upper-lips that got Britain through the Blitz."