MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS (2005) ¢ ¢ ¢ 1/2
D: Stephen Frears
Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest, Will Young,
Kelly Reilly, Thelma Barlow, Natalia Tena, Toby Jones,
Anna Brewster, Rosalind Halstead, Sarah Solemani
Judi Dench plays a wealthy widow who finds a productive use for her time and money when she buys a derelict London theater and hires Bob Hoskins to run the place. The vaudeville-style revues they put on are a hit at first, but when copycat competition causes attendance to decline, she comes up with a daring idea: naked girls. The time is the 1930s and stodgy old England has never seen anything like it, and as the country heads into World War Two, the theater, running continuously, even during the Blitz, becomes a symbol of steadfastness - and a sense of fun - in the face of peril. It's an affectionate look at a time gone by, and a compelling testament to the notion that a few boobs and backsides, artfully exhibited, aren't necessarily a bad thing.