Mrs. Henderson Presents DVD Review

"MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS" reviews

DVD

MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-03-17 17:02:50

Provider

DVD Review

Following the loss of her husband Mrs Henderson decides to resurrect The Windmill Theatre as her personal 'distraction'. Judi Dench is the eponymous entrepreneur and Bob Hoskins, who also co-produces, her master of ceremonies.

After buying the theatre, Mrs Henderson must find a suitable manager to run it. Impresario, Vivian Van Damm (Hoskins) is brought in to create a nonstop cabaret . It works, until other theatres follow suit. So after their initial shock, Van Damm and his assistant, Bertie (Will Young) set out to find undeniably 'English roses' for their next plan - a nude revue in the style of France's bawdy Moulin Rouge. It's the brainchild of Mrs Henderson who has used her influence to persuade the Lord Chamberlain it will be artistic, assuring him the girls will not move. Once again they're a success, though a notorious one. As the second world war arrives the theatre is threatened by government closure. So a battle with the Lord Chamberlain ensues and Mrs Henderson will reveal her secret to keep her theatre alive.

Directed by Stephen Frears and inspired by the real Mrs Henderson and her Windmill theatre, this is like a chocolate box selection - always sweet, yet with hard and soft centres. Quality performances from Dench and Hoskins, whom you can tell are having fun with these roles, are ably supported. Will Young as Bertie is impressive and he gets to sing a few stage tunes while further strong characters are delivered from the tableau girls, led by young starlet Kelly Reilly. It may be a little Sunday night BBC drama in it's staging, but this is a romantic vision of the '30s and '40s and the story drives along with enough emotional peaks in it's back pocket for you to ensure you've a few hankies at the ready in yours.

On the extras front Frears provides an audio commentary, there's a making of featurette plus gallery and trailers.