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Mrs. Henderson Presents
(U.K.) A Weinstein Co. release of a Pathe Pictures, BBC Films presentation in association with Future Films, Micro-Fusion, the Weinstein Co., U.K. Film Council of a Heyman-Hoskins production.
 Produced by Norma Heyman.
Executive producers, Bob Hoskins, David Aukin.
Executive producers for BBC Films, David M. Thompson, Tracey Scoffield. Executive producers for Pathe, Francois Ivernel, Cameron McCracken.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
Screenplay, Martin Sherman.
Laura Henderson — Judi Dench
Vivian Van Damm — Bob Hoskins
Bertie — Will Young
Lord Cromer — Christopher Guest
Maureen — Kelly Reilly
Lady Conway — Thelma Barlow
Camera (Technicolor), Andrew Dunn; editor, Lucia Zucchetti; music, George Fenton; production designer, Hugo Luczyc-Wyhowski; art director, Tony Woollard; set decorator, Claudia Parker; costume designer, Sandy Powell; sound (Dolby Digital), Peter Lindsay; line producers, Laurence Borg, Kevan Van Thompson; choreography, Eleanor Fazan, Debbie Astell; musical numbers, Fazan; special effects supervisor, Graham Longhurst; associate producers, David and Kathy Rose; assistant director, Stuart Renfrew; casting, Leo Davis.
Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Gala), Sept. 9, 2005.
Rating: R. Running time: 103 MIN.
Column Rating: Definitely See; even if only on DVD.
With Your Children? Although delightfully artful and entertaining, there is some language and nudity, tasteful, albeit conspicuous.
The stylish, art deco credits at the beginning of Mrs. Henderson Presents set the tone for this period piece. Clever opening credits, to me, indicate the intention and promise of a movie. They can invite or put off in a matter of minutes. If they are whimsical as well as stylish, all will be well; a tasteful, humorous story is about to unfold. Also, when the filmmakers, to perfection, capture an era, the times and events add a certain cachet to the film and story. In a dramatic comedy, high humor is very difficult. To date, this lovely film has netted nominations at the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture, Best Actress and Best Actor. In Britain, they are nominated for everything from Best Film, Director, Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress, to Best Screenplay and Best Technical Achievement (Costumes).
 One of the past masters of British high comedy, Dame Judi Dench, delivers her performance of Mrs. Laura Henderson, with her usual ability to convey dry wit. Her talent in portraying strong, charismatic personalities brings to life a Mrs. Henderson who lived her adult life in early nineteenth century England. Her manner and outlook are unexpected.
Apparently her wealth and worldly lifestyle allowed Laura Henderson an autonomy, which developed a proper high society Brit, with a peculiar duality. Her life with Mr. Henderson, in both England and India, apparently fostered possibilities with the lack of cultural restrictions. Although, she was a woman accustomed to her 'station' in life. Add to that the depth of experience a person acquires in seven decades of living, loving and losing and there you are, an accomplished, and feisty woman of means. Who is also a bit eccentric. Her husband gone, she is at loose ends, back in England, without the slightest idea of what to do with the rest of her life.
Our story begins in a cemetery, dirt dropped onto the coffin, everyone in black, quiet and veiled. So many movies begin just so, I wonder how many. Usually it is pouring down rain, as well. In Mrs. Henderson Presents, there are no ominous clouds, no dripping umbrellas for Mr. Henderson's burial service. Good. The small retinue retires to the Henderson manse for luncheon. Mrs. Henderson remained behind her veil well into the elegant wake, murmuring pleasantries and gracious expressions of gratitude.
 As the wake stretches on, she deftly separates her friend, Lady Conway (Thelma Barrow), from the edge of a conversation and into the next room. Here our spirited Laura speaks her mind, quipping about her boredom with the niceties in the other room, and confides she doesn't know how to be a widow. Lady Conway explains what ladies do in their widowhood. Her blatant answers of the possibilities are amusing. These exchanges are reminiscent of Oscar Wilde dialogue. The script, with ideas contributed by others, is a fairly masterful bit of dialogue work.
Writer Martin Sherman has a few accomplished screenplays under his belt, and now with Mrs. Henderson...seems a promising screenwriter. His story is nostalgia at its most patriotic, and I'm sure is comforting to Brit viewers. He gave his all to Laura, leaving other characters in a vague complement of people to react to Laura's wit, indifference and perceptions of life, and theatre. His Vivian Van Damm, the male lead, likes his privacy, and Sherman left it pretty much at that.
Bob Hoskins, nonetheless, shores up Van Damm's role with his own ability to wisecrack and be manly with the best of them. (He just won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for this role.) Three decades and 80+ roles bring expert depth to expand Sherman's proud and consummate impresario. He lends Van Damm just the right amount of stiff backbone to get on believably with aforementioned imperious Laura. Well matched, their timing impeccably delivers Sherman's dialogue between two characters who each grudgingly admire the other.
 Their relationship is the story. Laura, beside herself with confusion, wonders aloud as to what she is to 'do.' Lady Conway's list of things she can now do, includes, "You can buy whatever You want without having to consult anyone," inspires. She does just that. On one of her aimless outings, her car delayed in traffic, she notices the 'for sale' sign on an old theatre building. Within hours, she decides to buy it and renovate it for musicales of undetermined design. She must have someone to run the theatre (of course) and her lawyer recommends renowned Vivian Van Damm. Their inflammatory confrontation is contained by Laura's concession that 'all creative control' is Van Damm's domain. The dialogue is underway, and retains your interest, which would possibly sag under the depicted completion of the theatre, auditions, rehearsals, success, and the associated sub-plots. One hot exchange between them threatens words that wouldn't be able to be taken back. The secretary comes up the stairs behind them with a question, and Laura wheels on her, "Never interrupt a good argument!" Having forgot what the point of the dispute, they return down into the theatre, arm in arm, amiably planning—business as usual.
Modest sets give a feel for London theatre of the day. The Windmill's ideas net copycat competition which dilutes the market. Their colorful new programs lose their draw, their triumph wanes and Van Damm recommends closure to save Mrs. Henderson the expense. Not phased in the least, Laura's errant nature conjures up memories of Paris musicals where 'everyone is naked' and very entertaining. Van Damm's refusals soon fade to a curiosity about possible success, once again, if one hitch can be overcome.
To achieve this success, all Mrs. Henderson must do is prevail over the objections of England's Lord Chamberlain. Truly one of the high points of the movie, Laura's deft and elaborate approach to overcoming this one obstacle, minor in her mind, is just plain fun. No stranger to the diplomatic clinch, Laura turns on a dime, manipulating the afternoon's conversation until she perceives a niche in the politician's reasoning. Nudes in art galleries are fine, not in theatre. Laura suggests her girls not move, as in a gallery painting, artful and acceptable. The chink widens into permission. Their revues become a first in London musical productions.
Absolutely sure of her demographic—men—Laura never swerves from her goal. Needless to say, Laura's musical goes nude, which in actuality meant a few young women would pose stock-still like 'works of art,' a background tableaux in front of which the fully clad musical cast went about the business of performing. Maureen is their plucky lead nude. Maureen gets her pluck from young Kelly Reilly, who can add this pivotal character to her 20+ career roles. 2005 was a great year for Reilly, who won the Cannes Chopard Award and was nominated as best supporting actress for her Maureen, by the British Independent Film Awards.
Although WWII breaks out midway through Mrs. Henderson Presents, it both dominates the ensuing story, and is overlooked as well. Another war after the war to end all wars, which took her son, a key element in her motivations.
There was a Mrs. Henderson and a Vivian Van Damm, operating the Windmill Theatre in London during WWII, weathering the bombing blitz. They are famous for their brag "We Never Closed." The indomitable nature of a woman, not in lockstep with her times, is sufficiently memorable to deserve this homage. Quite exquisite, really.
Photos copyright BBC Flims.
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