Mrs. Henderson Presents

By: debbie lynn leias

It seems with every film festival that I attend, there is always one film that seems to just jump to the head of the pack for me and becomes a drop dead, hands down favorite. With the 2005 LA Film Festival, it was “March of the Penguins.” With the 2005 AFI Film Festival, it was “Mrs. Henderson Presents.” Based on a true story, “Mrs. Henderson Presents” regales the tales of the Windmill Theater, which has the distinction of being the only theater to never close during the WWII Blitz, not to mention being an all nude musical revue. Already receiving 3 Golden Globe nominations for Best Musical or Comedy and its stars Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins, (not to mention 9 British Independent Film Award nominations) “Mrs. Henderson Presents” just screams Oscar – especially for Dench.

It’s 1937. World War II is almost upon us. Its effects are being felt everywhere and never moreso than in Britain. Laura Henderson, a former showgirl, is the epitome of the upper crust British stiff-upper lip sort. Recently widowed and rich, and feeling both lost and bored, Mrs. Henderson decides she needs something to occupy her time. Longing for happier times and not content to do the typical ladies guild charity work, she finds an answer to her prayers in the form of the dilapidated Windmill Theater. Disappointed by the public’s indifference to musical theater thanks to the advent of “talking pictures”, she hires the self-described incomparable showbiz impresario, Vivian Van Damm, to help her run her little venture and turn it into Britain’s answer to the Moulin Rouge. Open round-the-clock with continual performances, success is almost immediate. That is until the novelty of the theater’s renovation wears off. Not one to fail, Mrs. Henderson and Mr. Van Damm decide they need a hook. And what better hook than a nude Revuedeville.

Unfortunately, nude singing and dancing is not permitted on stage. Thanks to a compromise and the help of her friend Lord Cromer, however, Mrs. Henderson arrives at a politically correct solution to which the City approves – the ladies can be on stage naked, as long as they don’t move. Seems that nude dancing is taboo and obscene but naked “statues” are deemed to be art, much in keeping with the nakedness of Greek and Roman works from earlier times.

Despite the outbreak of war, the Windmill Theater remains open. Located underground, it is ideal as a bomb shelter. Toss in the morale boost is gives to troops heading into battle, and Mrs. Henderson’s little venture proves as unstoppable as the lady herself.

Judi Dench is effervescently incandescent in the title role. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she is beyond reproach. Both defiant and fiesty, Dench has a refined ease about her that just glides across the screen. Peppered with mock indignation and an, at times, quiet reflectiveness, she is a joy to watch and never moreso then when going one-on-one with Bob Hoskins’, Vivian Van Damm. Hoskins alone is superb as the flamboyant impresario Van Damm, but put the two of them together and it is pure magic! These two build an undercurrent to their will-they-won’t-they relationship that makes everything else seem like icing on the cake.

Written by Martin Sherman, the real story lies in the relationship between Henderson and Van Damm. Constantly battling with acrid one-liners and one-upsmanship, Sherman takes great care to develop the underlying feelings, dare we say love, these two artisans feel for each other, bringing it frothing to the surface in one pivotal scene when Mrs. H. Meets Van Damm’s wife and changes the course of their story forever. Keen to the dialogue and mores of the day, Sherman subtly interweaves sub-plots of social and political commentary and religiously based stereotypes (one of which prompts one belly laugh after another) that gives the film an embraceable full-bodied feel.

Directed by Stephan Frears, the film is more than well crafted. With musical numbers too numerous to count set against the back drop of war, Frears eloquently captures the very essence of the time, conveying it all through the raucous exhilaration of the theater. Some well patterned scenes outside of the theater are used effectively and appear to be carefully structured as character defining devices so as not to constrain the overall work. Evenly paced and smartly edited, the film has an energetic synergy that flows from start to finish. Toss in the period perfection of Sandy Powell’s costume design compounded with the overall production design of Hugo Luczyc-Wyhowski and this film is a visual time capsule. Simply stunning.

The film cries for Oscar from start to finish. Setting the gold standard for the new Weinstein Company, “Mrs. Henderson Presents” is pure 24 karat.

Judi Dench: Laura Henderson Bob Hoskins: Vivian Van Damm Christopher Guest: Lord Cromer

Directed by Stephen Frears. Written by Martin Sherman. Rated R. (102 min)