Stars: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Will Young, Christopher Guest, Thelma Barlow, Ricky Gervais

Director: Stephen Frears

Summary: Wartime entertainment takes a new turn when Mrs Henderson decides to offer an all naked female dance troupe to bring some cheer in times of trouble.

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Reviewed by: davybozal24-7
Posted on March 22, 2006 11:59 PM

Dame Judi Dench stars as Mrs Laura Henderson , a widow who plans to do more than spend the rest of her days playing bridge .
She decides to buy a rundown theatre in London's West End called The Windmill , making this her game of choice !
The Germans are bombing London but the roar of The Windmill is all that can be heard , as Laura convinces the licenser of live shows to allow her actresses to be the one thing no one could ever imagine, nude ! An amusing showbiz tale with the British stiff upperlip of war torn London .

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The blitz-bombing of London in World War II provides the serious backdrop for the uplifting entertainment of Mrs. Henderson Presents, a delightful comedy anchored by the flawless performances of Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins.

After losing a son in World War I, and becoming a widow in 1937, the wealthy and respectable Mrs. Henderson (Dench) decides that the best way to support soldiers going off to battle is to give them a wartime send-off they'll never forget. Thus, she buys and renovates the Windmill Theatre in London's Soho district, hires Mr. Vivian Van Damm (Hoskins) as the impresario of an all-day musical variety show called "Revudeville," and secures permission from the censorious Lord Cromer (Christopher Guest) to include naked women in the stage show--on the condition that the ladies remain still onstage to qualify as "art," like nude portraits in a gallery, with the "foliage" of their "midlands" discreetly obscured. "Revudeville" is an instant hit, British propriety remains tastefully intact, and as The Windmill's fortunes rise, fall, and rise again, Mrs. Henderson Presents develops an emotional depth and good-natured nobility that's perfectly matched to the comedy of tweaking British manners.

Working from an eloquently witty, fact-based screenplay by Martin Sherman, director Stephen Frears (High Fidelity) brings out the best in a well-chosen cast, and Andrew Dunn's cinematography (enhanced by judicious use of digital effects to show the London blitz in progress) casts a warm, inviting glow over this winning tale of show-biz tenacity in the best and worst of times. --Jeff Shannon

Aspect Ratio:	2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Making Of Documentary, Production Photography, Directors Commentary, Theatrical Trailer, TV Spots
Year:	2005
Release Date:	March 20, 2006
Runtime:	99 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	P 919201000
Keywords:	Presents, Comedy, General, Mrs, Henderson
Genre:	Comedy