Reese won the Oscar for Best Actress. I loved the film and her too. She was amazing indeed but the performance I saw yesterday from Judi Dench made Reese's performance pale by comparison. If Dame Judi isn't one of the greatest actresses ever, I'm Napolean and I strongly suggest seeing "Mrs. Henderson Presents" to prove it. I might add that I am surprised by Robert Hoskins's not having received an Oscar nomination because he is not only superb but so important for Judi to play off of.
I thought it was going to be a lighthearted romp thru nudesville which is why I was astonished. Nude showgirls? Yes but it's just the tip of the iceberg; in fact the nudity becomes secondary as the real impact of the plot unfolds. It is absolutely a magnificent story, one of courage,love, loyalty, determination and vindication.
Perhaps my love for this film is partially due to the fact that I'm an Anglophile. We Yankees owe our very lives to the remarkable Winston Churchill and the remarkable British, the kind whom Judi Dench portrays. The indomnitable Brits, never saying ENOUGH"- never considering surrender as Hitler's Luftwaffe bombed London and other major cities into near rubble. These British waited out torture,fire and death by huddling in their underground(subways) and might I add, into that safe portion of London's Windmill Theatre owned by Mrs. Henderson and run by Mr. Van Dam. I shall write no more about it but strongly advise anyone seeing this fantastic film to appreciate the bravery of all the English during the blitz.
Just keep in mind that had they surrendered, Hitler would have used the British Isles to conquer Iceland, then Greenland, then parts of Canadand ultimately Luftwaffe bombs would have fallen on our major east coast industrial cities.
God bless our British cousins! In the meantime, don't forget to bring tissues with you because I'm warning you--this picture has a powerful emotional wallop. A tip of my cap to you Mrs. Henderson. You provided us moviegoers with an unforgettable story.
I thought it was going to be a lighthearted romp thru nudesville which is why I was astonished. Nude showgirls? Yes but it's just the tip of the iceberg; in fact the nudity becomes secondary as the real impact of the plot unfolds. It is absolutely a magnificent story, one of courage,love, loyalty, determination and vindication.
Perhaps my love for this film is partially due to the fact that I'm an Anglophile. We Yankees owe our very lives to the remarkable Winston Churchill and the remarkable British, the kind whom Judi Dench portrays. The indomnitable Brits, never saying ENOUGH"- never considering surrender as Hitler's Luftwaffe bombed London and other major cities into near rubble. These British waited out torture,fire and death by huddling in their underground(subways) and might I add, into that safe portion of London's Windmill Theatre owned by Mrs. Henderson and run by Mr. Van Dam. I shall write no more about it but strongly advise anyone seeing this fantastic film to appreciate the bravery of all the English during the blitz.
Just keep in mind that had they surrendered, Hitler would have used the British Isles to conquer Iceland, then Greenland, then parts of Canadand ultimately Luftwaffe bombs would have fallen on our major east coast industrial cities.
God bless our British cousins! In the meantime, don't forget to bring tissues with you because I'm warning you--this picture has a powerful emotional wallop. A tip of my cap to you Mrs. Henderson. You provided us moviegoers with an unforgettable story.