Review of Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) by Eric B — 03 Apr 2010

Judi Dench gives a sparkling lead performance, but this lesser known Stephen Frears film isn't much more than a period piece.

The setting is London, during the World War II era. Dench plays the real-life title character, a wealthy widow who buys a derelict theater to give herself something to do. She hires a manager (Bob Hoskins) to put together a stage show, and they launch one of those aww-how-cute, bickering relationships. When the show threatens to fail, Mrs. Henderson has the daring idea to add nude girls. She meets bureaucratic resistance from one Lord Cromer (Christopher Guest, surprisingly), but they reach a compromise: the gals can be nude if they remain motionless in the manner of a classy painting or sculpture. From there, the show becomes a great success, especially once England enters the war and young soldiers are looking for nightly entertainment.

All of this works so far, and Frears manages the fine trick of blending witty songs into the action without dampening the story's momentum. But the focus is more on vintage hairstyles and costumes than character development, and the film eventually takes a jarring, abrupt turn from musical comedy into wartime drama. By the end, the sentiment has turned rather corny, and a climactic speech from Henderson is more likely to cause eyerolls than tears.