Since her first Oscar nomination in 1997 for 'Mrs. Brown,' Dame Judi Dench has established herself as a standby candidate for Academy Awards recognition. She won Best Supporting Actress for 'Shakespeare in Love' after appearing for a mere eight seconds of screen time; she took what could have been little more than a dignified cameo and created an indelible comic presence that significantly bolstered the entire film.
Miramax subsequently cast her into plenty of their prestige projects with varying success, and even though none of Dench's ensuing films was received with the same fervor as 'Shakespeare in Love,' she has crafted a classy, respected reputation for herself.
Her performance as crafty widow Laura Henderson in Stephen Frears' 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' has earned her a second Best Actress nomination, and although the film itself is merely a decent 1940s period piece, Dench has struck gold again.
After her husband dies, Mrs. Henderson decides to buy and renovate a fledgling theater called the Windmill, which is struggling to pull in an audience, thanks to the increasing popularity of the movies. With the reluctant help of theatre manager Vivian Van Damme (Bob Hoskins), she decides to bring the crowds back to the Windmill with some good old-fashioned female nudity.
After compromising with her prudish friend Lord Cromer (Christopher Guest) in order to get her nude musical review licensed, the bickering twosome go about hiring the soon-to-be-naked women and stirring up controversy.
This is light and frothy entertainment, especially during its first half, which is characterized by backstage intrigue and playful banter between Dench and Hoskins. For a film full of naked women (and, for your viewing pleasure, a naked Hoskins), 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' is also full of wholesome, gentle humor delicately taking aim at uptight sexual attitudes.
Guest is hysterical in a rare non-mockumentary role, adeptly displaying his deadpan comic sensibilities whenever his proper Lord Cromer gets tongue-tied or unnerved by even the mention of nudity. His measured negotiations with Dench form some of the film's more memorable sequences.
Hoskins demonstrates his impressive versatility as well, creating Vivian as a formidably headstrong foil to the impulsive Mrs. Henderson. The verbal jousting they engage in is only a cover for the obvious affection they have for each other, especially on Mrs. Henderson's part. When she realizes he is married, she is genuinely hurt and acts immaturely, but even though the possibility of romantic love between them has been thwarted, the deep friendship that results is truly poignant.
The final scene between them, an affectionate rooftop dance, is one of the year's most satisfyingly tender cinematic codas.
As with most of Frears' films, 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' gets considerably darker as it clips along. The inevitable onset of World War II takes its toll on the Windmill, and even though Mrs. Henderson's nubile young ladies take servicemen's minds off the combat for a while, it eventually catches up to everybody. Instead of disproportionately weighing the film down from its buoyant first half, the transition to the doldrums of wartime is sobering and reflective.
The idea is that the show must go on, even after much of London has been reduced to rubble; all in all, Frears and company make an impassioned argument about the necessary role of art, entertainment and controversy in times of crisis.
Yet for all its impeccable production design and pleasant performances, 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' is not as tightly structured, or as brilliant, as Frears' previous films. It doesn't have the bourgeois menace of 'Dangerous Liaisons,' the searing social commentary of 'Dirty Pretty Things,' or the twisty, lurid thrills of his best film, 'The Grifters.' In fact, it is what Jeff Daniels' character in 'The Squid and the Whale' might call 'minor Frears,' as it is a valid, but lesser entry in the director's eclectic canon of films.
It has its share of deficiencies, including a few superfluous, heavy-handed subplots involving the production's beautiful leading lady (Kelly Reilly) and a certain over-reliance at times on Dench's antics (some of which border on cutesy).
The blatant theatricality of the film can be irritating, as some of Dench's asides come across as more precious than witty, but the good-natured humor wins us over. And overall, Dench is wonderful and completely deserving of a fourth Academy nod.
So, whether it's for Dench's feisty shenanigans, Hoskins' understated performance, or the plethora of (tasteful) nudity, 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' is a period piece worth watching.
