Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

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Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

Released Oct 9, 2024

1h 35m

Documentary

Biography

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86%

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29 Reviews

75%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret.

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Amy Nicholson

New York Times

Whenever things risk getting personal, you can practically hear Coward repurpose a threat from “Blithe Spirit,” his smash hit about a disgruntled ghost: Stop fawning on me or I shall break something.

Oct 16, 2024

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James Jackson

Times (UK)

As the clips became more plentiful, this became a not only deeply researched but also rather captivating portrait of a one-off — even if every time he sang one of his ditties I couldn’t get Monty Python’s “Penis Song” spoof out of my head.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 27, 2023

Full Review

Stephen Romei

The Australian

The final invention, from uneducated to the highest paid writer in the world came through a means that still should be recommended to every child, no matter what their circumstances.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 7, 2023

Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Coward’s public persona figures large in Barnaby Thompson’s documentary Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story, a choice which saves it from becoming a mere collection of celebratory clips and quotes (although that could also be fun).

Rated: 7/10

Nov 20, 2024

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Wade Major

FilmWeek (LAist)

An absolutely sensational documentary.

Nov 4, 2024

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Carmen Paddock

MovieJawn

Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story is a pleasant hour and a half celebrating one of the 20th century’s most witty and versatile writers, but expect nothing deeper.

Oct 22, 2024

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Tom M

Once this film gets going then it becomes an entertaining portrait of a truly remarkable polymath. I am only familiar with his playwrighting and songs but this film is a good showcase of his talents to those uninitiated.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

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Barnaby Thompson

Director

Alan Cumming

Narrator

Rupert Everett

Noël Coward

Noël Coward

Self

Laurence Olivier

Self

Maggie Smith

Self

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Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret.

Director: Barnaby Thompson
Producer: Gregor Cameron, Barnaby Thompson
Screenwriter: Barnaby Thompson, Barnaby Thompson
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Fragile Films, Bleat Post Production, Unigram
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 9, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2024
Runtime: 1h 35m

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