Mrs. Henderson Presents

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Mrs. Henderson Presents

R

2006

1h 43m

Comedy

Drama

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

142 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

With some money in her pocket after the death of her husband, Mrs. Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) buys a theater and hires the irascible theater manager Vivian Van Damm (Bob Hoskins) to run the business, despite bad blood between the two. Henderson has a hit on her hands when she decides to add beautiful nude women to the stage shows at her Windmill Theatre. Though they are touched by tragedy, Henderson and her company bravely keep the theater active during the 1940-'41 Blitz of London.

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Critics Consensus

Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins shine in this warm, witty period piece.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Dench deserves better, and unfortunately it will probably be a long time before she gets another starring role in a movie custom-made for an actress her age.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 11, 2006

Full Review

Bruce Westbrook

Houston Chronicle

Though nudity will keep this from being a family film, for those who love the family of the theater, this postcard from its past is worth framing in your heart.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 3, 2006

Full Review

Michael Booth

Denver Post

The greatest pleasure of Mrs. Henderson Presents is watching two of the grandest British lions taking their talents for a long walk.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 3, 2006

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Gary M. Kramer

Out Magazine

Judi Dench is hilarious and heartbreaking as the title character in Mrs. Henderson Presents. Her deadpan delivery wrings belly laughs out of gay screenwriter Martin Sherman’s zingers, and she jerks tears on cue too.

May 16, 2022

Full Review

Chris McCoy

Memphis Flyer

Dench still has plenty of charisma and a wicked sense of comic timing, but you can't win an Oscar by just being funny, so the third act gives us serious speechifying and forced pathos, smothering what could have been a pleasant little vaudeville romp.

Jan 8, 2020

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

The film cries for Oscar from start to finish. Setting the gold standard for the new Weinstein Company, Mrs. Henderson Presents is pure 24 karat.

Nov 13, 2019

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Marit Risto F

Quite charming Dench, and partly amusing story. But I prefer naked men. War is always perverse, and I find the end ridiculous. Hope for a better future!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/03/24

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Uynga U

Kelly Reilly i love her

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/24/24

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Bahad j

In my opinion, the movie uses very good camera and audio visual equipment and the crew members and the filmmakers have played their roles very well. I really liked it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/23/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Unique biographical focus as musical originality depicting theatrical legacy with dazzling pieces framing controversial objectification backed up by desired though only decently minimal depth from Judi Dench's meaningfully eccentric performance, sharing a witty dynamic with Bob Hoskin's dramatic best that functionally fulfills their starring vehicle deliverance. (B)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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steve d

besides the performances the film was fairly forgettable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

An easy watch: it benefits greatly from Dench and Hoskins, and a fair amount of style that avoids the dreaded period-drama treatment. A nice sense of fun flows throughout, but it lacks the depth and drama to suffice as great cinema.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Stephen Frears

Director

Judi Dench

Laura Henderson

Bob Hoskins

Vivian Van Damm

Will Young

Bertie

Kelly Reilly

Maureen

Thelma Barlow

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Synopsis

With some money in her pocket after the death of her husband, Mrs. Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) buys a theater and hires the irascible theater manager Vivian Van Damm (Bob Hoskins) to run the business, despite bad blood between the two. Henderson has a hit on her hands when she decides to add beautiful nude women to the stage shows at her Windmill Theatre. Though they are touched by tragedy, Henderson and her company bravely keep the theater active during the 1940-'41 Blitz of London.

Director: Stephen Frears
Producer: Norma Heyman, David Aukin
Screenwriter: Martin Sherman
Production Co: BBC, Future Films
Rating: R (Nudity|Brief Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 3, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.0M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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