Mrs Henderson Presents – 2005 | 103 mins | Comedy, Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Stephen Frears‘ overly sentimental musical-drama Mrs Henderson Presents is loosely-based on the true story of one of England’s most prominent and eccentric society figures, Laura Henderson, who founded the historic Windmill Theatre in London’s Soho. Judi Dench delivers a captivating performance as an upper class widow who buys the Soho theatre, whilst co-star Bob Hoskins is excellent as her opinionated and temperamental theatre manager.

Set in pre-World War II London. Mrs. Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) may be a widow but she is by no means going to spend the rest her days playing bridge. The Windmill Theatre becomes her game and the infamous showman Vivian Van Dam (Bob Hoskins) becomes her partner and fiercest opponent. Driven by the desire to win back the dwindling music hall audiences who had been lured away by the advent of Talking Pictures; the charming Mrs. Henderson set about her task with a kind of determination that belied her advancing years.

This wonderfully argumentative twosome were complete opposites, but their extraordinary partnership proved fruitful when Mrs Henderson’s influence in society enabled her to take advantage of a legal loophole and convince prudish Lord Cromer (Christopher Guest) to permit the theatre to show entirely nude models on stage – provided they didn’t move a muscle. From here it was an easy step to the ‘Nude Revue,’ a musical extravaganza which became a roaring success and cemented the Windmill Theatre’s reputation and place in history.