Judi Dench as MRS. HENDERSON is a joy to watch from the first scene in the cemetery to the last scene on a roof top in London. A powerful story of a rich English woman who strikes gold with an investment in a theater in London during World War II and turns her investment into a brilliant refuge for her audience as bombs drop all around the theater.

Bob Hoskins turns in a performance as brilliant as Ms. Dench and the two of the them on the screen together is such a pleasure to watch two polished and professional actors light up the screen. The chemistry between them is marvelous, and their scenes together are filled with tremendous writing and biting humor. A "cinematic joy" just in time for the Awards season.

MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS brings us back to the time of World War II and visually shows us the strength of character which the English people had in fighting the Germans and the tremendous sacrifices made by Great Britain to win the war. The supporting cast of beautiful women, and the marvelous role Christopher Guest has in the movie makes this film one to remember and cherish during the holiday season.

LET THERE ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND.

"Mrs. Henderson Presents" is a movie that has a LOT of nudity...far more than the average rated R movie. But it's NOT gratuitous and is actually necessary for the plot! I am just letting you know so you aren't shocked when you see the film!

The story is about a real woman, Mrs. Henderson, and her odd late-life business. It seems that after Mr. Henderson died, he left his wife VERY well off financially. Instead of just retiring to a life of leisure like most upper class Brits of the era, she (Judi Dench) decides to open a theater called the Windmill Theatre. But the musical and other productions the theater puts on initially aren't particularly interesting or successful, so Mrs. Henderson shocks her theater manager (Bob Hoskins) by suggesting they spice up their productions by including nudity...like the French were doing on stage in the 1920s-30s. This is a problem, as Britain in this era was rather conservative, though she persevered and managed to pull it off by making the nudity artistic. No shimmying ladies or gratuitous nekkid women...but 'tableaus' where nude women pose motionless as folks sing and dance around them! What's next for this shocking lady? See the film.

While the plot might sound very gratuitous, she had ulterior motives and the film handles it all very well. It's a strange and fascinating story made all the better by Dench's lovely performance. Well worth seeing...but like I said, there's a lot of nudity.

I was interested in seeing Mrs Henderson Presents as a fan of Judi Dench. After I saw the film myself, I was impressed overall. Mrs Henderson Presents is though uneven, as after a lovely first half the latter drags a bit, while the script in an attempt to create more drama particularly in the second half occasionally gets in a panic and while very well done musically and visually the musical numbers fall into the trap of having a tendency to grind the film to a halt. However, Stephen Frears does do a credible job directing, Mrs Henderson Presents does have the odd downbeat moment but it is jollier in tone to Dirty Pretty Things which had a certain grittiness to it. The story while uneven in pace is compelling and rarely ceases really to be that, the period detail from the cinematography and scenery to the costumes and make-up is lavish and the music is wonderful. The acting is good as well. Judi Dench from her one-liners to her delivery of them is very winning as Laura, and Bob Hoskins is also surprisingly effective. I was also surprised in a good way by Will Young who wasn't bad at all in his film debut. So in conclusion, a good film, uneven but worth seeing for the production values and cast. 7/10 Bethany Cox