An actress, who became not only more famous as she got older, but also more beautiful, Judi Dench. it's funny to see her, at 72,recently play an oldish woman in Mrs. Henderson Presents, then play a sexier younger M in Casino Royal. for a long time women retired at 60 in the UK, but its gone up to if they wish to 65. even so that's still a few yrs our Judi has to shed when she plays James Bond's boss. it's unusual to have an actress as M a bigger star than Daniel Craig, who plays Bond. she's also currently wowing British audiences with the acclaimed period drama Cranford. she has played M in several Bonds, including Golden Eye and Die Another Day
Judi is also known for two outstanding sit-coms As Time Goes By with Geoffrey Palmer and the earlier A Fine Romance with real life husband and highly rated late actor Michael Williams (Educating Rita and Tea With Mussolini) she was also brilliant as in the lead in the The Blonde Bombshells, playing the youngest of a war-time girl band (Joan Syms, June Whitfield, Leslie Caron and voclaist Cleo Lane) reuniting 60 yrs later for a concert. however, the drummer was man in drag, played by Ian Holm, who bedded all the girls except for Judi, because she was under age, yet it was with Judi he entered into a longterm relationship after the reunuion. another couple of modern hits were Ladies In Lavender and Iris, where she played the famous novelist and demensia sufferer Iris Murdoch. in The Importance Of Being Ernest Judi shows how beautiful she looks in Victorian attire as if she's born to it. she was also outstanding as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown with Scot's stand up comic Billy Connelly. in 84 Charing Cross Road she plays the wife of bookshop worker Anthony Hopkins, who writes regulary to American writer Anne Bancroft
Judi when younger made a reputation for herself as a great actress without actually hitting the big time Internationally. she was however, onstanding in the tv 2 parted play when she and husband Bryan Pringle adopted a severly disabled young boy in On Giants Shoulders
Dame Judi Dench
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Ann Harding
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I love Judi Dench as an actress. I even saw her on stage in Sondheim's A Little Night Music in 1995. But, to me, she is really a theatre actress and I don't mean it in a derogatory way at all, quite the contrary.
Movies never used her talent properly and it's fine with me. She could perform on stage some fantastic parts and she doesn't need Hollywood movies to shine.
Like Helen Mirren, movies never used her talent to the full and it doesn't matter, they are both great theatre actresses.
Movies never used her talent properly and it's fine with me. She could perform on stage some fantastic parts and she doesn't need Hollywood movies to shine.
Like Helen Mirren, movies never used her talent to the full and it doesn't matter, they are both great theatre actresses.-
movieman1957
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My introduction to Dench was "As Time Goes By." I really like that show. She is wonderful. Then I started watching some of her films. The one that has impressed me the most was "Iris." I also saw "Mrs. Brown" and enjoyed that film as well.
Helen Mirren's best work for me is her "Prime Suspect" series. First rate.
Helen Mirren's best work for me is her "Prime Suspect" series. First rate.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Dame Judi is, simply, the best actress around, IMHO. She can do comedy or drama, play good or evil. I loved her in Chocolat and her character was rather hateful, but you knew she was longing to be loved underneath all that crabbiness. I have watched As Time Goes By for over 15 years, can say most of the lines with them, and feel cheated if I miss an episode every Saturday night. Our local PBS station just went thru pledge week in December, and took a poll as to which Britcoms the public wanted to keep seeing. ATGB won, hands down.
Even her rather strange character in The Shipping News kept your attention. And I love her as M in the Bond movies, she still "cleans up" quite nicely
Nancy
Even her rather strange character in The Shipping News kept your attention. And I love her as M in the Bond movies, she still "cleans up" quite nicely
Nancy
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jdb1
See, I never vote for ATGB -- I want to see more Father Ted.
I have never cared much for ATGB - it's a show about nothing that says nothing to me. Frankly, although I have always enjoyed the work of both Dame Judi ("Judi" - ugh - and not even with a "y") and Geoffrey Palmer, I don't really feel much chemistry between them on this program. Hence, all the blather about their lost and found love leaves me cold.
No one has yet mentioned Notes on a Scandal. Wow - two true powerhouse performances from Dame J. and Cate Blanchett. I think Dame J. gets far up into Bette Davis territory with that one.
--Judith, a dame
PS - Unfortunately, now every time I think of Judi Dench, I flash back to the Simpson's trip to London, where they stopped at "Dame Judi's Fish & Chips." At the drive-in, Homer spoke into the mouth of her likeness.
I have never cared much for ATGB - it's a show about nothing that says nothing to me. Frankly, although I have always enjoyed the work of both Dame Judi ("Judi" - ugh - and not even with a "y") and Geoffrey Palmer, I don't really feel much chemistry between them on this program. Hence, all the blather about their lost and found love leaves me cold.
No one has yet mentioned Notes on a Scandal. Wow - two true powerhouse performances from Dame J. and Cate Blanchett. I think Dame J. gets far up into Bette Davis territory with that one.
--Judith, a dame
PS - Unfortunately, now every time I think of Judi Dench, I flash back to the Simpson's trip to London, where they stopped at "Dame Judi's Fish & Chips." At the drive-in, Homer spoke into the mouth of her likeness.
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movieman1957
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And a grand one.jdb1 wrote:
--Judith, a dame
I'm more with Nancy. I always have enjoyed the show. You're right in that there isn't much of a story to it. (That didn't stop "Seinfeld", which I hate.) I do enjoy the chemistry between Judi and Geoffrey. I've always thought it a comfortable show. Nothing hilarious just a nice almost sweet sensibility to it.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
I just watched the episode when Lionel and Jean go on a picnic with daughter Judy (with a Y) and Alistair. When, at the end, Lionel kisses Jean and then sighs "I've got to have a p**, it is so sweet and funny. She just lays her head on his shoulder and laughs. And that's not chemistry?
They always have such a caring attitude, even when they're "rowing". He seems to balance her flights of fancy, and she keeps him from becoming a total grump.
Love it!
Nancy
They always have such a caring attitude, even when they're "rowing". He seems to balance her flights of fancy, and she keeps him from becoming a total grump.
Love it!
Nancy
it's a pity America didn't get Judi's earlier sit com with her late husband Michael Williams A Fine Romance
in that they were a couple of lonely accident prone awkward middle-aged couple, who met through Laura's (Judi) younger sister Susan Penhaligan
Michael had his moments on the international stage in Educating Rita where he had an affair with Michael Caine's girlfriend behind his back. he was also in Tea With Musslini, where he tended to work more with Maggie Smith than Judi who was also in the film
in that they were a couple of lonely accident prone awkward middle-aged couple, who met through Laura's (Judi) younger sister Susan Penhaligan
Michael had his moments on the international stage in Educating Rita where he had an affair with Michael Caine's girlfriend behind his back. he was also in Tea With Musslini, where he tended to work more with Maggie Smith than Judi who was also in the film
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jdb1
Nope, I just can't warm to ATGB. A show I liked much better, with Geoffrey Palmer, was Butterflies, about a middle-class housewife having a sort of empty-next, midlife crisis, and toying with the idea of an affair. Wendy Craig was the wife, and Palmer was her husband, who didn't quite understand what was going on with his wife, but was supportive and sympathetic in his own way.
However, that is no reflection on Dame Judes, who I like just fine. I do watch ATGB once in a while because I like the principals, but I don't really see what the big attraction is. Chacun à son goût, and all that.
However, that is no reflection on Dame Judes, who I like just fine. I do watch ATGB once in a while because I like the principals, but I don't really see what the big attraction is. Chacun à son goût, and all that.
Wendy Craig in the 60s was leading lady in The Servant with James Fox and Dirk Bogarde. she also employed Bette Davis in The Nanny.
however, it was on tv she made her name with sit-coms Not In Front Of The Children, Mother Makes Three, Mother Makes Five, Butterflies and a poor version of Golden Girls, Brighton Belles. Wendy is currently playing a matron in the 60s set medical drama The Royal
Nick Lindhurst, who played Adam in Butterflies made what many consider the greatest of all Brit sit-coms when he played Rodney Trotter the younger brother of Sir David Jason's modern day spiv Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses
however, it was on tv she made her name with sit-coms Not In Front Of The Children, Mother Makes Three, Mother Makes Five, Butterflies and a poor version of Golden Girls, Brighton Belles. Wendy is currently playing a matron in the 60s set medical drama The Royal
Nick Lindhurst, who played Adam in Butterflies made what many consider the greatest of all Brit sit-coms when he played Rodney Trotter the younger brother of Sir David Jason's modern day spiv Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses
Dench
ALL:
We DID get to see 'A Fine Romance', probably on BBC or maybe Biography channel, I forget which.
I liked it better than 'As Time Goes By. The couple who played her parents were very good. The woman who played her sister was very attractive. Susan Something, Welsh name. Bench's husband was good. .... mel
We DID get to see 'A Fine Romance', probably on BBC or maybe Biography channel, I forget which.
I liked it better than 'As Time Goes By. The couple who played her parents were very good. The woman who played her sister was very attractive. Susan Something, Welsh name. Bench's husband was good. .... mel
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movieman1957
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Are You Being Served and Keeping Up Appearances are my two least favorite Britcoms. In fact, they don't even make the "favorites" list. We had Mulberry for a short time, and it was bizarre but truly funny. Geraldine McEwan has taken a lot of grief about her Miss Marple, but she is a lovely actress. Would love to see more of her.
Good Neighbors just completed another run, and it was enjoyable, but the male lead was quite hard to understand when he started speaking rapidly, which was most of the time. Another good one was To the Manor Born.
Good Neighbors just completed another run, and it was enjoyable, but the male lead was quite hard to understand when he started speaking rapidly, which was most of the time. Another good one was To the Manor Born.
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jdb1
I've read so much about Only Fools and Horses - I'd love to see it. I wonder if it translates well - so many Britcoms have not.
Stuart, many of us know Nicholas Lyndhurst from the fantasy-comedy Goodnight, Sweeheart, which ran in the US only recently. With all the budget cutting going on at public television, we may not be seeing anything new and interesting for some time to come. How long before we will be able to access UK television directly (via cable or Internet?), I wonder.
Stuart, many of us know Nicholas Lyndhurst from the fantasy-comedy Goodnight, Sweeheart, which ran in the US only recently. With all the budget cutting going on at public television, we may not be seeing anything new and interesting for some time to come. How long before we will be able to access UK television directly (via cable or Internet?), I wonder.