/t78HrtjSjLYPPgdvBYYaPoTgk4r.jpg

Documentary

Nothing Like a Dame

- You're invited.

BBC Arena's documentary on the Dames of British Theatre and film featuring Maggie Smith, Elieen Atkins, Judi Dench and Joan Plowright on screen together for the first time as they reminisce over a long summer weekend in a house Joan once shared with Sir Laurence Olivier.

Release Date : 2018-05-02

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : BBCPurple Moo PicturesField Day ProductionsKew Media GroupTransmission Pictures

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Tea With The Dames

Cast

Maggie Smith

Character Name : Self

Original Name : Maggie Smith

Gender : Female

Judi Dench

Character Name : Self

Original Name : Judi Dench

Gender : Female

Eileen Atkins

Character Name : Self

Original Name : Eileen Atkins

Gender : Female

Joan Plowright

Character Name : Self

Original Name : Joan Plowright

Gender : Female

Robert Altman

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Robert Altman

Gender : Male

Frank Finlay

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Frank Finlay

Gender : Male

John Gielgud

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : John Gielgud

Gender : Male

Julian Glover

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Julian Glover

Gender : Male

Sheridan Morley

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Sheridan Morley

Gender : Male

Laurence Olivier

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Laurence Olivier

Gender : Male

Kim Philby

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Kim Philby

Gender : Male

Vanessa Redgrave

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Vanessa Redgrave

Gender : Female

Robert Stephens

Character Name : Self (archive footage)

Original Name : Robert Stephens

Gender : Male

Michael Aspel

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Aspel

Gender : Male

Alan Bates

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Bates

Gender : Male

George Devine

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : George Devine

Gender : Male

Edith Evans

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Edith Evans

Gender : Female

Bob Hoskins

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Hoskins

Gender : Male

Rory Kinnear

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Rory Kinnear

Gender : Male

Roger Michell

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger Michell

Gender : Male

Robert Morley

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Morley

Gender : Male

King Charles III of the United Kingdom

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : King Charles III of the United Kingdom

Gender : Male

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Gender : Female

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Gender : Female

Finty Williams

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Finty Williams

Gender : Female

Kenneth Williams

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenneth Williams

Gender : Male

Michael Williams

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Williams

Gender : Male

Terry Wogan

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Terry Wogan

Gender : Male

Anthony Hopkins

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony Hopkins

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-26

With something like 30 BAFTA, 15 Oscar and twenty odd Golden Globe nominations between them, this congregation of British Dames was always going to be a good opportunity to mix together these four lively characters with a plethora of archive and the odd sup of champagne. What we get is a mess. There's loads of cross-talking, plenty of witty asides, dead air time, hearing aid malfunctions, aching limbs and reminiscences by the pound. It's the very meandering, unstructured, nature of this chat that quite engagingly illustrates just how extensively varied the careers of these women has been since they started treading the boards in the 1960s. There's also quite a degree of camaraderie between these actors that teases out some anecdotes from both the professional and the more personal aspects of their lives on stage and screen, and it's quite a testament to the researchers - and the standards and variety of British television across the years - that they have managed to track down such a vast array of supporting broadcasts. Thankfully this doesn't dwell so much on their more commercial big screen appearances, but rather emphasises the roles they've played from Cleopatra to "Sally Bowles" via an whole gamut of substantial Shakespearian (et al) portrayals that have ensured they earn their place at this entertaining table in the home of the late Lord Olivier. Sure, it could do with a bit more judicious use of the editor's razor blade, but left as it is - it's a natural and friendly opportunity for us to eavesdrop.