I found out about this documentary film when it was shown on television, I knew one or two of the actresses featured in it, and I was certainly interested to see what they would get up to, directed by Roger Michell (Notting Hill, The Mother, The Duke). Basically, it sees established and acclaimed British actresses Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, and Eileen Atkins, all of whom have been knighted by the Queen and are Dames, getting together for afternoon tea. Filmed at the large house in West Sussex that Plowright shared with her late husband, the actresses are filmed reminiscing about their lives and careers. They discuss how they got into acting, their breakthroughs, and most significant roles on stage and in television and films, their marriages, various showbusiness stars they knew, and their friendships with each other. Archive footage of Dench, Smith, Plowright, and Atkins in their various roles, and the people that they knew, are shown throughout as well. Dench gained a reputation for her Shakespearian work, and is most recognised for Mrs. Brown, her Oscar win for Shakespeare in Love, and as M in the James Bond 007 films. Smith started in the theatre and went on to receive award nominations, including an Oscar win for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and in recent years she is recognised for the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey. Plowright had an acting career that spanned seven decades, she was famously married to Sir Laurence Olivier, she has been nominated for Oscars, BAFTAs, and Emmys, but in recent years was forced to retire due to her eyesight. Atkins has gained acclaim as an actress and a screenwriter, I personally know her mostly for Doc Martin, but there are plenty of clips of her most successful appearances on stage and on screen. The four have often worked together as well, including Tea with Mussolini (Dench, Smith, and Plowright) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Dench and Smith). The conversations between the four elderly actresses are full of interesting anecdotes, funny and moving stories, and they have some fun together during their time at the house, it a most worthwhile documentary. Dame Maggie Smith was number 20, and Dame Judi Dench number 8 on The World's Greatest Actor, Dame Maggie Smith was number 4, and Dame Judi Dench number 1 on The 50 Greatest British Actresses, and Dame Maggie Smith was number 4, and Dame Judi Dench number 1 on Britain's Finest Actresses. Very good!
Review of Tea With the Dames
