Nothing Like a Dame main backdrop
Nothing Like a Dame main poster

Nothing Like a Dame

Visit website

6.9/10 • 52

2018-05-021h 20m

Documentary

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.

Directors
Roger Michell

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Maggie Smith

    Maggie Smith

    Self

  2. Judi Dench

    Judi Dench

    Self

  3. Eileen Atkins

    Eileen Atkins

    Self

  4. Joan Plowright

    Joan Plowright

    Self

  5. Robert Altman

    Robert Altman

    Self (archive footage)

  6. Frank Finlay

    Frank Finlay

    Self (archive footage)

  7. John Gielgud

    John Gielgud

    Self (archive footage)

  8. Julian Glover

    Julian Glover

    Self (archive footage)

  9. Sheridan Morley

    Sheridan Morley

    Self (archive footage)

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Dec 26, 2024

7/10

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.

Media

  • Nothing Like a Dame poster
  • Nothing Like a Dame poster
  • Nothing Like a Dame poster
  • Nothing Like a Dame poster
  • Nothing Like a Dame poster
  • Nothing Like a Dame poster

Recommendations

  • Marathon Man main backdrop

    Marathon Man

    7.2

  • Quartet main backdrop

    Quartet

    6.5

  • Roald Dahl's Esio Trot main backdrop

    Roald Dahl's Esio Trot

    6.7

  • Transylvania 6-5000 main backdrop

    Transylvania 6-5000

    5.3

  • SnowComing main backdrop

    SnowComing

    6.4

  • Beautiful Minds main backdrop

    Beautiful Minds

    7.3

  • The Next Guardian main backdrop

    The Next Guardian

    7.2

  • Singin' in the Rain main backdrop

    Singin' in the Rain

    8.1

  • Angel Has Fallen main backdrop

    Angel Has Fallen

    6.6

  • Insidious main backdrop

    Insidious

    6.9

  • Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children main backdrop

    Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

    6.8

  • The Shape of Water main backdrop

    The Shape of Water

    7.2

  • Knives Out main backdrop

    Knives Out

    7.8

  • Joker main backdrop

    Joker

    8.1

  • Your Name. main backdrop

    Your Name.

    8.5

  • A Star Is Born main backdrop

    A Star Is Born

    7.5

  • The Batman main backdrop

    The Batman

    7.7

  • Wonder Woman main backdrop

    Wonder Woman

    7.2

  • The Invisible Man main backdrop

    The Invisible Man

    7.1

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower main backdrop

    The Perks of Being a Wallflower

    7.8

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
photographerphotographyconversationfemale friendshipdocumentary filmmakingoctogenarianreminiscing