Movies of Dame Judi Dench
Richard Lewin, United Church of Christ pastor, retired
Thursdays, 2:00-4:00 pm. October 9, 16, 23, 30. Bohm Theatre. Class size unlimited. There is a $10 charge to help cover the cost of the theatre rental.
There are many movies of historical significance, artistic genius, with wonderful storylines, and ground-breaking technology, that should be seen even decades after release—ESPECIALLY if you have not been fortunate enough to have already seen them. We’ll screen three great movies featuring English actress Dame Judi Dench. There will be time for conversation regarding the viewing event at the end of each class. The fourth screening will be a special presentation of a family history of Dame Judi Dench, not to be missed.
Red Joan (2019) Based on Jennie Rooney’s novel of the same name, Red Joan tells the fascinating real-life story of Joan Smith dramatized in perplexing fashion. An incredible tail of intrigue, featuring Dench as Joan Stanley, a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest. The charge: providing classified scientific information—including details on the building of the atomic bomb—to the Soviet government for decades, a breach that hastened their nuclear program. As the interrogation gets underway, Joan relives the dramatic events that shaped her life and her beliefs. Red Joan premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018, and was released in April 2019 in the United Kingdom.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) Based on Deborah Moggach’s 2004 novel These Foolish Things, the story features a group of British pensioners moving to a retirement hotel in India run by the young and eager Sonny, played by Dev Patel. The elderly cast of characters are completely out of their element in this quirky romantic comedy.
Philomena (2013) In this drama based on journalist Martin Sixsmith’s 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, Dench stars as Philomena Lee, an elderly woman who has been searching for her son for 50 years, and Sixsmith’s efforts to help her find him. This is perhaps Dench’s best movie!
Special presentation: Dame Judi Dench is profiled in an episode from the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are?