Jane Tennison and Mrs Overall Take Their Clothes Off (Calendar Girls (DVD))

Member Name: stoffy

Product:	Calendar Girls (DVD)
Date:	02/10/03 (707 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: wonderful cast, great one-liners, feel-good factor without descending into saccherine

Disadvantages: perhaps the argument between Anne and Chris was a little contrived

The juxtaposition of the words ‘British’ and ‘comedy’ is enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the hardiest cinema-goer. However, ‘Calendar Girls’ proves to be a rather impressive exception to the norm.

The film is based on the real-life events from a Yorkshire village a few years ago, although the Director was keen on maintaining that the individual characters in the film are not themselves based on the real-life women.

‘Calendar Girls’ centres on the Knapeley Women’s Institute, a clan of Yorkshire women who meet every week to sing and receive talks on thrilling matters such as carpets and broccoli. Annie (Julie Walters) and Chris (Helen Mirren) are long-standing friends who faithfully turn-up, despite the soporific subject matter. When Annie’s husband dies from leukaemia, the effervescent Chris comes up with the idea of the WI raising money for a new sofa in the hospital in John’s memory. Thanks to some creative inspiration from her son’s soft-porn magazine and big-breasted dolly-bird on the wall of the local bicycle repair shop, she comes up with the idea of a nude calendar.

Whilst most of the group are initially reluctant, the fifty-something middle-class folk are gradually talked round into stripping off (“nude, not naked”, Annie is keen to point out), with their biblical parts (or “front bottoms” if you like) carefully concealed behind implements traditionally associated with the WI. However, none of them could imagine the impact that the calendar would have over the coming weeks, as it transcends them to superstar status way beyond their village. However, as Hollywood beckons, relationships begin to suffer…

Many films based on fact have a tendency to be over-the-top and skew stories so that they are barely recognisable. However, it’s the film’s ability to maintain the earthy northern wit and its
subtle comedy which really makes it into a winner. The northerness and nudity inevitably leads it to be compared to ‘The Full Monty’, but its quirks differentiate it from its predecessor and there does not appear to be an intention to mimic.

Mirren and Walters, surely two of the most talented British actresses of their generation, give great performances and bounce off each other beautifully, easily switching from comedy to drama when required without being hammy and trying too hard. It is particularly interesting that Mirren, best known for her ice-maiden Jane Tennison in ‘Prime Suspect’ is the bubblier, more outgoing of the pair whilst Walters, Mrs Overall in ‘Acorn Antiques’ is more reserved.

John (played perfectly by Alderton) is always optimistic and upbeat during his illness, and the scenes with Anne are warm and touching rather than melancholy and melodramatic. This is a refreshing change from the usual screen morbid portrayals of terminal illness on the big screen.

The rest of the WI is also fabulously portrayed thanks to some great performances from the cast. Annette Crosbie, Celia Imrie and Penelope Wilton all add a nice depth to their characters with some subtle touches. Complementing each other rather than any one person trying to dominate the screen, the marvellous cast match the playful script. Chris’s son’s adolescent awkwardness at her perceived embarrassing behaviour is also quite comedic.

One possible criticism would be that the arguments between Anne and Chris in the later stages of the film perhaps seem a little tacked-on to try and create a mini-conflict. However, as you’d imagine, it manages to resolve itself before too long and doesn’t detract from the overall feel-good factor.

A good old-fashioned straightforward plot with the emphasis on script and characters rather than having a deep philosophical meaning, it is fantastically
watchable and jam-packed with witty one-liners and should appeal to a wide ranging audience.

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