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  • I was amazed to see our local Katoomba cinema showing a movie that wasn't an Action or rom com box office cash ringer so of course we trotted off to Tea With the Dames, how could we resist? Anyone who loves great acting on stage or film and intelligent conversation should enjoy this documentary and rare look at actors of this caliber. The sort of afternoon tea I'd include on my wish list of when I get to heaven if there is such a place, would include two more Dames Julie Andrews and Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Four great ladies of the stage and obviously great friends reminiscing about life, love and performances that span over 6 decades and thankfully have been preserved forever as shown in the many fascinating clips and interspersed with the humorous sometimes revealing conversation we are invited to be part of. Young performers should see it as it shows fame in film or theatre has to be earned , it's not all awards and acclaim and most importantly it's much more than just being pretty or handsome and the flavour of the month which can turn bitter unless the talent is real and the dedication to adapt and change with the times , whatever medium stage ,film or television is permanent.
  • This wasn't a "movie" as such but it was an enjoyable outing. Slow moving, at times, but it was kind of like hanging with four very interesting seniors. I thoroughly enjoying getting to know them, hearing their take on many modern things while seeing bits of their previous works. They are truly treasures and I'm so thankful that the filmmakers captured them.
  • Filmmaker Roger Michell gathered four old friends of the British stage and world film for a chat about their lives, careers, and lessons learned. He prompts them a bit from off camera, and they tease and support one another. The tone is pleasant, relaxed, occasionally serious, but unhurried and not often terribly revelatory, it must be admitted.

    What might surprise most viewers are the forgivable glimpses of vulnerability: not just Plowright's physical infirmities, but the actresses' general admissions of fright on the boards and on camera, and memories of regrets and bad judgments.

    Other reviews have complained about the archival footage -- but I found most of it delightful, especially since we Americans have rarely seen these jewels on stage, particularly early in their careers. Most of us probably can picture Dench or Smith only as regal elders in "Downton Abbey," or the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises. These women were never glamorous beauties in her youth, but they were all undeniably magnetic.

    The clips are all mostly very short, anyway, save for some home-movie footage of an early outdoor production that the filmmakers probably linger over to savor Dench's surprise and pleasure at seeing ancient footage of herself as a very young thespian.

    The complaints about time devoted to Olivier are unwarranted, as well, since all these women worked with him on stage and under his direction. He was, after all, artistic director of the National Theatre when these actresses were in their board-treading primes ... and he was married to Plowright for nearly three decades. We do see footage and discussion of several other husbands, but the average American would not know them.

    My complaints center not so much on anything that's in the film, but all that's not. So much more could have been addressed, and I would have loved to see more clips of their early stage and film work. But one must respect the privacy of venerable ladies, and to have pressed several of them any further would likely have taxed their stores of energy as well as patience.

    The film climaxes with the subjects' answers to the question of what advice they would have given their younger selves, which is hilarious and touching. Don't miss the final tongue-twister the filmmakers give the quartet, which Dench manages, Plowright manages, Atkins NAILS, and Smith utterly and hilariously blows, probably because she decided it's not worth the trouble.
  • Four grand Dames of England, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, and Eileen Atkins get together and reminisce at Plowright's country home. I would say the wonderful archival film snippets of some of their performances on stage and screen would be enough for the price of admission here. But we get a lot more than that as these superb actresses talk about their surprising self-doubts, anxieties before they perform, aging, marriages, reviewers, and swap inside stories of their interactions with fellow performers and directors.

    I felt this documentary got off to a rather disjointed start but went more smoothly as it progressed. Some of the humor made me laugh out loud such as when Dench had to call the paramedics for a bee sting on her backside. Her description was hilarious of the very young EMT tech who asked her if she had a carer (in America would be a home aide) which made her furious and she told him to "f-off".

    Overall, this film had its awkward moments and the technique of the talented director Roger Michell asking the four women from the wings to comment on a new topic didn't work very well, in my opinion. But just to sit in and eavesdrop on this get-together of four master artists was a real pleasure.
  • I created an account specifically to review this film. It was such an absolute delight to watch that I was so disappointed when it ended. I could have listened to these four wonderful women exchange their stories for hours, and I loved the relaxed atmosphere of filming and seeing their interaction with everyone around them. Kudos to Roger Michell for allowing it to be filmed organically, I haven't been so entertained in a long time.
  • Wonderful concept. We are so blessed and proud to have 4 acting Dames who have 70 year long illustrious careers, and what is more they know each other and are friends. Not a lot really happens, you see some old images and footage that you will not have seen before. It isn't very structured it is just a capturing of an informal conversation between them. However, their friendship shines through and it is a joy and makes you proud to watch. They do deliver some nuggets of life lessons that they have learned along the way but mostly it is very light and funny.
  • wkkl136 November 2018
    The film was exquisite. So rich in content, though there was no script. The dames were not disappointing and spoke candidly of their past experiences. At times, it touched on a bit of sadness due to the way things have led on, but in the end, it's about these marvellous women sharing their life with us.
  • It was a very cute concept: get four legendary actresses who have been honored as Dames and film them having tea and chatting like old friends. And since three of the four actresses were in the 1999 film Tea with Mussolini, the title made sense. However, at first glance, I felt Tea with the Dames was a bit distracted and haphazard. We're not getting to know these ladies at all! I thought. However, the more the documentary continued, the more I realized that by letting them just talk with very few prompts, we were getting to know them.

    We got to see how Maggie Smith uses charm and coy femininity to get what she wants. When veiled in humor, she could say what she really wanted. "Did they tell you how old we all are?" she asked the director, because she wanted to be done for the day. In another scene, she didn't want to talk about the topic anymore, and she charmingly killed two birds with one stone by criticizing the constant presence of the nearby photographer.

    Judi Dench also had a carefully constructed persona: dainty, sweet, and innocent. "How rude!" she exclaimed when the other ladies joked that she'd stolen all the good film parts for older women. With feminine trust, she agreed to try a tongue twister thought up by the director, on the condition that he wouldn't ask anyone else to do it (which he did). But, in a moment she requested director Roger Michell cut from the final print (which he didn't), she shared a story in which she let loose her temper.

    Eileen Atkins was anxious to fit in and feel like "one of the girls", but no one paid attention to her. While Maggie and Judi repeatedly took the reins of the conversation, Michell cut to closeups of the other ladies to try and be fair. Eileen was always actively listening and leaning forward in her chair with a smile, but she was still left out. When she would throw out an intro to a story, she received no reaction, but knowing that the camera was still on her, she had to just grin and bear it.

    Joan Plowright, unfortunately without her sight and with a hearing aid that went on the fritz during one scene, seemed very resigned that the only reason anyone was interested in what she had to say was because she was married to Laurence Olivier. All her stories included him because she knew it was expected. Her identity will forever remain a mystery, since all it's ever been was Mrs. Laurence Olivier.

    There was an incredibly awkward moment when Michell asked the ladies to talk about what it was like to work with their husbands. Silence fell upon them, until finally Maggie Smith broke it with a rehearsed joke: "Which one?" Everyone laughed, and the distraction bought them time before they felt forced to answer. Joan Plowright was next, admitting that her husband was obviously the most difficult. A knowing nod followed, then more silence. Judi Dench obviously didn't want to talk about her late husband, as she stalled and stalled and looked away from the camera. Eileen Atkins would have shared more, but when nobody paid attention to her after her first sentence, she didn't continue. As I always say, even the smallest incident is representative of the whole. This one brief scene illustrated the heart of everyone's character.

    I'll never, ever understand director Michell's active choice to film the entire movie with a handheld camera. This is a documentary featuring women in their 80s and 90s, so it's safe to assume the target audience would be either in that age range or slightly younger. The most common complaint of old people is dizziness - so why would you actively shake and move the camera for ninety minutes? My mom is in her sixties and suffers from vertigo, and she was terribly disappointed that she had to "watch" this entire film with her eyes closed. It was making her sick so she turned her chair around and just listened. Had he used a simple tripod, countless more people could have enjoyed this documentary.

    I'll also never understand why, at the end of the film, Michell featured a montage of all four women receiving awards and waving on the red carpet, set to the music of "Honkytonk Women." These are four women honored by Queen Elizabeth - and he picked a Rolling Stones funky tune to end their tea session?

    DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. The entire movie is filmed with a handheld camera, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
  • This was brilliant, entertaining, witty and original. Such a line-up of brilliant actresses (yes the female term of actor) who can keep us watching while they chat over afternoon tea. A fine combination of ladies who have received the title Dame in England in recognition of their talent and long term careers in theatre and film. A delight.
  • "Apart from strewing inviting footage and old photos relative to specific topics, mostly in the subjects' salad days, and occasionally, shots of the picturesque location, to ginger up the chipper if unrelieved tittle-tattle, the film has little else to offer in terms of cinematic flourishes, solely banking on the natural charisma of the four national treasures, Smith's first-class comic timing, Dench's spry verve, Atkins' disarming modesty and Plowright's congenital amicability, respectively. "

    read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks
  • The English documentary Tea with the Dames (2018) was directed by Roger Michell.

    It stars Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright, and Dame Maggie Smith. These four friends have gotten together on occasion over the span of may years. Finally they decided--or were convinced--that a documentary would involve audiences in their lives and thoughts.

    All of these women have had fabulous careers in theater, cinema, and TV. Now, in their 80's, they are retired or semi-retired. (Dame Joan is blind, so she formally announced her retirement.) However, they still are as intelligent and witty as ever. And, of course, they know how to work with a camera crew.

    The result of this filming is pure magic. It opens a window into what inspired these actors so that they could inspire us. I've seen other documentaries of people talking with each other in somewhat informal situations, but I've never seen a movie like this.

    We saw this film in Rochester's excellent Little Theatre. It will work very well on the small screen. The movie carries a strong IMDb rating of 7.6, and I would say it's even better than that. Don't miss it!

    Personal P.S. One of the topics discussed by the four women is the difficulty of playing the role of Cleopatra in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. All of them say that they didn't have the courage to play the role. One of them says to Maggie Smith, "Well, you played it." She answers, "Yes, but in Canada."

    Obviously all four of them meant the English theater. Apparently, it's obvious to them that playing Cleopatra for Canadian audiences isn't quite the same.

    That may or may not be true, but in 1976 we saw Maggie Smith as Cleopatra at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada, and she was magnificent. It's one of those performances that you never forget. Dame Maggie spent four seasons in Stratford (1976 - 1980) and everything she touched turned into gold. She was adored by Canadian and U.S. lovers of great acting in great plays. So, in "Tea with the Dames," her Canadian work sounds trivial. In real life it was anything but trivial. She is still my favorite actor of all time.
  • toni-egan19 November 2021
    I just happened upon this. How wonderful and interesting, to glimpse into the worlds of such great women. The combination of youthful footage and their older selves chatting. Thank you ladies.
  • A quite charming look back at the careers of four legendary British actresses. Joan Plowright makes the most poignant comments - but often felt at a distance from the others (this was mostly down to her impaired sight and hearing though.) Eileen Atkins is chirpy, and comes up with a few witty quips. The film is surprisingly funny and irreverent.

    Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are definitely the highlight. Truly vivacious women, and their friendship is obviously genuine. They seem to be always reminiscing some old private joke, which is kept a secret from the audience. Mischievous smiles and knowing glances constantly shared - a better documentary could likely be made by just focusing on them.

    It's a good idea for a film - and perhaps could be revisited with other "acting Dames." Helen Mirren, Diana Rigg, Julie Walters, etc. The great Vanessa Redgrave ( who makes a fleeting appearance here in archival footage) would have been an interesting addition to the conversation - although she did of course refuse the offer of a damehood.

    The film lacked in some places. The topic of conversation was all a bit dainty. Surely these four women must have experienced a lot over such great careers - so it's a shame the opportunity for serious discussion was missed. Far too much time was spent fawning over Laurence Olivier. It's understandable he should come up (having worked with all four women, and been married to one of them) but this got a bit tiring after a while. Overall, I enjoyed the film but really expected a more thoughtful or contemplative look at the life of an actress. Perhaps more direct questioning or moderation would have got more out of the Dames.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    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!
  • So funny, so witty, so much excellence from this ladies. Absolutely on point, smart, funny. And makes you think about life - even for us mere mortals. Just wondering why so much talk about L. Olivier had to be included...a wee bit of a patriarcal angle maybe, that sounded easy and boring considering the women power channeling of the film.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    "Nothing Like a Dame" is a British documentary from 2018 that is known under the title "Tea with the Dames" here in Germany, so a bit unusual for sure that they picked an alternate title for my country that is still in the English language, maybe because that one is easier to understand by the masses here in Germany for whom English is not the native language. But it makes kinda sense as this is of course a very British film. One other film where they took that route that immediately comes to mind for me is Taken that was named 96 Hours here I believe. Anyway, back to this one here. It is not a long movie by any means at under 85 minutes and the director is Roger Michell, who has directed more than just a few fairly famous movies in the over 25 years since he started (Notting Hill for example). He is South African though, maybe not what you'd expect as I would have thought a Brit would be in charge of directing these 4 Dames. Anyway, the one thing I like here is the explanation very early on. We find out that the quartet meets every once in a while for a little talk in general, not only for this movie now, but they really seem to be friends and have been for quite a while. I suppose that also explains why Atkins and Plowright are in here who are probably today not that known to too many anymore compared to Redgrave perhaps and a few others. Anyway, there you have the names of the 4 you will see in here from beginning to end. Plowright is the oldest and she will turn 90 this year. The other ones were born in 1934 and thus are five years younger. Little side-fact: Maggie Smith is exactly to the day 50 years older than myself. I think Eileen Atkins really looks amazing for mid-80s. But she is probably the one I found most attractive too from these 4 during the younger years, even if I must say there is something about Maggie too when she played Jean Brodie etc. The other two weren't really my cup of tea physically, but I still think they have aged better than Smith probably. Nonetheless, I like it that now that this film got released, they are all still alive and hopefully doing well. Plowright seemed to be struggling a bit with her health, but maybe that was also just her eyesight. Strangely enough Dench's vision seems to be okay still as far as one can tell from this film here because I read years ago already that she is slowly turning blind, but I guess they found a way to keep that from happening or at least slow it down.

    So yeah, what are the Dames doing here. I think the title here is a bit misleading, the German title, as they were most of the time drinking alcohol and not tea. It would probably be too much to mention each and every thing that is included in here and what the dames are talking about. Major focus is on their theater work, more than on their cinema work overall, which surprised me a bit. Then they talk about how they met each other back then, also how they worked together in younger years. Many of their projects are included. We find out what a deal breaker Mrs Brown was for Dench 20 years ago that really started her Oscar career and incredibly elevated her career to the point where she is probably today the most sught after actress over 80 still. The other ones are joking a bit around over that. As for Smith, I did not like how she seemed to be a bit of a foul mouth and also let others feel that like when she was talking to that photographer on one occasion as if asking eventually after basically telling him to go that hopefully he is not angry at her now would change anything. Her comments about Miriam Margolyes weren't very nice either. I mean very early on, everybody was joking around that the director and his crew seemed incompetent because they obviously had to get used to the idea of their meeting being filmed this time. If it is really true that they meet regularly that is. Okay what else? Laurence Olivier is featured on several occasions, so people who care about and are interested in him will have a solid time watching this too. i watched a German dub today and honestly it took me a little while to get used to that, basically until they moved inside. The early part outside felt rather strange, also because the original voices were louder than expected. So my suggestion is if you aren't a native English speaker, still go for the original, maybe with subtitles if necessary.

    Near the end, we also see the scenes from when Prince Charles made them Dames at official ceremonies, which was a nice little inclusion I'd say. And of course, there's anecdotes being told by the "girls" constantly like how Atkins found out she was sexy, not beautiful (I think she was both), how Maggie Smith couldn't care less about (her success on Downton Abbey) and honestly neither do I for that show never did much for me and I thought it was a better soap opera, how hearing aids are the new must-have, how scarf lady Plowright's career may have been helped or hurt because of her marriage to Olivier and how tanned Judi Dench does not want to be treated like a sick lady and is more than willing to let people know she can cope on her own, even if she gets stung in the buttock by a hornet. This and a lot more is what you will see and find out when watching "Nothing Like a Dame". I thought it was a funny little movie, not too long for its own good and also nice that it really never takes itself too seriously. Actually, this could have been a nice start for an idea for a film series when they meet every 10 years and talk about how things have changed like it has been done on other occasions, but well I suppose they are too old for that. Still I hope they will stay a bit with us nonetheless and like they said they really will keep working as long as they can physically, so I suppose good news for us as that means that we will see them in more upcoming movies, even if the big blockbuster days of Bond and Potter are over for the two/four. I must admit though I am a bit surprised that this film we got here almost receoved no awards attention whatsoever. I would not have expected that and I would have thought British awards bodies, most of all the BAFTAs obviously, would enjoy it and give it some credit. But this lack of awards recognition should not keep you from watching, especially if you know and like some of the actresses in here. Probably a better watch for people 60+ who have seen more films from the quartet, but I as somebody in my mid-30s had a fun time too and it's definitely not true that younger audiences should skip it because of their age. That would be ageism. I give this film a thumbs-up and recommend checking it out.
  • Not an artful documentary but an informative one that looks at four great British actresses' career. I'm not sure how much we actually learn about their career but of how they love each other.
  • A rare opportunity to hear from four great British actresses. Fun and enlightening stories.
  • This is a film about four actress (who are now Dames) catching up together to share stories, have tea, share memories and most importantly... laugh. Our Dames are: * Judi Dench * Elieen Atkins * Joan Plowright & * Maggie Smith

    From the beginning of the film it's obvious our leading ladies have a strong friendship and history with one another. Their catch up appears to occur on a regular basis, but this time our Dames have allowed cameras, stage and lighting crew to deliver a taste of the type of conversations that occurs whenever they are united. Needless to say, Tea With Dames feels more like a Documentary than a motion picture feature.

    Some of the topics discussed involve the Dames talking about their early career on stage and the many objections and negativity they encountered along the way. Our Dames also reflect on highlights of the past and present, plus sharing discussions about their loved ones and the advice they wish they told themselves at the beginning of their acting career.

    I absolutely love this idea and concept. A group of Dames talking around the table doesn't sound like a huge budget is required to achieve this documentary and that's why I love it. Our Dames are never boring and I found there are plenty of topics that are discussed, revealing things that I never knew about the actresses.

    However, there are sadly two elements that do disappoint me. Firstly is some of the camera work done to capture the Dames during the stories and deep discussion is sometimes captured with a shaky camera and it's obvious the filming crew struggled to keep up with the conversation, missing key expressions from our leads. Another slight disappointment is that our Dames are given questions during the film and documentary (possibly by the director) which then puts the Dames on a path of a topic or lengthy discussion. The problem with this is that every time a crew members questions our Dames from behind the camera, it reminds the audience that our Dames are not alone and they are in fact are surrounded by people. It's a minor detail, but it simply ruins the vibe, illusion and the concept of the film.

    Overall, this is a documentary which is rather simple and I love the idea. Our Dames provide fantastic insight from their past and their friendship with one another. There's never a dull moment, but our Dames are not always in the camera frame and the questioning throughout reminds us that this is a film, taking away from the concept. I feel our Dames could carry on a deep discussion without any assistance- after all they do it regularly, right? Either way, it's a touching documentary.

    8.4/10 Walkden Entertainment
  • I give this supremely disappointing effort four stars only, one for each of the beautiful, talented, bright and shining ladies this exercise in boredom is purportedly about. But no stars for anything else.

    How anyone could spend two days with these four women and come out with a film that has about 10 interesting minutes if that, no insights, no revelations, waaay too many clips of their old performances that are not what any of us are there to see, and precious little humor is beyond me. Every time an interesting topic of conversation is begun, it ends abruptly.

    I wish someone else had been in charge of those two days. These glorious ladies deserved better.
  • For anyone who truly loves theatre, movies, TV and the actors that bring such magic to all these mediums, you must see this documentary (for those from Canada, it is currently for rent, On Demand, through Bell Aliant). There are not enough accolades to properly honour these women's lives and careers and just to travel with them through these 80 minutes is a privilege. Must see. If you haven't already guessed, I rate this documentary a 10 (must see) out of 10. {Documentary}
  • Just watched this movie in a private presentation this morning and I have laughed throughout the movie. Such a gem and I do hope that a few art house cinemas will give it a chance to make their guests laugh at this funny quartet of amazing actresses we came to love. By Guido Baechler - Jeridoo Universe
  • Warning: Spoilers
    Tea With the Danes is a delightful documentary with four English actresses, all Dames, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins. It is a charming, genuine, funny and inspirational documentary to all who listen to the stories of these four women. All have earned awards and much deserved accolades for their acting in plays and movies. American actors could learn a lot from these stellar women who have accepted their aging yet continue to be rated as top actresses worldwide; all without plastic and surgical enhancements that American actors submit upon themselves. The only reason why I didn't give the film 10 Stars is due to the editing. At different points in the film, the editor allows the film to drag on, in sane cases into silence. For instance, a production member, (who wears a name tag!), comes in with a laptop to show Judi Dench an archive of a play she was in when she was 21yrs old. It's a nice tidbit, but the scene drags on. There's also a scene in which Maggie Smith laments, "What else? What else?", when the ladies all fall silent. As a viewer, you have an inkling that this doesn't happen when they all gather without the cameras. I would recommend this film to all fans of movies and plays. Currently, you can watch it on Hulu. I bought myself a copy for when it is no longer available for streaming.
  • I loved it, spontaneous fun, it generated more entertainment than I imagined, interesting and even surprising revelations, as when they say that every time they go on stage they still tremble, or even record a scene as if they were holding their breath until everything ends , because I always imagined that with time, it would sound so natural and spontaneous, almost boring, as normally any other profession...
  • That would have been a more accurate title for this disappointing film. There's way too much talk about how these women related to Olivier than there is about the stellar lives and careers of these four beautiful women. I'm sure each of their lives doesn't need the backdrop of a man to be supremely interesting. This film needs way more than the enervating conversation we get.
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