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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 416920" data-attributes="member: 23">The Lady In The Van (2015) <img src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.impawards.com%2Fintl%2Fuk%2F2015%2Fposters%2Flady_in_the_van_ver2_xlg.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=f3fc91c67b2d636c9bbfc991002a71f919e45314a4d427da9804cb7469929fa8&ipo=images" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 828px" /> Almost as incredible as this (mostly) true story is, what's even more incredible is that it's had so many lives: a 1989 essay; a 1990 book; a 1999 stage play; a 2009 radio play, and then this film. Alan Bennett, of course, is the man behind them all, as well as being one of its subjects (well, two or three subjects, really, since his duality is represented here by two Bennetts, as well as the real McCoy making a cameo appearance). Alex Jennings is very convincing as Alan Bennett. The very specific look helps, of course (the glasses, the fair hair, the very specific wardrobe), but not only is Jennings adept at capturing the right inflections and mannerisms (I wasn't sure about the Leeds accent at first, but was quickly won over by the performance as a whole), his features also greatly resemble those of the person he's playing. The film is also Maggie Smith's third outing as the eponymous character. Having previously done the stage and radio plays, she had a history with the part going back a decade and a half. It's a triumph for both, with no shortage of Bennett's wry and memorable dialogue ("Who are you, coming in here and asking if the Archbishop likes meringues?",  an incredulous nun asks Bennett at one point). As far as Maggie Smith goes, it's a truly great performance. It's as unglamorous as it gets, which I'm guessing she loved. Much is made of the woman's body odour and unsanitary habits, with her excrement popping up in the most unlikely places. But her every line and every look fascinates, and there's a great depth to it all that's true compelling. The balance of comedy and tragedy is as perfectly artful as it gets so it hits the right note every time. There's a wealth of familiar faces, from Frances de la Tour as Ursula Vaughan Williams (Mrs Ralph Vaughan Williams) to Gwen Taylor as Bennett's Mam. Jim Broadbent's there, too. As is Rosalind Knight, best known to be for some British films of  the late Fifties and early Sixties (most notably a couple of Carry Ons) . And then almost the entire cast of The History Boys appear in cameos. It's a really lovely film that perfectly captures time and place (the passing of time marked by details such as the cars providing the street furniture, or Bennett's changing spectacles) while at the same time being timeless and universal. I'd definitely be up for a second look at this at some point, and it's also reminded me that I need to explore more of Alan's works. A DVD with six of his plays currently sits unopened on my shelf, while I've been eyeing up some of his other material for some time. Same here. It's certainly a mystery.The page mentions Christie's daughter making a comment to Ustinov, so perhaps that was in some way interpreted as an official statement from the estate, which has come to be (mis)interpreted as the view of Agatha herself.  It's all guesswork, though. This is also possible, I suppose. If it is the case, it must have been telegraphed well in advance, since Christie died in January 1976 and it looks like shooting commenced in late 1977.I suppose it's also possible there was speculation about who might play Poirot in future films, just as people speculate today about who might play the next Bond or Batman.</blockquote>

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