Age of Consent 1969 Directed by Michael Powell. Twenty-four year-old Helen Mirren (sometimes gloriously nude) in her first major film role plays uninhibited Cora Ryan who has grow up wild on the Great Barrier Reef with only an inebriated grandmother to rein her in. The girl meets successful Australian painter, Bradley Morahan (co-producer James Mason), when he withdraws to the sparsely inhabited island to work.
In order to earn money for hairdressing school, Cora at first sells the newcomer fish and stolen chicken, then becomes his model. Slight diversion occurs when Bradley is visited by a reprobate friend, but the simple story revolves around Cora’s falling in love with him while he thinks of her only as inspiring subject matter. Oh, and there’s a death. Picturesque. Amazon Prime
Another early glimpse is Mirren is the 1978 BBC production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It Amazon Prime
Calendar Girls 2003 Directed by Nigel Cole. Based on the true story of a group of middle-aged Yorkshire housewives who put together and posed for a nude calendar (under the auspices of Women’s Institutes) to raise money for Leukemia research after the death of one of their husbands.
Word gets out, husbands quail, sales skyrocket, the group is invited to the Johnny Carson show, but… Utterly charming. Shooting the calendar is a hoot. The ladies are believable, the situation comic, but not without pathos. Great cast: Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Linda Bassett, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ciaran Hinds, John Alderton. Amazon Prime and Netflix
The Tempest 2010 Directed by Julie Taymor. Helen Mirren plays the usually male Prospero as Prospera, the wife of the Duke of Milan, rather than the duke himself. Cast in part with Ben Whishaw as Ariel, Djimon Hounsou as Caliban, Felicity Jones as Miranda, David Strathairn, Tom Conte, Chris Cooper, Alfred Molina.
A story of revenge, magic, family, loss and love – but mostly family and revenge. This didn’t get sterling reviews, perhaps because of questionable special effects, but some of the cast is fine to watch and Mirren has a good time. Amazon Prime and Netflix
Elizabeth I 2005 Directed by Tom Hooper. A two-part, BBC mini-series with Helen Mirren as the first Queen Elizabeth during the last 25 years of her life. With Jeremy Irons, Hugh Dancy, Toby Jones. Amazon Prime
The Queen 2006 Directed by Stephen Frears. Written by Peter Morgan, who subsequently created The Crown. Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth II during turbulent events surrounding the death of Princess of Wales. When the royal family chooses not to acknowledge the universal grief accompanying Diana’s suspicious death, England’s people turn against them.
Prime Minister Tony Blair (look-alike Michael Sheen) tries to shepherd the royals through it, but the queen resists…until she realizes “the People’s Princess” has wrought significant change. With James Cromwell and Alex Jennings. Somewhat slight, but solid. Amazon Prime and Netflix
Peter Morgan’s play, The Audience followed, first on The West End, then Broadway in 2015. Mirren again played Queen Elizabeth II, giving us plausible glimpse’s of the queen’s weekly audiences with her Prime Ministers from accession in 1952 to 2015. Not insofar as I could find, streamable.
Woman in Gold 2015 Directed by Simon Curtis. Based on the true story of elderly Jewish refugee Maria Altmann who, with young lawyer Randy Shoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), fought the Austrian government to recover Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the Gustav Klimt painting of her aunt stolen by Nazis. She won. The work can be seen at New York’s Neue Galerie.
Flashbacks of Maria’s youth, mechanisms of U.S. bureaucracy and rigid, Austrian governmental and cultural organizations is immensely evocative. These exemplify all those instances when next generations fruitlessly try to retrieve artwork spirited away during WWII. Court scenes are particularly compelling.
Red I & II 2010 The title is derived from designation of ex CIA, Agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) meaning “Retired, Extremely Dangerous.” Former, undercover associates come back together out of civilian lives to find out why Frank is being targeted by a hit squad under the assumption they may be next. Sara Ross (Mary Louise Parker), an innocent worker at a pension office in Kansas City who’s having a phone dalliance with Frank, finds herself drawn in “for her own protection.”
The premise adds humor to this shoot-em-up thriller that features four characters who would much rather be left alone to live out their days, but can’t help rising to the challenge with glee. As for Sara, dangerous situations start frightening and become thrilling. Morgan Freeman, John Malcovich, and a gun-toting Helen Mirren; Chris Cooper as current CIA and Richard Dreyfuss as an arms dealer. Amazon Prime
The Good Liar 2019 Directed by Bill Condon. Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) is a charming, aging con man intent on divesting wealthy widow, Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) of her savings by romantically insinuating himself into her life. There are small signs that he isn’t who he says he is. Betty seems oblivious. She is not, however, and the worm turns. Cleverly wrought. Acted with light, expert hands.
Top photo: Bigstock
