Lady in the Van – 4PM

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The Lady in the Van

Screening: Thursday, April 7, 2016 – 4pm
Location: Uptown Theatre, 55 Dunlop Street West, Barrie

Directed by:  Nicholas Hytner
Cast:  Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent, Frances De La Tour and Roger Allam
Comedy/Drama, PG for mature theme, coarse language, crude content, 104 min. (United Kingdom)

“Maggie Smith couldn’t be more perfect for the title role in this film if it were written for her. But the most astounding thing about this story is that it’s true, an event from playwright-screenwriter Alan Bennett’s own life.” – Rich Cline, Contactmusic.com

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Directed by veteran Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys), The Lady in the Van is a playful, inventive, and relentlessly funny film that reminds us of the value of taking a chance on strangers — and of the long road that gradually turns strangers into friends.

Based on Alan Bennett’s memoir and hit West End play, this brilliantly witty, “mostly true” story chronicles an unlikely friendship between a writer and an elderly eccentric.

In Bennett’s case, opening his door (or at least his driveway) to Miss Mary Shepherd (Dame Maggie Smith, My Old Lady, Quartet), an ornery, impolite, and bullying homeless woman who claims to take advice from the Virgin Mary. Despite his private nature, Bennett takes pity on the elderly woman and agrees to let her park her rundown van on his property for three months. It’s likely, however, that curiosity has as much to do with his decision as does charity. Where did Miss Shepherd find this van? Where did she learn French? And who is the strange man (Jim Broadbent) who keeps coming round in the middle of the night? While the questions are many, Bennett has plenty of time to discover the answers to them, as Miss Shepherd tests the limits of his hospitality by stretching the original three-month stay into 15 years.

Awards:
Nominated, Best Performance by Actress (Maggie Smith) in a Musical/Comedy, Golden Globes, 2016

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