Calendar Girls (2003)

Director:

Nigel Cole

Writers:

Tim Firth (written by)
Juliette Towhidi (written by)

Release Date:

12 September 2003 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

They dropped everything for a good cause.

Plot:

A Women's Institute chapter's fundraising effort for a local hospital by posing nude for a calendar becomes a media sensation.

Plot Keywords:

Voluntarism | Women Empowerment | Cheating Husband | Women Success | Breasts

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Helen Mirren	...	Chris Harper
Julie Walters	...	Annie Clarke
John Alderton	...	John Clarke
Linda Bassett	...	Cora
Annette Crosbie	...	Jessie
Philip Glenister	...	Lawrence Sertain
Ciarán Hinds	...	Rod Harper
Celia Imrie	...	Celia
Geraldine James	...	Marie
Penelope Wilton	...	Ruth Reynoldson
George Costigan	...	Eddie Reynoldson
Graham Crowden	...	Richard
John Fortune	...	Frank
Georgie Glen	...	Kathy
Angela Curran	...	May Wilkinson

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for nudity, some language and drug-related material.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Finland:K-3 | Iceland:L | Taiwan:R-12 | UK:12 (video rating) (2003) | UK:12A (original rating) | Hungary:14 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39650)

Filming Locations:

Buckden, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Anne Reid was offered a major role, but choose to do Roger Michell's The Mother (2003/I) instead.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Chris runs out of the door to the Hollywood film studio following Annie, she is barefoot. When the shot changes and they emerge into the alleyway behind the studio they are both wearing slippers.

Quotes:

Marie: She's here to introduce us to the fascinating world of rugs
[secretary whispers to her]
Marie: My apologies Iris, I stand corrected, it's not just rugs, it is in fact all forms of carpeting.
Chris: Oh, thank God. For a moment I thought it was going to be dull.

Movie Connections:

References "ER" (1994)

Soundtrack:

The Way You Do the Things You Do

Interesting Subject

Although I prefer the older films of the forties and fifties, I was quite touched by this one. Beautifully filmed in the "ee by gum" country of Northern England ( and with the sun, to boot ), this was a real pleasure for the eyes. I went to school in Lancashire so many of the sights were familiar to me ( though this was Yorkshire ) but the countryside is similar and apparently less wet than Lancashire, being to the east of the Pennines. The theme of the film was an interesting one and shows that you don't have to be young to be sexy - I found all our ladies very sexy and the calender had very good taste - it was delightfully erotic and not pornographic at all. The film reminded me of Billy Elliot ( also made in Ee by gum country ) but I liked that less and Full Monty which I found far less interesting. Like French Cinema, British Cinema nowadays doesn't produce many lively and interesting films - that prize falls to the Americans - but just once in a while, a little gem is produced ( other examples are Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral ). calendar Girls was just such a gem and I was very happy to discover it. I was also pleased to see Annette Crosbie from "One Foot In The Grave" whom I adore as an actress as I do Julie Walters whom I found most attractive in Educating Rita and who seems even lovlier in Calendar Girls. Bravo !