''The Last of the Blonde Bombshells'' is a 2000 British-American

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by

Gillies MacKinnon Gillies MacKinnon (born 8 January 1948, Glasgow) is a Scottish film director, writer and painter. He attended the Glasgow School of Art where he studied mural painting. Following this he became an art teacher and cartoonist, and about this tim ...

. The script by

Alan Plater Alan Frederick Plater (15 April 1935 – 25 June 2010) was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television from the 1960s to the 2000s. Career Plater was born in Jarrow, County Durham, although his family ...

focuses on the efforts of a recently widowed woman to re-unite the members of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

-era swing band with which she played

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

. It features ''Carry On'' actress

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

in her final acting performance before her death in 2001, and

Romola Garai Romola Sadie Garai (; born 6 August 1982) is a British actress and film director. She appeared in ''Amazing Grace'', ''Atonement'', and '' Glorious 39'', and in the BBC series '' Emma'', '' The Hour'' and ''The Crimson Petal and the White''. I ...

in her first professional role. The film was a joint project of

BBC Films BBC Film (formerly BBC Films) is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It was founded on 18 June 1990, and has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including '' Truly, Madly, Deeply'', '' Alan Pa ...

and HBO. It premiered in the US on 26 August, and in the UK on 3 September.

Plot

After her husband's death, Elizabeth (Dench) decides to return to her musical roots, and begins busking with young

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

ist Paul (Chapman) in a plaza overlooking a

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

ice rink An ice rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or an artificial sheet of ice created using hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Ice rinks are also used for exhibitions, contests and ice shows. The ...

, much to the dismay of her daughter Patricia (Dean) and son Edward (Palliser). One day, she is spotted by Patrick (Holm), who attempted to avoid enlistment during World War II by dressing as a woman and playing drums with the Blonde Bombshells, a supposedly all-female band. Elizabeth performed with the Bombshells when she was only fifteen years old. The two reminisce, and eventually begin dating. At the encouragement of Elizabeth's granddaughter Joanna (Findlay), they begin searching for other band members for a re-union concert at Joanna's school dance. At first, they have little success – one has died, another is suffering from

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

. A third, Evelyn, is serving time, while

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

Annie (Whitfield) is dedicated to the Salvation Army and refuses to play "the devil's music". Elizabeth and Patrick eventually locate piano player and band leader Betty (Sims) working in a seaside saloon; she has kept all the band's old costumes, as well as Patrick's drums. The group post bail for Evelyn and convince Annie to play in exchange for a sizable charitable donation. Singer Gwen (Laine), performing in a nightclub in Wolverhampton, agrees to sing, although she refuses to rehearse with the group. Evelyn learns that

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

er Dinah (Dukakis) has become an alcoholic living in a secluded manor in Scotland, who agrees to play after Elizabeth and Patrick pay her a melodramatic visit. While in Scotland, Elizabeth learns that the roses painted on Patrick's drum kit indicate how many of the Blond Bombshells he managed to sleep with during the War – he managed to bed all of them, except Elizabeth, who was shielded from Patrick's affections by Betty. Early rehearsals prove to be disastrous, but encouraged by Joanna, and determined to shine in the limelight one more time, the group steadily improves. On the night of the dance, they are unexpectedly joined by

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar i ...

player Madeleine (Caron), who had left the band to join the

French Resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...

and finally was tracked down by Joanna. Gwen arrives just in time, and the Blond Bombshells bring down the house. Gwen notices that Patrick's drum kit is adorned with an additional rose; Elizabeth confirms they have consummated their relationship. As the Bombshells play on, Elizabeth narrates what the bandmates got up to following their successful concert. The present-day story is interspersed with flashbacks to the band in its wartime heyday that capture the music and atmosphere of the period.

Principal cast

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

as Elizabeth *

as Young Elizabeth *

Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company ...

as Patrick *

as Betty *

Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis (June 20, 1931 – May 1, 2021) was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, more than 60 films and in 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in theater. Not lon ...

as Dinah * Cleo Laine as Gwen *

Leslie Caron Leslie Claire Margaret Caron (; born 1 July 1931) is a French-American actress and dancer. She is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award, two BAFTA Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. She is one ...

as Madeleine * Billie Whitelaw as Evelyn *

June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress. Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy '' Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...

as Annie *

Valentine Pelka Valentine Pelka (born 23 February 1956) is an English actor who has starred in film and on television. Biography Pelka was born in Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire, to a Polish civil engineer father and an Irish actress mother, and attende ...

as Leslie *Millie Findlay as Joanna *

Felicity Dean Felicity Jane Dean (born 24 January 1959) is a British actress, who is critically acclaimed for her extensive work in film and on stage, including works with, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Al Pacino, HBO, Sir Jonathan Miller and Joseph Lose ...

as Patricia *Nicholas Palliser as Edward *Dom Chapman as Paul

Critical reception

Steven Oxman of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' observed that "despite delightful performances from a star-studded cast, the film's thoroughly predictable storyline and low-key charm are ultimately more a sedative than a tonic". He added, "Alan Plater's screenplay is pretty thin ... and director Gillies Mackinnon can't manage to make the finish as feel-good as it needs to be ... The soundtrack's nice, Richard Greatrex's cinematography is nice, and the acting is quite nice. But taken together, these niceties wind up as members of the bland."''Variety'' review
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Awards and nominations

British Academy Television Award for Best Actress This is a list of the British Academy Television Awards for Best Actress. The British Academy Television Awards began in 1955. The Best Actress award was initially given as an "individual honour", without credit to a particular performance, until ...

(Judi Dench, winner) *

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film or Best Actress – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It is gi ...

(Judi Dench, winner) * Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Judi Dench, nominee) * Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Ian Holm, nominee) * Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (nominee) *Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (nominee) *Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (nominee) *

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in Miniseries or Television Movie. Winners an ...

(Judi Dench, nominee) *

American Comedy Award The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They began in 1987, billed as the "f ...

for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special (Judi Dench, nominee)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Last of the Blonde Bombshells, The 2000 television films 2000 films BBC television dramas HBO Films films British television films Cross-dressing in film Films directed by Gillies MacKinnon 2000s English-language films