Painted Lady
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Helen Mirren, Iain Cuthbertson, John Kavanagh, Lorelei King, Michael MaloneyBrand: ACORN MEDIA
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 198 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-02-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Acorn Media
Movie Reviews of Painted Lady
Movie Review: She Enjoys Painting the Town Red
Summary: 5 Stars
"Painted Lady," is a British mystery/crime thriller/drama, made as a television mini-series by Granada for the United Kingdom's associated independent television stations (ITV). It was shown here on the Public Broadcasting System's "Masterpiece Theatre" in 1998 and 2000. It stars Oscar, Emmy-winning, and highly-admired actress Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect - Complete Collection (10 Disc Set) ; The Queen), in a part that might have been written for her, and probably was, by the talented Allen Cubitt(Prime Suspect 2). It was helmed by the equally-talented Julian Jarrold (Brideshead Revisited; Becoming Jane). And Mirren herself, who undoubtedly had quite a lot to do with this production, takes an Associate Producer credit on it; as does Rebecca Eaton, of Boston Station WGBH, "Masterpiece Theatre's"long-time Executive Producer. It's a two-part series that runs approximately 198 minutes, and, wonderfully enough, it's got subtitles, too.
Mirren gives every sign of having a ball playing Maggie Sheridan, former 1960's British blues crooner, now semi-retired, living in the lushest green Irish countryside, with wine glass in one hand, cigarette in the other, and boy toy not far. She's got a "diamond" or whatever stud in her nose, and is at ease in her old hippie gear. Until, that is, a robbery goes very wrong,leaving her friend and benefactor Sir Charles Stafford (Ian Cuthbertson,Gorillas in the Mist) dead, one of his most valuable paintings stolen. Maggie wants to find her friend's masterpiece, and his killer, so she insinuates herself into the art trade. She poses as a wealthy Polish countess, and she's off to glamorous auctions, hotels, restaurants, and such, in London and New York. Gone is the hippie gear, in favor of smart suits and signature jewelry. Suspense mounts, particularly after Maggie hooks up again with her close friend, Sir Charles's deeply troubled son Sebastian (Iain Glen, Adam Bede). Other strong supporting turns are contributed by Lesley Manville (All Or Nothing) as her sister Susie Peel; Michael Maloney (Truly Madly Deeply) as her brother-in-law Oliver Peel; Franco Nero (Camelot)as Robert Tassi,an important Italian-American New York art dealer, and John Kavanagh (The Tudors - The Complete First Season), as Michael Longley, an Irish gangland chief. The mystery centers on a real painting by the real 17th century Italian Artemisia Gentileschi, the first woman to make a name for herself in the heavily male-dominated art field, and a true feminist hero.
It so happens that once I met friends for a drink in the bar of New York's Algonquin Hotel, a theater district landmark made legendary for the wit of its "Round Table," of carousing writers and performers, Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, the Marx Brothers and company; and there was Mirren, enjoying a drink or three, and chatting amiably with her neighbors. She appeared to have been enjoying painting the town red; even as she appears to be enjoying painting a couple of towns red in "Painted Lady." I enjoyed watching her, and expect you will, too.
Summary of Painted Lady
As seen on Masterpiece Theatre
Semi-retired, with wine glass in one hand and cigarette in the other, former ?60s rock singer Maggie Sheridan (Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect, The Queen) seems resigned to life on a crumbling country estate, ruminating about her past. But everything changes when a botched robbery leaves her friend Sir Charles Stafford dead and one of his prized paintings missing. Determined to retrieve the masterpiece and find the killer, Maggie plunges into the murky underworld of the art trade. Posing as a wealthy Polish countess, she sets off on a treacherous path from Ireland to London to New York and back again. Meanwhile, Sir Charles?s troubled son, Sebastian, embarks on his own path of discovery. Where the two trails meet, life begins to imitate art to deadly effect.
Oscar®-winner Helen Mirren delivers a tour-de-force performance with strong supporting turns by Iain Glen (Adam Bede), Lesley Manville (All or Nothing), Michael Maloney (Truly Madly Deeply), and Franco Nero (Camelot).
DVD FEATURE INCLUDES biography of Helen Mirren.
Nudity and sexual situations
Helen Mirren fans will delight in this 1997 Brit-mystery TV film (originally a miniseries) that reportedly was written expressly for her by its writer, Allan Cubitt. Painted Lady equal parts a character study of a remarkable woman (faded blues singer Maggie Sheridan, played by Mirren) and an enthralling murder mystery involving the European art underworld. And a grisly world that is. Mirren?s reclusive Sheridan has taken up residence at the grand Irish estate of her friend Sir Charles Stafford and his troubled son, Sebastian (Iain Glen), and seems content to make her music for a much smaller audience than in her heyday--a handsome young boy toy who may or may not have ulterior motives. When Sir Charles is murdered, Maggie is compelled to help track him down, which means donning a disguise as a wealthy art patron trolling through the art underground looking for a painting stolen at the time of the slaying. Mirren is as deft at playing Maggie the talented almost-has-been singer as she is a fired-up but naïve private investigator. Maggie has none of the street smarts of Mirren?s Prime Suspect character, Jane Tennison--but there?s a steely determination the characters share. Painted Lady is a gripping crime thriller starring one of the best actresses ever. Fancy that? --A.T. Hurley
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