Mrs Brown, the “absolutely brilliant” period drama starring Dame Judi Dench, is now streaming on BBC iPlayer. Written by Jeremy Brock and directed by John Madden, the 1997 film sees the legendary actor portray Queen Victoria.
Set amid the aftermath of her beloved husband’s death, the monarch withdraws from public life. To aid her grieving process following two years of seclusion, the court appoints a former servant of the Prince, John Brown (Billy Connolly), to help her.
However, when Brown succeeds in his mission and becomes the queen’s sole confidante, their closeness causes a stir among the inner circle of high society.
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Described as a “dramatisation of one of history’s most unusual love stories”, the logline reads: “A grieving Queen Victoria finds herself drawn to an unconventional Highlander.”
Popular among critics and audiences alike, Mrs Brown is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer, meaning UK viewers with a TV licence can watch it. You have just under a month to view it, with the period drama set to be removed on 12 April.
The film was nominated in two categories – Best Actress in a Leading Role (for Dench) and Best Makeup – at the 70th Academy Awards, with Dench winning the equivalent trophy at both the 51st BAFTA Awards and 55th Golden Globe Awards.
Over on IMDb, Mrs Brown has a user rating of 7.2/10 from 16,000 logs, with audiences praising Dench’s lead performance. In an 8/10 review, one user called the film “absolutely brilliant” and remarked that Dench should’ve won the Oscar.
“Dench and Connolly play so well off each other that their relationship has a wealth of charm, tenderness, bite, wit and solidity,” penned another, while a third wrote that the acting was “outstanding”.
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Meanwhile, on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an impressive approval rating of 92% from 51 reviews, with the BBC reserving praise for the “undeniable” chemistry between the central duo.
“Before you know it, you’re caught up in a difficult but touching friendship, and enjoying a history lesson more than you ever thought possible,” wrote Empire Magazine (via Rotten Tomatoes).
Mrs Brown is now streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.Â
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.Â
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.