15 thoughts on “WCW: Shirley Henderson

  1. You must see and do a review of Clarissa! The costumes are amazing, and the viewer gets to see how the pieces come together. Also, Sean Bean is a nasty piece of work in this, but Sean Pertwee is the good guy who exacts justice.

    1. And Henderson plays a lovely (and eeeevil) prostitute who gets a kick out of tricking uppity (/pious and virtuous) ladies. The entire series is too over the top for me, although I dutifully cried on cue as the director intended at all the right moments.

  2. Shirley Henderson is one of my favourite actresses. I haveve three frock flicks favourites, leaving out the Harry Potter films. They are Topsy Turvy where she sings the beautiful ‘Moon & I’ aria, The Way We Live Now where she stands up to her abusive father & Marie Antoinette where she has the cutest dog Marie Antoinette’s and Horace notwithstanding.

    I also love her Kate Minola in Shakespeare Retold Taming of the Shrew.

  3. My favorite is definitely “Miss Pettigrew” though I always enjoy her characters. And I have to mention that she has a phenomenal, wonderful singing voice, surprising when it eminates from such a tiny woman. It’s on full display in the 1930s setting of the current West End (London) production of “Girl From the North Country” (extended from its hit at the Old Vic).

    1. Indeed yes. I was dubious about some of the costume choices in “Girl From the North Country”, but Shirley Henderson was just mesmerizing.

    1. Didn’t see Jamaica Inn, but I hated the novel when I read it back in my youth, so I wouldn’t have been interested in a dramatization.

  4. I love Shirley Henderson, ever since “The Way We Live Now”! The 2014 Jamaica Inn was the first thing I ever watched on Netflix. Or attempted to watch. I just couldn’t finish it, as much as I love the book.

  5. I always thought she was perfect as Queen Catherine in the Charles II miniseries, mostly on account of that voice and her petite build but also Shirley Henderson may be one of the few people who can do the full Velazquez look while still maintaining dignity. Few can do that and do it well, and it worked with the characters transition in the show from mousy mail order bride to (relative) badass who could hold her own against Castlemaine.

    And you mentioned Moaning Myrtle. Thank you Kendra for remembering Myrtle. Thank You. :)

    PS – will there be a post on pt 2 of the C2 miniseries anytime in the future?

  6. What I remember about Rob Roy is that I saw it while taking a class on material culture and gender in 18th century Scotland, and so I lost my mind when Tim Roth’s character takes off his wig because there were Serious Cultural Implications to doing so in that time and place which totally fit the moment in the scene and which the filmmakers apparently understood (given the choice). Other than the whole wig-duel thing, I remember almost nothing.

  7. First, I gotta comment on the Mikado thing (and isn’t directed at anyone but to society as a whole). Seriously, this is supposed to be set in Japan, can people NOT give them Chinese or Korean names? Because just like Europe, Asia has vastly different cultures, and Japanese culture and names differ from all other Asian cultures. UGH it’s such a pet peeve of mine when people just blend cultures together!!!! pulls hair out Okay rant over (I lived in Japan for three years so I kinda get picky about stuff like this).

    Second, I’ve liked almost everything she’s been in. I just watched a British show called Happy Valley and Henderson is brilliant in the 2nd season. But let’s be clear, the entire show is just brilliant. (Sadly it’s set in modern times so no costumes to critique.)

    Third, I struggle to see her as anything but Moaning Myrtle. Sad. But true.

  8. I did think that she did well in Marie Antoinette. As much as I dislike the heavily improvised script, she and Molly Shannon worked “politely bitchy” well together.
    I absolutely can’t stand her as Moaning Myrtle though. Her portrayal was so broad, and over the top…maybe it would have worked on stage, but for film it was just nails on a chalkboard for me. Plus, even though her character is a teenage girl, the fact that Shirley Henderson was much older than Daniel Radcliffe made it super creepy when she was peeping at him in the bath in Goblet of Fire.

  9. I love The Way We Live Now! I wanted to wear all the dresses.

    Not historical, but Shirley Henderson was also in a very entertaining modern adaptation of Taming of the Shrew with Rufus Sewell.

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