The Lady in the Van, a Heartwarming True Story

LADY IN VAN boxart DVD

 

Being a fan of good acting, plot and direction, especially connected to an indie, it’s enjoyable to watch a heartfelt film like The Lady in the Van. For those who admire Maggie Smith they’ll have double delight with this true story. Originally a play on a London stage starring the consummate actress and now on Blu-ray and DVD, the comedy drama’s wonderful to watch even your home video screen.

It’s 1970 Camden Town, London and a nervous Margaret Shepherd (Maggie Smith), her van windshield smeared with blood, outwits a policeman on a back road. Flash forward we see Margaret parked in the driveway of Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings). Alan is a Theatre writer with several successful plays run on the London circuit. We find him writing a new play as Margaret leaves his bathroom on the way out to her van.

Maggie Smith as Margaret Shepherd in THE LADY IN THE VAN
Maggie Smith as Margaret Shepherd in THE LADY IN THE VAN

Flash back some five years and Alan has just purchased his house on Gloucester Crescent. It’s his unlucky day that he comes across Margaret needing a push for her van that’s not able to start. She’s now a homeless drifter that’s moving her vehicle abode onto his street only to end up in front of his house. So begins a heartwarming true story about an acerbic woman whose past controls her every move and the only man who understands her.

Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) tries to help Margaret (Maggie Smith) in THE LADY IN THE VAN
Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) tries to help Margaret (Maggie Smith) in THE LADY IN THE VAN

Director Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, The Crucible) gives the film life from a screenplay by the real Alan Bennett. Comically quirky the film follows the years that Bennett had the real Margaret Shepherd in his driveway and the trials and tribulations that altered the lives of the two Londoners. Hytner makes his biographical tableau as real as possible even shooting it at Bennett’s house where it all happened. He even gets Bennett to work with him as an advisor to keep the “feel” of his relationship with Shepherd.

The real attraction here is the performance by Maggie Smith as Alan Bennett’s vagabond Margaret Shepherd who ends up the subject for his new script. She makes her character a true old bitty who uses her Catholic religious beliefs to get her out of sticky situations. Her audacious personality even earns her a spot for the van on the street during a dispute with a reluctant homeowner. Grouchy, steadfast, unsightly, yet crafty, Smith shows her range with a superb show of her acting ability, even at the demonstrative age of 81. The two time Oscar winner was nominated this year for Best Actress at the Golden Globes for her role as Margaret Shepherd.

Alex Jennings with the real Alan Bennett on the set of THE LADY IN THE VAN
Alex Jennings with the real Alan Bennett on the set of THE LADY IN THE VAN

Starring in the pivotal role of Alan Bennett, Alex Jennings, known best for his performances in many London theatre roles, has an amazing chemistry with Maggie Smith on the screen. At first annoyed by the street urchin, he defends her case when the local social worker Lois (played by Claire Foy) wants to take Margaret Shepherd off the street. His compassion for the woman grows with reminiscences of his own mother who suffered with dementia.

BONUS FEATURES:

“Feature commentary with Director Nicholas Hytner” after you have watched The Lady in the Van, turn on this feature and find out what the director had to say about making the film.
“The Making of Lady in the Van” this 13 minutes bonus feature the real Alan Bennett who wrote the screenplay and lived the experience. It includes comments by Director Nicholas Hytner who goes into detail about the film and those of Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.
“The Visual Effects” Since during the film you see both Alan Bennett’s writer self and his live action self at the same time in most scenes. Producer Kevin Loader and VFX Supervisor Mervyn New show how it was put together seamlessly. They also show other special effects involving Maggie Smith’s character as well. The feature is really amazing to watch and should be a necessity educational tool for budding filmmakers.

The Lady in the Van has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for a brief unsettling image. Being on DVD and Blu-ray you can watch the beginning over again to see what you may have missed. Margaret changes her name often in the film to Mary watch closely to find out why.

FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good film with excellent acting, storyline and direction. (A)

Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Claire Foy, Clare Hammond, Roger Allam, Deborah Findlay, Frances de la Tour, Gwen Taylor, Jim Broadbent
Directed by: Nicholas Hytner.
Screenplay by: Alan Bennett
MPAA Rating: PG – 13 for a brief unsettling image
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Biography
Running Time: 1 hr. 44 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: November 13, 2015 UK
Video Release Date: April 19, 2016
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD (Also Available in Blu-ray)
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, Widescreen
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish and more
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com