Calendar Girls, Helen Mirren, Julie Walters (2003)
Synopsis of the DVD Movie: Calendar Girls
The true story of a group of dynamic women who bare all--or nearly all--for charity and become international celebrities as a result. The Women's Institute in Great Britain encourages the ancient skills of jam-making, flower pressing, knitting and baking. So when a group of extraordinary women start looking for a new way to raise money, they decide to take the annual W.I. calendar, which normally features landscapes or flowers, and instead create something traditional--with a non-conventional twist. Behind the baked goods, the apple pressing and the flower arranging, the women are completely nude.
DVD Movie Rating for: Calendar Girls
Rating 3 out of 5 stars
Movie Plot of: Calendar Girls
Calendar Girls is about the women of the Rylstone Women's Institute in North Yorkshire. This Women's Group produces a calendar each year based around scenes of the Yorkshire dales. In 1999, one of the ladies husbands became ill with leukemia. He would say that if the ladies planted Sunflowers, he'd make sure he'd get better so he could see them. Unfortunately, he didn't pull through and in order to raise funds for Leukemia research the women decided to make an alternative calendar of themselves in the nude hoping to sell a few hundred copies around their villages. This calendar in fact became a worldwide sensation, out-selling even those of Britney Spears and Cindy Crawford.
DVD Production Details of: Calendar Girls
Starring: Helen Mirren, Julie Walters
Director: Nigel Cole
Format: Color, Widescreen, Dolby
Studio: Buena Vista Home Vid
DVD Release Date: May 4, 2004
DVD Features:
Deleted scenes
"The Naked Truth" documentary
"Creating the Calendar" documentary
Widescreen anamorphic format
Calendar Girls DVD Easter Eggs
None
Cast of the movie: Calendar Girls
- Helen Mirren .... Chris
- Julie Walters .... Annie
- John Alderton .... John
- Linda Bassett .... Cora
- Annette Crosbie .... Jessie
- Philip Glenister .... Lawrence
- Ciarán Hinds .... Rod
- Celia Imrie .... Celia
- Geraldine James .... Marie
- Penelope Wilton .... Ruth
- George Costigan .... Eddie
- Graham Crowden .... Richard
- John Fortune .... Frank
- Georgie Glen .... Kathy
- Angela Curran .... May
- Rosalind March .... Trudy
- John-Paul Macleod .... Jem
- Marc Pickering .... Gaz
- John Sharian .... Danny
- Belinda Everett .... Maya
- Harriet Thorpe .... Brenda Mooney
- Gillian Wright .... Eddie's Woman
- Ian Embleton .... Andy
- Janet Howd .... Julia
- Lesley Staples .... Jenny
- Richard Brain .... Policeman (as Richard Braine)
- Maggie McCarthy .... W.I. Administrator 1
- Diana Marchment .... W.I. Administrator 2
- Celia Henebury .... Check-In Stewardess
- Ted Robbins .... Bike Man
- Arthur Kelly .... Bookshop Owner
- Alison Pargeter .... Chemist's Assistant
- Tim Barker .... Holiday Speaker
- Angus Barnett .... Orchid Photographer
- Frank Barrie .... Lecherous Photographer
- John Sparkes .... Welsh Photographer
- Merryn Owen .... Student Photographer
- Richard Ashton .... Policeman 2
- Shameer Madarbakus .... Policeman 3
- Elizabeth Bennett .... W.I. Judge
- Simon Ludders .... Waiter
- Darren Southworth .... Sofa Salesman
- Sharon Thomas .... TV Reporter
- Christa Ackroyd .... News Presenter
- Geoffrey Wilkinson .... Seed Company Manager
- Bob Flag .... Alan Rathbone
- Mark Hayford .... Charity Chicken Worker
- Geoffrey Banks .... Lycra Cyclist 1
- Wilfred Harrison .... Lycra Cyclist 2
- Adil Hussain .... Jem's Friend 1
- Waqas Altaf .... Jem's Friend 2
- Paul McLeary .... Husband 1
- Peter Lorenzelli .... Husband 2
- Jay Leno .... Himself
- Matt Malloy .... Hotel Manager
- Patton Oswalt .... Larry
- Craig Kirkwood .... Bellboy
- Frank Bello .... Anthrax
- John Bush .... Anthrax
- Scott Ian .... Member of Anthrax (as Scott Ian Rosenfeld)
- Ashley Niles .... Hotel Registration
- Angela Baker .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Beryl Bamforth .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Christine Clancy .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Ros Fawcett .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Lynda Logan .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Tricia Stewart .... Highgyll W.I. Lady
- Roy the Postman .... Himself
Photo Gallery of the movie: Calendar Girls
Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size high quality photos, posters and wallpapers of Calendar Girls
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Reviews of the movie: Calendar Girls
Calendar Girls is a sweet and uplifting British comedy based on a true story. Set in the picturesque village of Napely, we meet 50-something best friends Chris (Helen Miren) and Annie (Julie Walters). They belong to the local Women's Institute, which is staid and traditional, and to them, boring and silly. (Their annual fund-raising event is selling a calendar with photos of jams and flowers.) When Annie's beloved husband dies from cancer, some of the club members decide to raise money for a new sofa in the hospital waiting room by selling a calendar featuring themselves in the (gasp!) nude.
Helen Miren is great as the feisty and opinionated Chris, whose involvement alienates her family. Julie Walters is very likeable and sympathetic as the new widow. Ciaran Hinds, who has starred in many period films, has a small but good role as Chris' husband.
Most of the movie is beautifully photographed in rural England and it is simply idyllic. This is in sharp contrast to the unsavory scenes filmed in Hollywood (when the ladies appear on The Tonight Show.) The story is heartwarming, but avoids being syrupy. The nude scenes are tastefully done, and played for laughs, as one would expect. The real calendar, by the way, has so far raised $1.6M for a new cancer hospital wing (and the new sofa). I heartily recommend this refreshing and well-made comedy
