Mrs. Brown

An intelligent story for the kilts-and-corsets crowd, about Queen Victoria's (Judi Dench) little-known relationship with gruff and willful Scottish servant John Brown (Billy Connolly). A trusted companion to her deceased husband, Brown is brought in to jolly the royal widow out of her prolonged, uninterrupted period of mourning. Brown applies himself to the task with such vigor -- not only drawing the Queen out of her depression but actually compelling her to enjoy herself -- that he quickly alienates most of her deferential staff, particularly private secretary Sir Henry Ponsonby (Geoffrey Palmer) and frustrated son Bertie (David Westhead). Brown and Victoria beco...