The Lady in the Van: Maggie Smith Triumphs Again!

By JBFC Volunteer Dotty Battel

The Lady in the Van, the new British dramedy starring the remarkable Dame herself in the title role, is a “mostly true story.” It tells the tale of Mary Shepherd, an irascible, sharp-tongued, eccentric old lady who squatted in a dilapidated van, filled to the brim with all her worldly possessions, in the driveway of playwright Alan Bennett’s (The History Boys) North London townhouse for 15 years. The film is based on Bennett’s investigation into Shepherd’s surprising past, his own motivations as a writer, and the relationship that developed between him and this impossible woman over the years.

The movie was adapted from Bennett’s 1999 play with the same name (and with Maggie Smith playing the same part)! Smith dominates the screen, playing a character at the opposite end of the spectrum from the dowager countess of Downton Abbey.  “She can condescend, magnificently, from any height.” (Associated Press)  Poignant, often hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking, this story will take you on an emotional rollercoaster…don’t miss it!

The Lady in the Van opens Friday, February 5. Tickets are on sale now!

In the meantime, treat yourself by clicking on this video of Dame Maggie Smith’s brilliant career: