I was looking forward to this, but what a massive disappointment. The constant jumping back and forth completely destroyed any flow. Jaime Winstone was completely miscast. She's lovely enough, but she's not Babs, and she sounds like a rabbit being put through a mangle when she's singing... totally unpleasant.
There were plus points. Samantha Spiro was excellent, as was Honor Kneafsey... and Robin Sebastian was again fabulous as Kenneth Williams.
The BBC have produced some excellent stuff, but this simply wasn't up to snuff. In terms of Carry On films, this was more Carry on Abroad than Carry on Camping.
Plot summary
This is the story of Dame Barbara Windsor, the Cockney kid with a dazzling smile and talent to match. Preparing to perform in the theatre one cold evening in 1993, the cheeky, chirpy blonde Babs recounts the people and events that have shaped her life and career over fifty years from 1943 to 1993. She contemplates her lonely childhood and WWII evacuation, her decision to go from Barbara Ann Deeks to Barbara Windsor - inspired by the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her complicated relationship with her father, her doomed marriage to Ronnie Knight, capturing the attention of Joan Littlewood and becoming the blonde bombshell in the Carry On films. Babs, ever the consummate professional, never lets her fans down whatever her personal anguish and steps on the stage to rapturous applause.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
October 03, 2021 at 09:56 PM
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Top cast
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A Mess
I wanted to love it, it was decent.
I am a huge fan of the wonderful Barbara Windsor, let's face it she is a national treasure, which of us hasn't loved her in a Carry on film or EastEnders etc.
The BBC do dramas so well as a rule, particularly historicals, but this one seemed a little hit and miss. Barbara has a fascinating story to tell, but the way the story was told seemed clunky, the constant flashbacks of her Dad were overdone, I think it could have been told in a far more effective way.
I enjoyed the performances for the most part, the young Honour Kneafsey did a fine job as the young Babs, but Jaime Winstone somehow felt wrong in the part, she's a fine actress one I'm normally a big fan of but the drama at this point seemed to jar. The highlight for me had to be the introduction of Samantha Spiro, she's a hugely underrated and talented actress, and did capture the sparkle and mannerisms of our beloved Babs.
Overall it was good, and certainly watchable, I just feel that for someone so special and deserved so much more.
6/10.