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Venus - Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker, Roger Michell

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Maurice (Peter O'Toole) and Ian (Leslie Phillips) are old friends, veteran English actors who never hit the big time. Now in their seventies, they continue to work (Maurice, for example, is playing a corpse in a television drama) but their comfortable routines and banter over breakfast in a favourite café are disrupted by the arrival from the provinces of Ian's grand-niece, Jessie (Jodie Whittaker). She quickly tries her great-uncle's patience. But Maurice is taken with the girl, and proceeds to show her the cultural sights of the capital. Maurice tries to teach Jessie something about life, but in the process he is surprised to discover how very little he actually knows now that his own life is drawing to a close.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film drama UK actor extra culture TV family education life

Persons of interest

Cathryn Bradshaw .... Jillian
Emma Buckley .... Shop Assistant
Daniel Cerqueira .... Surgeon
Paul Chahidi .... Film Director
Lolita Chakrabarti .... Nurse 1
Joanna Croll .... Daughter
Tim Faraday .... Policeman
Philip Fox .... Doctor
Carolina Giammetta .... Nurse 2
Piers Harrisson .... Runner 2
Sam Kenyon .... Protégé
Kate Lock .... Michael's Wife
Ashley Madekwe .... Girl 1
Liam McKenna .... Man
Rosie Michell .... Grandchild
Tom Mison .... Lover 2
Peter O'Toole .... Maurice
Meg Wynn Owen .... Woman
Leslie Phillips .... Ian
Corin Redgrave .... Art Collector
Vanessa Redgrave
Julian Rhind-Tutt .... Michael
Beatrice Savoretti .... Waitress
Kellie Shirley .... Pram Girl
Sam Spruell .... Director
Harvey Virdi .... Teacher
Bronson Webb .... Young Man
Jodie Whittaker .... Venus
Hanif Kureishi .... Screenwriter
Roger Michell .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Venus official movie site
Venus film production notes
Venus QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS - Oscars) 2007: Nominated: Performance by an actor in a leading role (Peter O'Toole)
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) 2007: Nominated: Actor in a Leading Role (Peter O'Toole), Actor In A Supporting Role (Leslie Phillips)
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes) 2006: Nominated: Best Actor In A Motion Picture - Drama (Peter O'Toole)
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2007: Nominated: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Peter O'Toole)

Studios and distributors:

Miramax * Icon Film Distribution

Intelligence analyst

Secret Agent Acid Thunder

Theatrical report

How often has anyone said that the "dirty old ones" are the worst of men? And yet, Venus is a movie centred around that whole persona. Not bad, it put a whole new spin on it I thought. Once I got past the fact that he wasn't really dirty per se, it was more the fact that he found beauty in a body that was crying out for acceptance and guidance. Fair enough, his initial intentions were less than honourable - and possibly tilting on the side of paedophilia - but perhaps that is why I went wrong. I think that there is more to his character that Sir Peter O'Toole (Maurice) and Leslie Phillips (Ian) were trying to convey to the audience. He's an artist, and perhaps it's my cynical history that prevents me from seeing beyond the surface but I think there is a genuine affinity with the struggles of Venus (Jessie, played by Jodie Whittaker) in coming to terms with what life has given her, what limitations she's put on life as a result and what opportunities Maurice is steadfastly determined to expose to her as a result of his own history.

The drama, UK movie Venus is directed by Roger Michell and stars Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker.