Masterpiece Theatre - Painted Lady (1997)

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Starring: Helen Mirren; Iain Glen; Franco Nero; Michael Maloney; Lesley Manville; Iain Cuthbertson; Barry Barnes; Michael Liebman; John Kavanagh; Sabina Michael; Lorelei King; Angus Wright; Grace Boyle; Elizabeth Steele; Don Paul (III); John Cormack; Gabriel Thomson; Shezwae Powell; William Boyer; Sam Douglas
Rated: Unrated
Type: DVD
Directed By: Julian Jarrold
Studio: WGBH BOSTON
Release Date: 2004-09-28
Running Time: 204 minutes
Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect, The Clearing) stars in this compelling murder-mystery set amid the murky underworld of illegal art trade.

Maggie Sheridan (Mirren), once one of the most famous blues voices of her generation, lost decades of her life to drinking and hard-living. After a failed suicide attempt, she was taken in by Sir Charles Stafford (Iain Cuthbertson, Antonia and Jane) and his son Sebastian (Iain Glen, Tomb Raider). She has lived quietly on their Irish estate for ten years. But one summer evening, her peaceful life is shattered when Sir Charles is brutally murdered, and a valuable sixteenth century painting is stolen. The painting is one of several disturbing pictures sent to Sir Charles marking the major events in his life.

Maggie is convinced that the stolen painting holds the key to Sir Charles' death and decides to track it down. Meanwhile, Sebastian uncovers a terrible secret, with horrific consequences.

A mystery par excellence
Masterpiece Theatre - Painted Lady (1997)

I'm a passionate Helen Mirren fan so was excited to see one of my favorite masterpiece Theatre programs come out in DVD.

Painted Lady was created for Helen Mirren, and it's easy to see why. She fits the role as no one else could--of Maggie Sheridan, a down-on-her-luck former rock singer and former addict who was taken in by Sir Charles Stafford (Iain Cuthbertson) and his son Sebastian (Iain Glenn) and now lives in a cottage on his Irish estate.

One night Sir Charles is brutally murdered and a valuable sixteenth-century painting stolen. Convinced the painting holds the secret to Sir Charles' death, Maggie decides to track it down. She travels to London where her sister, an art historian, can possibly help.

It turns out the painting is one of several that have been sent to Sir Charles to mark major events in his life.

To tell more would spoil the plot. Suffice it to say that as Maggie embarks on a dangerous quest to sell the painting in the murky art underworld, Sebastian stumbles on a secret that will have fateful consequences.

This is one of the finest mysteries I've seen. It takes place in Ireland, London and New York. Great film score and stunning photography with a generous dose of art history thrown in. Mirren and Glenn are backed up with a fine cast in Michael Maloney (Oliver), Lesley Manville (Susie) and Franco Nero (Roberto Tassi).

Highly recommended.

Helen Mirren does it again!
Helen Mirren is on top form with this story, sometimes you can almost imagine Jane Tennison is right there beside her!

Painted Lady
This was a movie that I couldn't wait to end. It was long and rather depressing and certainly not up to our expectations of a Helen Mirren movie. Prime Suspect series were great but this one can't even be in the same category of her talents.

Crime in the art world
That excellent actress, Helen Mirren, stars in this story of the art world. Twenty years after having been known as of of the world's top blues vocalists, Maggie Sheridan is drawn from her now comfortable life as the friend and protege of Sir Charles Stafford and his son Sebastian, when firstly, Charles and then Sebastian are murdered and a mystery concerning the art collection they owned, comes to the fore. Maggie teams up with an Irish policeman to follow the clues leading to the murderer and the reasons for the murder. It's a rather involved story and one to which the viewer needs to pay close attention, but as usual, Helen Mirren does a fine job of portraying this former wild child of the sixties as she unravels the murky stories which emerge.

painted lady
I loved it Great thriller
Love her acting she is great in it
Only Problem did not know had to get second part and in process doing that with an o8oo number
not sure I would have brought it knowing that