Irreplaceable. Perhaps Judi Dench can only be defined with this word, which well represents what this actress was, born York on 9 December 1934, exactly 90 years ago, in an acting journey lasting more than sixty years, by virtue of which she is considered a living monument of British theater and cinema. Nothing suggested that the daughter of a war veteran doctor and an Irish housewife could become one of the most important faces of the seventh art of our time, but she, Judi Dench, capable of being nominated for an Oscar 8 times, forced to retiring a few months ago due to vision problems, has left an important and undeniable mark. Outlining which were the most decisive and important roles in Judi Dench’s career is a difficult task, but this selection of 5 fundamental titles is certainly useful for rediscovering some titles that perhaps went unnoticed, among the many that made this One of the most well-known, esteemed and recognizable actresses of all time.

Philomena (2013)

Based on the biographical novel by Martin Sixsmith, Stephen Frears’ “Philomena” is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, powerful and important films in Judi Dench’s career. The English actress here plays the role of Philomena Lee, who in the bigoted, obscurantist and chauvinist Ireland of the 1950s, as a single mother of just 18 years of age, was forced to give her son up for adoption against her will by cruel nuns of the convent of Roscrea. Many years later, now elderly, she will try together with the journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) to find her son, who has ended up in the United States. “Philomena” is a heartbreaking civil biopic, which enlightened the public on the revolting reality of women and in particular of single mothers who in Ireland had long been treated worse than criminals, being separated from their children, literally sold like cattle. Judi Dench moved the world with her Philomena, an extraordinary woman who, despite the immense pain, the humiliation she suffered, even the news of her son’s death, did not give up wanting to know more, almost as if she wanted to recover her torn motherhood and lost time. Great critical success, it earned Dench a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination as Best Leading Actress, by virtue of a sensational performance in terms of expressiveness and sensitivity.

Available on: Now TV, Apple TV+ and Prime Video

Chocolate (2000)

Another Oscar and Golden Globes nomination for Judi Dench in “Chocolat” by Lasse Hallström, one of the most beloved films of all time, based on the novel by Joanne Harris. Although naturally the lion’s share fell to Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, the two protagonists, the very romantic film, set in a small French village in the 1950s, allowed Judi Dench to give us a character like that of Armande Voizin, the landlady of Vianne and Anouk, who will bring chocolate, passion and love to that small, closed and gray community. The character of Armande is the most touching and tragic one in the film, an elderly lady who has no longer seen her grandson Luc since her daughter accused her of being a bad influence on him. The possibility, thanks to a stratagem by Vianne, to rebuild a relationship with her nephew is one of the most touching moments of the film, where Dench manages to convey to us all the newfound joy of living and confidence in the future in a woman who “Chocolat “initially portrayed us as bitter, hostile and sad. Even just the scene in which Armande tastes the chocolate created by Vianne for the first time is one of the most beautiful and powerful in the film, as well as one of the most obvious demonstrations of Judi Dench’s incredible expressive baggage, capable of expressing with a simple look a sea of ​​emotions.

Available on: Apple TV+ and Prime Video

My Queen (1997)

Few rulers have had a more important impact than Queen Victoria, who literally gave her name to an entire era, among the most revolutionary of humanity. John Madden’s “My Queen” was an unexpected success, especially because it was initially intended as a television film. Instead, the story of the deep friendship between Vittoria (Judi Dench) and the groom of Vittoria’s late husband, the Scotsman John Brown (Billy Connolly), was very popular with the public and critics, so much so that Dench was finally awarded the Golden Globe and again nominated for an Oscar. “My Queen” shows us the most difficult moment in Vittoria’s life when, following the death of her husband, she secluded herself, causing the consensus of the monarchy to collapse. But in that 1863 the crackling and often irreverent Brown brought a breath of energy into Vittoria’s existence, convincing her by hook (but also by crook) to no longer be passive and take back control of her life. Extremely faithful to the historical re-enactment, “My Queen” is an elegant film, dominated by the perfect chemistry between Connolly and Dench, in a story of sincere friendship, beyond differences in wealth and power. The English actress was beaten by Helen Hunt in “Something Has Changed”, and many think that the Oscar awarded to her the following year for “Shakespeare in Love” with a limited running time was almost a sort of compensation for what was not had with this film.

Available on: Prime Video

Iris (2001)

Based on the memoirs of John Bailey, “Iris” by Richard Eyre allowed Judi Dench to give us one of her most beautiful performances ever in the role of Iris Murdoch, a writer and philosopher of Irish origins. If Kate Winslet is very good at giving us all the innocence and enthusiasm of Iris in her youth, when she meets John (Hugh Bonneville) and bonds with him, Judi Dench on the other hand is commendable in showing us without any filter her increasingly drifting unstoppable towards dementia due to Alzheimer’s. Structured as a mix of past and present without order of continuity, “Iris” is an intense, painful but also full of humour, film about the sincere and concrete love of a couple of souls portrayed through time. The chemistry between Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent (who plays John as an elderly man) is simply magical, it is the spice of a film that addresses the difficult topic of mental and physical health, of the deterioration of memory, without sparing the viewer anything, but also avoiding easy sensationalism and an excess of cynicism. A humble, simple but incredibly well made film and above all well acted by the entire cast. Judi Dench and Kate Winslet were both nominated for Oscars, but the statuette was won by the brilliant Broadbent. It remains without a shadow of a doubt one of his most difficult, daring and beautiful interpretations.

Available on: Prime Video

Diary of a Scandal (2006)

Based on a novel by Zoe Heller, “Diary of a Scandal” by Richard Eyre probably represents Judi Dench’s most complex and difficult role, in the role of one of the most evil and complex female characters in memory: Barbara. A pathologically misanthropic, malignant and envious elderly London teacher, she deludes her young colleague Sheba (Cate Blanchett) into her sincere friendship, struggling with a failed marriage, a difficult motherhood and above all a clandestine relationship with a 15-year-old student: Steven (Andrew Simpson) . A misunderstanding between the two will lead Barbara to decide to destroy her colleague’s life, and “Diary of a Scandal” shows us this process with hypnotic meticulousness. A pessimistic, dark but fascinating film, “Diary of a Scandal” boasts a simply sensational duo of protagonists. Blanchett and Dench are incredible for all 92 minutes of this cruel tale about reputation, human relationships and above all about a homoerotic obsession unique in its characteristics and morbidity. Oscar nomination for both actresses, capable of giving verisimilitude, intensity and humanity to two women who also become a finger pointed against the bigoted, hypocritical and decadent British society of today.

Available on: Apple TV+, Prime Video and Disney+