A British film directed by the excellent Stephen Frears, Mrs Henderson Presents tells the story of how an enterprising theatre impresario (the Mrs Henderson of the title) got around censorship laws in 1930s London and introduced the city to its first nude "showgirls" (though a bizarre bit of regulation meant that the girls were only allowed on stage without their clothes if they remained completely still).  Featuring an excellent cast led by Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins, the film has already done good business in this country, though whether its success will be translated stateside (given its distinctly British nature) is questionable.  

With music playing a central role in the film, the composer's job was always going to be an important one, so Frears made a shrewd choice when he decided to renew his collaboration, after a gap of nearly a decade, with George Fenton.  Largely a collection of old, music hall-style source music, your tolerance of that will no doubt fully dictate your tolerance of this album.  While about half of the album is instrumental, little of it is actually dramatic underscore.  There are some exceptions, with the lovely "Joyride" and touching "Elegy" showing off Fenton's skills with an orchestra.  The gorgeous "The Girl in the Fan" is probably the highlight, with a sensitive piano theme backed by subtle strings bringing a touch of genuine emotion.  Fenton's big band contributions are enjoyable enough, if seeming to be a little disposable.

Alongside the 20 minutes or so of instrumentals come several songs, some originals by Fenton and Simon Chamberlain, some standards.  The bulk are sung by Camille O'Sullivan and Will Young, both of whom sing them on-screen in the film.  (The best, though, is Fenton's exceptionally enjoyable "Babies of the Blitz", sung by The O'Brien Sisters.)  Cues like Young's interpretation of Noel Gay's "Letting in the Sunshine" are also very entertaining.  It's an enjoyable enough album, but as I mentioned earlier, isn't exactly a dramatic underscore.  Fans of the old-fashioned, music hall-style will no doubt find it highly-satisfying.