busker

Juliet Stevenson

So I go down to the DVD store with nothing in mind and nothing much to attract me from the shelves.

But I need something British, something stringing a few words together.

My eye is caught by The Politician's Wife and something about the baleful expression of the actress on the cover.

On the way out, I spot Bend It Like Beckham, which I've always intended to see again, if only for the wonderful wedding entertainers.

I am not disappointed: The Pol's Wife is a marvelous Brit/PBS concoction, a 'how and when will she do it' study of a vengeful spouse whose immoral politician hubby has it coming to him. Not that most of us wouldn't with Minnie Driver as the bird on the side.

Beckham as marvelous as I remember it, although a little disconcerting watching the now over-famous Keira Knightley in the role of Jules instead of that rather charming and jaw-y wraith I so took to the first time round.

Parminder Nagra as Jesminder 'Jess' is really quite a cutie and I wish we'd see more of the handsome Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as coach Joe. We need blokes like that who can turn on a cruel visage.

Reason I harp on Ms Stevenson is that no sooner am I admiring her steely resolve and cut-glass Tory accent as the dutiful wife than I'm meeting her again as Jules' daft mum with the push-up bra and horror that he little gal might be lesbian.

An actress totally unknown to me appearing in both DVDs I take out. Not bad.

Celluloid wedding-wise: There's something about Indian weddings that enables the actors to appear graceful and completely natural; there's definitely something classy about the bands they hire. I must now re-view Monsoon Wedding, if only for that sensuous dance by whoever that chickadee is and the killer soundtrack she gyrated to.