When Louis Met Ann Widdecombe (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Kate Townsend

Release Date:

5 March 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Journalist Louis Theroux spends some time with Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe and finds out what makes her tick. |

Cast

Louis Theroux	...	Himself
Ann Widdecombe	...	Herself
David Frost	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rita Widdecombe	...	Herself

Runtime:

50 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

Louis Theroux: [admiring Ann's cat] You have an internet site where you've written a poem about your cats?
Ann Widdecombe: I have indeed - 'Goodness gracious, what is that? It's Mr. Pugwash my black cat. Goodness gracious, are there others? Yes indeed, my cat Carruthers'.

Movie Connections:

Followed by When Louis Met Keith Harris and Orville (2002) (TV)

Entertaining but Widdecombe never lets her guard down for a second

Louis spends time with Tory backbencher (to be) Ann Widdecombe during the Tory leadership election. He also sees her homes, her mothers, her PA and spends some time on a holiday cruise with her.

Ann Widdecombe is maybe not the most interesting character to follow – in fat David Mellor, when told of Louis task, says `no shortage of material there' in a dry tone. However Louis gives it his best shot and indeed she is unusual – she's unmarried and still lives with her elderly mother. However Ann never lets her guard down for a moment and spends most of the time arguing about the `rules' of the documentary. A simple discussion between Louis and Ann's mum turns sour when Ann shows up and enforces the point that no-one else is to be interviewed without Ann present.

Louis doesn't really help by making his first question `are you a virgin' – the first off-limits subject. But outside of that you feel that Ann could have at least tried to be a willing subject. During the election we see her candidates lose and you see some interesting emotions, but really the most interesting thing to come out of the hour is that Ann's PA used to manage rock bands.

Louis himself is clearly frustrated by his guarded subject, but still manages to get some wit out of it. Overall this is not one of his best and Ann acts as if someone else had forced her to do this documentary.