Babs (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

I wanted to love it, it was decent.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 10 May 2017]

I am a huge fan of the wonderful Barbara Windsor, let's face it she is a national treasure, which of us hasn't loved her in a Carry on film or EastEnders etc.

The BBC do dramas so well as a rule, particularly historicals, but this one seemed a little hit and miss. Barbara has a fascinating story to tell, but the way the story was told seemed clunky, the constant flashbacks of her Dad were overdone, I think it could have been told in a far more effective way.

I enjoyed the performances for the most part, the young Honour Kneafsey did a fine job as the young Babs, but Jaime Winstone somehow felt wrong in the part, she's a fine actress one I'm normally a big fan of but the drama at this point seemed to jar. The highlight for me had to be the introduction of Samantha Spiro, she's a hugely underrated and talented actress, and did capture the sparkle and mannerisms of our beloved Babs.

Overall it was good, and certainly watchable, I just feel that for someone so special and deserved so much more.

6/10.

Could have been so much better

[nicholls_les · 6/10 · 8 May 2017]

This was not a bad drama in some ways but for me it was spoiled by the over use of the older Babs and her Fathers constant conversations, it all seemed a bit arty for me which detracted rather than added to the story. Not sure if it was the fault of Dominic Leclerc's direction or Tony Jordan's dire script.

The young Babs played by Honor Kneafsey was just brilliant and stole every scene she was in. Her scenes were also the most emotional.

The more up to date version played by Samantha Spiro was also realistic but Jaime Winstone as the Babs we all know from the films was totally wrong, you can't fault her acting but she looked nothing like Barbara Windsor, she was too tall and heavy set to pull off the tiny and bubbly Babs we all know so well.

Too much of her life was glossed over or not shown at all. The carry on years were only briefly touched upon, although Robin Sebastian did a good Kenneth Williams. Where was Sid James who she had a controversial affair with? With a better script and direction this could have been great but sadly it wasn't. Compared to the excellent TV drama Eric and Ernie about the late Morcambe and Wise which was directed excellently by Jonny Campbell and written by Peter Bowker and the late Victoria Wood 'Babs' paled into insignificance.

A Mess

[ThreePointFive · 5/10 · 20 May 2017]

I was looking forward to this, but what a massive disappointment. The constant jumping back and forth completely destroyed any flow. Jaime Winstone was completely miscast. She's lovely enough, but she's not Babs, and she sounds like a rabbit being put through a mangle when she's singing... totally unpleasant.

There were plus points. Samantha Spiro was excellent, as was Honor Kneafsey... and Robin Sebastian was again fabulous as Kenneth Williams.

The BBC have produced some excellent stuff, but this simply wasn't up to snuff. In terms of Carry On films, this was more Carry on Abroad than Carry on Camping.

A 'good' film, but has a constantly shifting plot

[RR-93804 · 6/10 · 26 November 2019]

Barbara Windsor is a wonderful lady, a national treasure even. With such an interesting life, as shown in her autobiography 'All of Me' (which is well worth a read), the film had a good story to tell. Unfortunately, the plot is not allowed to flow due to the continuous shifting back and forth between the actual interesting storyline and conversations between an older Barbara and her deceased father which are very confusing. These scenes feel like they are bridging a gap between the scenes with the younger Barbara. Samantha Spiro is the absolute double of Barbara Windsor and with your eyes half shut you would believe it was her. Honor Kneafsey as young Barbara does a good job, and Jaime Winstone does a good job too, despite unfortunately looking nothing like a young Miss Windsor. Most other characters are convincingly played by the actors. I think that the story of Barbara's life would much better suit a tv series, or a tv miniseries as so much interesting things have happened to Barbara such as the Carry On films, EastEnders and being the wife of a gangster, but having to cram everything into an hour long film of course misses a lot out. I'm 100% sure this would work out as a series full of cliffhangers, suspense, sex and engaging characters. It does feel though that the film does go along the fashion of 'show a bit of younger Barbara then shift back to older Barbara but then go back to younger Barbara but five years later'. The Carry On films are only briefly touched upon and Sid James' name is never mentioned. Kenneth Williams does fleetingly appear and although the actor looks nothing like Williams, the voice is perfection. Also, despite the confusing appearance of the real Barbara in the cafe talking to the younger Barbara, the real Miss Windsor makes a touching cameo at the end of the film which should not go unmentioned. Including more real life appearances of Barbara in films between scenes in this film would have made it better too. Overall: a watchable film, but it could be improved.

RIP BARBARA.. You will be missed.

[tom-1514 · 7/10 · 11 December 2020]

Watching it now, ... very impressed with the young girl playing her .. don't know who she is but she's got Barbara Windsors cheeky smile. Yes, it's a bit cheesy in places, but it's an excellent tribute to a National treasure. Sleep well Babs x

Carry on Babs

[Prismark10 · 4/10 · 7 May 2017]

Barbara Windsor may had a complex relationship with her father but I am sure it was not like it was presented in this biographical drama.

Tony Jordan, a long time writer for Eastenders wrote this biopic which unlike Miss Windsor's chest felt a bit flat.

The framing device of an older Babs (Samantha Spiro) talking to her father about various aspects of her life is not new. It just did not work for me and made the drama episodic as we jumped around various stages of her life.

We see the child Barbara starting out on the stage with the help of her mother who disappears later on. The younger Babs (Jaime Winstone) realizes she has the assets to turn men's heads. We see her having a relationship with the crooked Ronnie Knight, both had affairs, she also had abortions. Barbara tries to break into serious acting with the Joan Littlewood theatre workshop. For a time she enjoyed success in the New York stage and even attracted the attention of Warren Beatty.

The Carry On years were quickly glossed over and we see an older Barbara Windsor still trying to understand her relationship with her father. Now with a toyboy and doing stage work for a pittance, she does not know it yet, but there is a juicy role in Eastenders just round the corner which will brighten her career and fortunes.

At one point even the real Barbara Windsor turns up which confuses matter further. I think this film just needed a straightforward narrative that was bubbly as the subject in her various happier times.

Samantha Spiro absolutely stole the movie

[keylogger-53211 · 8/10 · 8 May 2017]

Samantha Spiro absolutely stole the movie, playing Babs looking back over her life, she played the part so well and looked like her so much you would be mistaken for thinking it was Babs who also played herself in a cameo role.

Another person wrote they felt the back flashes with her talking to her father were tedious, they felt the director had gone of track with the story line. I on the other hand felt it gave a better understanding to where Babs was emotionally within herself as a woman, person, actress.

Not forgetting she played herself within this film and it was about her life, i doubt very much she wouldn't allow something she felt did not give people a insight into her true self (at one point having a dig at her own sexual conquests).

I felt the actress who played her as a young actress was all wrong, unlike Samantha Spiro she looked nothing like her. In her heyday Babs was a stunning Goddess, even to me as a child at the time i first saw Carry on movies. Unfortunately Jaime Winstone who played her was just not right for the role, looked nothing like her and i don't wish to sound rude but if you saw Babs in Carry on Spying she was skinny as hell with a big chest whereas Jaime Winstone was big all over. And unlike Babs she just couldn't sing, i wish they had dubbed Babs singing over hers as she does sing at the end and a hell of a lot better.

As mentioned before, we all grew up with her in Carry on Movies yet only about 2 minutes of the whole movie covered it, nothing about her relationship with Sid James or her long life friendship with Kenneth Williams.

The film just ends with the last 25 years of her life missing, all we get is a footnote at the end which to me is poor quality writing about a national treasure who is loved by millions of people.

The only thing i felt heart warming about the footnote is her marriage to her partner Scott is still going strong, at last she has a man in her life she can depend on.

Apart from Samantha Spiro this is a flop

[studioAT · 3/10 · 8 May 2017]

After the success of the ITV Cilla Black drama that so memorably starred Sheridan Smith, it's no surprise that the BBC have tried to repeat the trick with this drama focusing on the life of another British icon, Barbara Windsor.

With a good writer in Tony Jordan penning the script this should have been great. And yet it's not.

Jamie Winstone seems miscast, and the constant chipping and changing in terms of time and who is playing Babs makes us feel like we're trapped in a sci-fi film rather than a biopic. The only highlight is Samantha Spiro as the older Barbara Normally the BBC do this sort of thing so well. Not this time.

Loved it

[charlieboy-12673 · 8/10 · 11 May 2017]

BBC does this kind of show incredibly well. Not knowing a huge amount about Barbara I was keen to see it and discover more. I'd no idea she was such a complex character, or that her relationship with her parents was so fractious. I've read a few of the reviews who quite rightly point out how good the woman that played the older Barbara was, but I thought they all had her to a t, especially the middle one, she captured the cheekiness of Barbara. I was hoping they'd have shown more of her Carry on Life, and the complex relationship she had with Sid James, they passed this important part of her life too quickly. Seeing her appear at the end of the film made it, I enjoyed all the more knowing she'd given it her blessing.

Well done Beeb.

A national Treasure deserves a better movie

[rich-fletch · 3/10 · 4 September 2019]

I won't ramble on but having watched this movie for ten minutes, I said to my wife 'oh no. I hope it doesn't continue like this all the way through!' It did.

Three Barbara Windsor's plus one real Barbara Windsor. Add in a dead mum and dad and a mainly stage based narrative and you get a right Royal mess.

Whoever does the next - obviously deserved - movie about one of the UK's national treasures, then maybe leave out the stage and the constant nattering to the dead parents. Cheers.

Self-conscious, Self-indulgent, Self-serving. Public masturbation.

[kitellis-98121 · 5/10 · 11 July 2018]

A heinously self-indulgent love letter to herself from Barbara Windsor, penned by her long-time friend and collaborator, Tony Jordan, with heavy input from herself including far too many cameo appearances speckled throughout.

If the subject matter wasn't so self-serving, and if it hadn't already been done better previously (also with Ms Windsor in a cameo as herself), this might have been a little less vomit-worthy, since technically it is a pretty well-made film with excellent cinematography, production design, and editing. There are also some very good performances.

However, the structure of this piece is annoyingly self-conscious, with a middle-aged Babs (and occasionally the elderly one played by herself) interacting with younger incarnations of herself and other characters from her past, all backstage at a seedy theatre, as she narrates, converses, and analyses her way through a history of daddy-issues and gangster boyfriends, with occasional shrill renditions of "Sunny Side of the Street" to alleviate the tedium.

Essentially this is written and structured like a stage play, and it would probably have worked much better in that medium. On film, however, it comes off as tacky, forced, and muddled.

As well as having far too many actresses playing Ms Windsor, including herself - often all at the same time - there are also archive film clips of her, giving us in the end a rather unpleasant case of too-much-Babs-itus!

The final embarrassing self indulgence occurs at the very end when the real Barbara Windsor steps into a spotlight and sings "Sunny Side of the Street" to an audience of her friends and family, including Tony Jordan.

All in all, then, a cinematic circle-jerk. Sometimes it's a good selling point for a movie to recommend that you bring plenty of Kleenex. Not in this case!

Oh come on it's brill

[garryjohnspraggett · 10/10 · 11 December 2020]

From start to finish It was brill, Cam work, lighting etc Brill. Very theatrical in tone was perfect. Casting was so good. I was brought up in Stepney in the 60's and went on to work for the RSC for 20 years in London, Stratford-upon-Avon and Broadway. That's why Babs is Brill.

Bad

[pilot1009 · 2/10 · 10 October 2021]

Not a good bio or an good entertainment, just a trite whitewash of the main character. Not worth watching, and frankly the style was lame with constant conversations with father etc in flashbacks.

"I used to walk in the shade...."

[ianlouisiana · 8/10 · 18 May 2017]

"On the sunny side of the street" isn't a particularly difficult song to sing but it was noticeable that the only one of the several Barbara Windsors who had a go at it actually managed to get the whole melody right and that was the real one right at the end who gave it the full Bette Midler pzazz. And as in Ms Midler's "Beaches" where"The Glory of Love" was used as a leitmotif from from tinkling piano accompaniment to the full plush orchestral score at the end to note the journey the divine Miss M had been on,so in "Babs" - a much more modest affair I must own - "Sunny side" defined the subject's life. I'm sure that was just a coincidence. There was a lot of Chas'n'Dave type dialogue that spoke of lazy writing and "Up the apples and pears" accents that weren't very convincing and many of the stories told were too well - known to stand much repetition but overall because Miss Windsor is now a Grande Dame of showbiz and loved all across the social spectrum,"Babs" is well worth checking out on the i - player. For me the best performance was the wonderful Miss Z.Wanamaker as the eccentric Joan Littlewood who cast Miss Windsor in "Fings ain't what they used to be" written by ex - villain Mr Frank Norman and given music and lyrics by Mr Lionel Bart. One more little gripe;Ronnie Scott played the tenor saxophone but was repeatedly shown playing the alto - an error that would have made an excellent subject for one of his caustic jokes. Despite my misgivings I thoroughly enjoyed "Babs",the whole being more than the sum of its parts.

Brilliant drama of one of Britain's best

[ChristianLeFeuvre · 10/10 · 8 May 2017]

The BBC have produced some incredible biopic dramas in the past. The brilliant telling of the get-together of Britain's greatest double act 'Eric & Ernie', 'Fantabulosa' which was based on the diaries of entertainer Kenneth Williams, the superb portrayal by Ruth Jones of 'Carry On…' favourite Hattie Jacques in 'Hattie' and of course the story another comedy great, Frankie Howerd in 'Rather You Than Me'. I have to say though, they have excelled themselves with this recently screened drama on the life of another 'Carry On….' regular, and much-loved actress Barbara Windsor in 'Babs'. Beginning in the '90s we see Barbara in her end-of-the-pier dressing room, played at this point by Samantha Spiro, as she takes a rest between shows and starts to think back on her life and the decisions and situations that shaped her life. Almost along the similar vein of the Ghost Of Christmas Past from 'A Christmas Carol', the ghost of her deceased father guides her through the various stages of her life from her childhood to her rise to stardom. Honor Kneafsey plays the very young Barbara Deeks as she goes through auditions, choice of stage name 'Windsor', the trauma of being evacuated during the war, the heart-breaking divorce of her parents and the resulting distance she felt from a father who seemingly decided to ignore her. As the drama moves to Barbara's 20's, actress Jamie Winstone takes over the role, and is close to perfect as we see the rise of Barbara's stage career, her continued strained relationship with her parents, her troubled love and marriage to Ronnie Knight and, of course, her introduction to the 'Carry On…' movies. This drama seriously impressed me, and contained some very funny moments and some real poignant scenes, as we are guided through both the good, and bad times of Barbara's life. There are some genuinely incredible performances from the cast, including Nick Moran as Barbara's father John Deeks, Zoe Wanamaker as renowned theatre director Joan Littlewood and Luke Allen-Gale as Ronnie Knight. The real Barbara Windsor also makes a couple of appearances during the drama and a there's a wonderful finale with her too.

So much praise though must go to the three actresses portraying Barbara. Young Honor Kneafsey, Jamie Winstone and of course Samantha Spiro (who has actually played Barbara before both on stage and in the TV drama 'Cor Blimey' which told of her time during the 'Carry On…'s and her affair with co-star Sid James).

It's unfortunate that it has been broadcast too late for this year's BAFTA awards but if it doesn't win anything in next year's honours then there is something seriously wrong. This is a stunning drama, superbly written, well-acted and gives us so much more of the life of an actress we all know and love.