Babs

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.

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.

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.

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.

Terrific, so beautifully written, directed and acted , would be a wonderful stage play. Loved all of the actresses that played her. A true icon of our times, Barbara Windsor was such a fabulous character, ups and downs but never daunted. The Lionel Bart part where she makes her name in Fings ain't what they used t'be was superb. I highly recommend watching this production. I loved Core Blimey as well where it was all about her love affair with Sid James, he was absolutely besotted with her. And then Fantabulosa with Michael Sheen who plays the great Kenneth Williams. A great treat and I'm sure I'll watch it over and over again.