The Lady in the Van

Directed by Nicholas Hytner. With Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent, Clare Hammond. A man forms an unexpected bond with a transient woman living in her van that's parked in his driveway.

The Lady in the Van (2015) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

Maggie Smith is magnificent as a homeless woman who shares Alan Bennett’s drive in this moving adaptation of the West End play

The Lady in the Van

Parents need to know that The Lady in the Van is an adaptation of English playwright/author/actor Alan Bennett's diary, memoir, and play about his unusual friendship with Mary Shepherd, an elderly homeless woman who convinced him to let her park her ramshackle van in his London driveway ... for 15 years. Directed by Bennett's friend and longtime artistic collaborator, Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith (who also played Mary in the play and TV versions of the story), the movie is an appealing tale of a unique inter-generational friendship. There are a couple of brief shots of a dead body (one bloody, one peaceful) and some subtle allusions to Alan's amorous late-night visits from younger men (though not even kissing is shown), as well as an uncharacteristic utterance of the expletive "f--king." Otherwise, this is a character study and relationship drama about how sometimes the unlikeliest people can change your life.

A heart-coddling, crowd-pleasing study of two eccentric introverts — on opposite sides of the poverty line — finding common ground.

This film tells the true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett and the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who 'temporarily' parked her van in Bennett's London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.

Anyone who adores Maggie Smith will have quite a satisfying ride with this crusty grand dame behind the wheel.

The Lady in the Van is a 2015 British[2] comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings. It was written by Alan Bennett, and it tells the true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in London for 15 years.[5] He had previously published the story as a 1989 essay, 1990 book, 1999 stage play, and 2009 radio play on BBC Radio 4. Smith had previously portrayed Shepherd twice: in the 1999 stage play, which earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 2000 Olivier Awards[6] and in the 2009 radio adaptation.[7]