User Reviews

Okay, call me a hopeless romantic, but I can't help loving this medium-sized movie.

Rik Mayall departs from his usual over the top persona, and plays a fairly convincing and more serious role here as Neil, who is the victim of a cruel prank by his friends the night before his wedding. Stranded in Scarborough, Neil is desperate to get back to Maidstone in time for his wedding. Julie, the stripper hired for his bachelor party, follows him around, sometimes mocking him, sometimes taking pity on him and helping him out. Slowly the two are drawn closer together.

I remembered seeing this when I was only fifteen, by accident, just zapping from channel to channel, and stumbling on Rik Mayall's face. I was a big fan of Bottom then, so I stuck around. Don't be fooled by Rik Mayall's presence though. This story is far from a plot of a Young Ones or Bottom episode. This is actually quite a sweet story.

The true star of the piece though is without a doubt Helena Bonham-Carter. Her matter of fact portrayal of Julie ("I take me clothes off, 80 quid, I'm not cheap you know") as a tough lower-class girl who's had a rough life is great. Without her, this would have been a very dull short romantic comedy ticking all the cliché boxes. Her performance lifts the movie up to something quite memorable, and touching. She brilliantly delivers the dead-pan dialogue, and slowly she reveals a more vulnerable side of Julie, hidden underneath the tough exterior.

I suppose the filming isn't all that good, nor is the story anything more than average fare. For those reasons, I really can't bring myself to rating this as a great quality production. But even though rationally I can't really defend it, there's something about 'Dancing Queen' that makes it more than just an average TV movie. Watch it if you get a chance.

The night before Neil is due to get married to Sophie his friends Nigel and Donald take him out for his stag night. Nigel spikes his drink and he is paralytic by the time Pandora the stripper performs her act. He was so far gone that he doesn't recognise her the next day; of course he is far more concerned to find himself on a train with a one way ticket to Doncaster and no money or trousers! His friends are waiting at the station to pick him up but they clearly put him on the wrong train; it is non-stop to Scarborough! Once they get there he tries to find a way back to Kent but with no money he can't find a way. He asks Pandora to help but by now she has but the money she was paid on a horse. Stuck in Scarborough he and Pandora try to figure out how to get him back… eventually he gets home of course by then he'll have missed his wedding and it might be too late to save his relationship with Sophie.

When I first watched this I was expecting something more comical as I'd only seen Rik Mayall in straight comedies; this is far more melancholic though. Neil is a decent chap and you can't help but feel sorry for him as he almost has a breakdown, equally under her brash exterior Pandora is a nice girl. Stars Rik Mayall and Helena Bonham-Carter put in fine performances; it was fun seeing the latter playing against type as a Northern stripper with a tattoo of a swallow on her backside! Nathaniel Parker and Martin Clunes also put in decent performances as his 'Hooray-Henry' type friends; two characters it is hard to like… I'm sure many viewers were hoping Neil would thump them for what they did! While this is as tragic as it is comic it is well worth watching if you get the chance.

Im not sure if you could call it a movie, but it certainly deserves to be called one.

When Neil is put on a train to Doncaster he ends up on the train with the stripper from his Stag night the night before. When the train fails to stop, Neil panics that he will be late for his wedding.Pandora(actual name Julie), tries to help him, and, predictably, they fall in love. Although, at the beginning it doesn't seem it, this a seriously sweet movie, with a beautiful message. A far cry from Rik Mayalls usual stuff. Its really nice to see him in a decent role, for a change.

Though im not a huge fan of Rik Mayalls, im a HUGE fan of Helena Bonham Carter, and i ADORED this film. Shes absolutely adorable, and her character, Julie, brings depth to the film.The theme tune, Dancing Queen by Abba, fits in perfectly with story in two ways. Julies unfortunate career, and her dancing with the umbrella at the end(BEST part of the movie, its adorable)..

This is a typical portrayal that anyone, can fall in love, anywhere, regardless of class. Its truly heart-warming and one of my all time favourite movies. Shame i can only watch it on YouTube. I recommend it to ANYONE. EVERYONE NEEDS to go watch this movie. Now.

This is my favourite episode of Rik Mayall's anthology series 'Rik Mayall's Presents'. Written by Nick Vivian, and named after one of Abba's Number. 1 hits, 'Dancing Queen' is all about the story of upper class twit Neil, who is due to be married to the prim and proper Sophie. However, on his stag night, his friends spike his drink, tear off his trousers, steal his money and board him on a train to Doncaster with a one way ticket.

Waking up, he finds himself sharing a carriage with Julie, a stripper who was performing for Neil at his stag night ( and whose stripper name is Pandora ). Despite her profession, she is deep down a well meaning, caring and kind-hearted girl, as is evidenced by her sympathy for Neil's predicament. Whilst Neil is stranded in Scarborough vainly attempting to telephone his bride-to-be, Julie provides him with clothes and even tries to get him some food but his temper takes over and he ends up blowing his top unjustly at Julie, which culminates in him getting a bucket of cod heads tipped over his head. However, upon calming down, she forgives him and the two seem to develop a close bond.

Eventually, arriving home, he tries to make amends with Sophie but she is furious with Neil and denounces Julie as a 'piece of s**t!'', Neil then counterattacks by referring to her friend Nigel ( who was responsible for Neil's predicament ) as a 'twat' and a 'wanker' and telling her it was all his fault that things turned out the way they did. After their heated argument, Neil walks out of her life and returns to Yorkshire to be with Julie.

Wonderfully acted and sharply written, 'Dancing Queen' is a little gem that while it still affords us the chance to enjoy Rik's comedic prowess, also shows us that he is a fine straight actor in his own right. Indeed this series was written so Rik could prove to viewers that he was capable of much more than violent slapstick. His gamble paid off. Sexy Helena Bonham Carter is wonderful as Julie and her chemistry with Mayall was a winning one. Also seen in the cast was Martin Clunes as one of the pranksters from Neil's stag night.

'Dancing Queen' was remade a year after this as 'Staggered', which had Martin Clunes in Rik's place but 'Dancing Queen' was the best of the two.

Funniest bit - the 'bucket of cod heads over the head' moment!