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Virginia McKenna

Virginia McKenna

Actor · Born June 7, 1931 (95) · London, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dame Virginia Anne McKenna, DBE (born 7 June 1931) is a British stage and screen actress, author, activist, and wildlife campaigner. She is best known for the films A Town Like Alice (1956), Carve Her Name with Pride (1958), Born Free (1966), and Ring of Bright Water (1969), as well as her work with The Born Free Foundation.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 7, 1931 (95)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 64 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 24% in 30 days

What are Virginia McKenna's films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
16%
Morality
16%
Power
14%
Survival
12%
Ideas
7%
Society
5%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeNature2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 4 · Dark 7

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 7 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 7 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 7
Ally
2 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
7
Melancholic
10
Tense
7
Bittersweet
6
Hopeful
4
Other
10

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Virginia McKenna's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Virginia McKenna's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

64 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Dora

  • Widow's Walk(2019)

    as Myrtle

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Ethel & Ernest(2016)

    as Lady of the House (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Golden Years(2016)

    as Martha

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Leona Calderon(2013)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Love/Loss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mary

  • Agatha Christie's Marple(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Belle Goedler

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Whistle-Blower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Theresa Elliot

  • Sliding Doors(1998)

    as James' Mother

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Scold's Bridle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Violet Orloff

  • September (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Violet

  • Kavanagh QC(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Alice Aldermarten

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Staggered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Flora

  • The Camomile Lawn(1992)

    Show 5 episodes · as Polly (older)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Duel of Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Lady Brecon

  • The Lady in Waiting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Miss Peach

  • Have a Nice Night(1990)

    as Jennifer Warrenton

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Ruth Rendell Mysteries(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Milborough Lang

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Cook Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lovejoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Harriet Fisher

  • The First Olympics: Athens 1896 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Annabel Flack

  • Sharing Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Phoebe

  • Puccini (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Elvira

  • Waters of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Mrs. Whyte

  • Natural World(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Participant

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Case of the Frightened Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Lady Lebanon Amersham

  • Blood Link (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Woman in Ballroom

  • Julius Caesar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Portia

  • The Disappearance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Catherine

  • The Chosen(1977)

    as Eva Caine

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Peter Pan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Mrs. Darling

  • Beauty and the Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Lucy

  • Shades of Greene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary

  • The Gathering Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Clemmie Churchill

  • Swallows and Amazons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Mrs. Walker

  • The Dragon's Opponent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 4 episodes · as Margaret - Countess of Suffolk

  • The Edwardians (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Frances Evelyn 'Daisy' Greville

  • The Lion at World's End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • Waterloo(1970)

    as Duchess of Richmond

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Ring of Bright Water(1969)

    as Mary MacKenzie

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Lions Are Free(1969)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • An Elephant Called Slowly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Ginny

  • The Admirable Crichton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Lady Mary

  • Half Hour Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Ann

  • Born Free(1966)

    as Joy Adamson

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Mystery and Imagination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Alice Oke

  • A Passage to India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Adela Quested

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Adela Quested · as Fraulein von Bernburg · as Hester · as Mary Stuart

  • Two Living, One Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Helen Berger

  • The Wreck of the Mary Deare(1959)

    as Janet Taggart

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Storm Over Jamaica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Judy Waring

  • Carve Her Name with Pride(1958)

    as Violette Szabo

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Big Time Operators(1957)

    as Jean Spenser

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Barretts of Wimpole Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Henrietta Barrett

  • A Town Like Alice(1956)

    as Jean Paget

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Romeo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Juliet Capulet

  • PT Raiders(1955)

    as Helen Randall

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Simba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Mary Crawford

  • The Oracle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Shelagh

  • The Cruel Sea(1953)

    as Julie Hallam

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Father's Doing Fine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Catherine

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Clementine Churchill · as Lady Mary · as Lucy · as Mrs. Darling

  • Sunday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Janine Mayhew · as Juliet

  • Echoes of Camusfearna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Narrator

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 64 titles, 63 of them dated from 1950 to 2020; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Sliding Doors (1998)

$12M worldwide

Highest rated

Ethel & Ernest (2016)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Sliding Doors (1998)

Film career

19502020

Peak 2016 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting64 of 64: 64 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score80th

By decade

1950s14 · acting1960s10 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s2 · acting2010s5 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 33% of 12 roles
5363

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Virginia McKenna's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Leona Calderon (2013)

92nd percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Ethel & Ernest (2016)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Virginia McKenna's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Virginia McKenna work with?

People who share at least 2 of Virginia McKenna's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bill Travers shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers