Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

Play trailer

1:52

Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

2024

1h 35m

Documentary

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Amy Nicholson

New York Times

Oct 16, 2024

Whenever things risk getting personal, you can practically hear Coward repurpose a threat from “Blithe Spirit,” his smash hit about a disgruntled ghost: Stop fawning on me or I shall break something.

Go to Full Review

James Jackson

The Times (UK)

Dec 27, 2023

4/5

As the clips became more plentiful, this became a not only deeply researched but also rather captivating portrait of a one-off — even if every time he sang one of his ditties I couldn’t get Monty Python’s “Penis Song” spoof out of my head.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Romei

The Australian

Nov 7, 2023

3.5/5

The final invention, from uneducated to the highest paid writer in the world came through a means that still should be recommended to every child, no matter what their circumstances.

Go to Full Review

Kathy Fennessy

Video Librarian Magazine

Aug 30, 2026

3.5/5

All told, Barnaby Thompson has crafted a lively portrait of a once-in-a-generation talent who suffered his share of disappointments, but always managed to find ways to reinvent himself and to stay relevant.

Go to Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Nov 20, 2024

7/10

Coward’s public persona figures large in Barnaby Thompson’s documentary Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story, a choice which saves it from becoming a mere collection of celebratory clips and quotes (although that could also be fun).

Go to Full Review

Wade Major

FilmWeek (LAist)

Nov 4, 2024

An absolutely sensational documentary.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Tom M

@RT77934561 Sep 7, 2024

Once this film gets going then it becomes an entertaining portrait of a truly remarkable polymath. I am only familiar with his playwrighting and songs but this film is a good showcase of his talents to those uninitiated.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Barnaby Thompson

Director

Alan Cumming

Narrator

Rupert Everett

Noël Coward

Noël Coward

Self

Laurence Olivier

Self

Maggie Smith

Self

How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

100%

96%

How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

Watchlist

TRAILER

for How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

Remembering Gene Wilder

88%

96%

Remembering Gene Wilder

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Remembering Gene Wilder

Jim Henson Idea Man

98%

92%

Jim Henson Idea Man

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Jim Henson Idea Man

Lucy and Desi

94%

85%

Lucy and Desi

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Lucy and Desi

My Mom Jayne

100%

95%

My Mom Jayne

Watchlist

TRAILER

for My Mom Jayne

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story: Trailer 1

1:52

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret.

Director: Barnaby Thompson
Producer: Gregor Cameron, Barnaby Thompson
Screenwriter: Barnaby Thompson, Barnaby Thompson
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Fragile Films, Bleat Post Production, Unigram
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 9, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2024
Runtime: 1h 35m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings