Racy lady: Golden girl Helen Mirren revs up on a scooter at Brighton Rock premiere - and backs Colin Firth for Oscars glory

By JODY THOMPSON


Vroom with a view: Dame Helen Mirren was the night's golden girl as she straddled a scooter at the Brighton Rock premiere

Helen Mirren showed she still likes to live her life at full throttle when she revved up on a scooter at the London premiere of Brighton Rock tonight.

The 65-year-old was was looking glamorous in a gold Jacques Azagury dress gown and matching gloves and stilettos as she posed on the machine to promote the film, which is set amongst the battles between Mods and Rockers in the resort in the Sixties.

After posing for photographers, Helen, who landed an Academy Award in 2007 for her portrayal of Her Majesty Elizabeth II in The Queen, tipped Colin Firth for Oscars glory this year for his role in The King's Speech. She told reporters: 'I think he deserves it, and I think he will get it.'


Racy: The Oscar winning actress kept on an even keel with stabilizers however


Need a lift? Dame Helen was clearly having fun messing about with the motors


The actress - who plays tea shop manager Ida in the remake - joined other stars of the film on the red carpet including John Hurt, 71,and rising British stars Andrea Riseborough, 29, and Sam Riley, 31.

The movie is based on Graham Greene's classic 1938 crime thriller, but unlike the 1947 original film adaptation that made a star of Richard Attenborough as Pinkie Brown, the action has been moved forward to 1964.


Golden girls: Helen (L) was wearing Azagury whereas Andrea Riseborough (R) wore Armani


The cast (L-R): Sam Riley, Helen Mirren, Andrea Riseborough and John Hurt


Stepping into the role of young thug Pinkie is actor Sam, who sprang to fame playing Joy Division singer Ian Curtis in the 2007 film Control.

His love interest Rose meanwhile is played by Andrea, who played the former Prime Minister in the TV movie Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk To Finchley and stars this month alongside Keira Knightley in Never Let Me Go.


Stellar support: The film also features performances from Helen Mirren and John Hurt


She's also in Madonna's forthcoming feature film about Wallis Simpson, W.E.
The £8 million British movie is being backed by BBC Films and Optimum Films, a production company which controls the rights to the first Brighton Rock film.


The 1947 original: Richard Attenborough as Pinkie and Carol Marsh as Rose


Director Rowan Joffe, who directed George Clooney in last year's movie The American, explained that he'd brought the action forward to truly reflect the violent action in the novel, which was subject to censorship in the original adaptation.

However, he said he didn't want to bring Brighton Rock right up to date and set it in contemporary times, since 1964 was the last year the death penalty was carried out, and that threat over Pinkie was an important plot point.


Film fans: Other stars on the red carpet at the premiere included Cherie Lunghi and Secret Diary Of A Call Girl star Gemma Chan


Going Greene: Madness frontman Suggs and Greg Wallace - who dug out his parka for the occassion - and wife Heidi Brown were also on the red carpet


'Pinkie is a psycho sexually-abused kid who has become a cold-blooded killer. He's a complex creation and we can bring him fully to life,' Joffe said.

The film comes out this Friday, 4 February.


All-star cast: Sam and Andrea are among the famous faces in the new version of Brighton Rock


Mods and Rockers: The new version of the film, based on Graham Greene's novel, updates the action to 1964


Brighton Rock European Premiere - Helen Mirren Interview


source: dailymail