Joe's Palace

 

Joe’s Palace 2007

• Director: Stephen Poliakoff
• Cast: Danny Lee Wynter, Michael Gambon), Rupert Penry-Jones, Kelly Reilly, Rebecca Hall
• Why? Danny Lee Wynter
• 24 September 2026

 

      Aha, it’s a prequel to Capturing Mary. Joe (Wynter) has just been hired to be a doorman for the empty mansion that Mary (Maggie Smith) came to in the other film. The owner, Mr Graham (Gambon), a billionaire, lives in an equally lavish house across the street. He uses Joe as messenger boy, errand boy, dinner companion and…something else?

      Mr Graham allows a young politician Richard (Penry-Jones) and his lover Charlotte (Reilly) to use a room upstairs in Joe’s ‘palace’ as a love nest. Both Richard and Charlotte befriend Joe, liking his politeness and discretion.

      It’s an odd story that doesn’t work as well as Mary’s, probably because Maggie Smith isn’t in it. Still, young Danny does a good job and the story does draw me in gradually.

 

4* of 5