Lady Godiva (film)

Lady Godiva is a 2008 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Vicky Jewson. The film, starring Phoebe Thomas, Matthew Chambers, and Natalie Walter, was shot in 2006 but went unreleased for two years. Based on the historic tale of Lady Godiva, it was set in modern-day Oxford.

Jemima Honey, a teacher, needs to raise funds for her local creative arts centre. To do so, she accepts the challenge of businessmen and love interest Michael Bartle to ride through the streets of Oxford naked.

The film was universally panned by both critics and audiences alike, with criticism mostly focusing on its script and direction. Rob Daniel of Sky Movies wrote that 'all involved should be sent straight to the glue factory', Ellen E Jones of Total Film advised that viewers 'Avoid like you would a naked nutter bouncing down the street', Hannah Forbes Black of Film4 described it as 'relentlessly awful to the point of unintentional comedy, this Godiva would do well to get off the horse and put her clothes back on' and Total Film highlighted 'clunky direction' and a 'hokey script'.