There’s Nothing Like a Dame Day – April 17, 2024

History of There’s Nothing Like a Dame Day

In the fourteenth century, the title ‘Dame’ was a sign of honor to women. In places like the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, ‘Dame’ was the feminine counterpart of ‘Sir,’ which was for men. The chivalric order, ‘The Order of Ermine,’ was the first to recognize women. There were many notable women knights throughout the Middle Ages. Previously, the term ‘Dame’ referred to the wife of a knight. In the seventeenth century, it was replaced by ‘Lady.’ In the twentieth century, the term ‘dame’ referred to all women. In 1932, the film “Dames,” a musical comedy, was released. It had many popular dance numbers like “The Girl at the Ironing Board” and “Try to See It My Way.” In 1949, “South Pacific,” a musical, came out. It featured the song “There’s Nothing Like a Dame,” in which seven sailors sang, longing for women in their lives.

In 2018, British theater and television director Roger Michell made the film documentary “Nothing Like a Dame Day,” which starred actresses of yesteryears like Judy Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith. The documentary shed light on these women’s lives and how theater and cinema changed over the years. In the U.S., the documentary went by “Tea With The Dames.”