▲Dench plays Arabella, an aspiring artist and art lover, in this semi-autobiographical film that follows the life of an orphaned Italian boy who is raised among a circle of British and American women living in Mussolini's Italy before and during World War II.

▲In the 20th installment of the 'James Bond' series, Dench continues to play the role of M, the head of MI6, as James Bond infiltrates a North Korean military base.

▲Dench plays Princess Dragomiroff, one of the main antagonists in the most recent adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel about a lavish train trip through Europe that becomes the stage of a murder.

▲Dench continues to bring M to life in the 19th installment of the 'James Bond' series, which revolves around the assassination of billionaire Sir Robert King by the terrorist Renard.

▲Dench gains more screen time in the 22nd installment of the 'James Bond' series because director Marc Forster wanted to increase her interaction with Bond.

▲This marks the third time Dench portrays Lady Bracknell in an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel by the same title.

▲In this biographical drama directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Dench plays the mother of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

▲Dench plays the role of Ursula in this film set in a tight-knit fishing village in Cornwall in 1936.

▲Dench plays the main character in this film that centers on the true story of Laura Henderson, an eccentric British socialite who creates the Windmill Theatre in London during World War II.

▲Dench is narrator of this documentary that explores the lush rainforest of Borneo.

▲Dench portrays the recently widowed housewife Evelyn in this film that follows a group of British retirees who decide to move to India.

▲Dench portrays Irish-born British novelist Dame Iris Murdoch in this biographical film that centers on her life and relationship with John Bayley.

▲In this psychological thriller, Dench portrays a history teacher at a comprehensive school in London who finds out that one of her colleagues is having an affair with a 15-year-old student.

▲Dench portrays a novelist, Eleanor Lavish, in this film that follows the story of a young woman named Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) in Edwardian England as she falls in love with a free-spirited young man.

▲Dench portrays Mrs. Fairfax in this adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name.

▲In this biographical film, Dench portrays Philomena, a woman who was forced to give up a son as a teenager in 1950s Ireland.

▲Of the 007 films that Dench has participated in, the 23rd installment of the 'James Bond' series ranks highest among critics.

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Dench plays Queen Elizabeth I in this period drama that depicts a fictional love affair between William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow). The role earned Dench an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

▲Dench is the narrator of his documentary that centers on the rescue operation, known as the Kindertransport, that transported 10,000 Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia via train, boat, and plane to England.

▲Released outside of the US as 'Tea With the Dames,' Dench portrays herself in this documentary that depicts an afternoon with four legends of British stage and cinema: Dames Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright.

▲Also released as just 'Mrs. Brown,' Dench portrays a bereaved Queen Victoria in this film that explores her relationship with John Brown, a Scottish servant whom she favors.

▲Dench plays the role of Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway, after the famous writer (played by Kenneth Branagh) returns home to Stratford.

▲Dench plays the role of Queen Victoria in this film that centers on the real-life relationship between the British monarch and her Indian Muslim attendant Abdul Karim.

▲In this sequel, Dench continues to play Evelyn Greenslade, a woman who is offered a job as a fabric buyer back in Jaipur.

▲Dench plays one of three spinster sisters who begins a relationship with a German student (Jeremy Irons) after he rents a room from them while he works on his thesis.

▲Dench portrays actress Sybil Thorndike in this film that depicts the making of the 1957 film 'The Prince and the Showgirl,' starring Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) and Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh).

▲In this Tim Burton fantasy film, Dench plays Miss Esmeralda Avocet, the headmistress of another shelter for Peculiar Children.

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Judi Dench plays Granny in this Kenneth Branagh-written and directed film, which was praised by critics. She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her part.

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As a woman of many titles (Oscar-winning actress, Dame, Bond's M, etc.), Judi Dench is a true legend of the silver screen. To honor her long and fruitful career, check out 31 essential films of hers you should see in your lifetime.

Browse the following gallery for a ranking of her best films, as listed by the scores awarded by critics at Metacritic.

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In the 18th installment of the 'James Bond' series, Dench plays the role of M, the head of MI6.

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The 17th installment in the 'James Bond' series marks Dench's first time portraying M after she replaced Robert Brown, and became the first woman to portray the character.

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In the 21st installment of the 'James Bond' series, Dench continues to portray M in the film that sees Daniel Craig take over the role of Agent 007.