With Vanessa Redgrave, Judi Dench and Glenda Jackson, Maggie Smith embodied the quintessence of British actresses who emerged at the turn of the 1960s. Elevated by the Queen to the rank of Dame Commander of the British Order then Companion of Honor, the actress died Friday, at the age of 89, surrounded by her family. A look back in five parts at his prestigious career.
Published at 7:00 a.m.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
Nominated for an Oscar in 1966 for the role of Desdemona in Othello (1965), by Stuart Burge, Maggie Smith won the golden statuette four years later for her remarkable performance in Miss Brodie’s best yearsby Ronald Neame. A teacher at a girls’ college in Edinburgh in the 1930s, Jean Brodie clashes with the conservative headmistress because of her extravagant ideas on politics, love and the arts. Believing she could count on the support of her favorite students, she bitterly notes that one of them has transformed into a formidable rival.
On Prime and YouTube
Travels with my Aunt (1972)
If the Oscar for best actress escaped Maggie Smith in favor of Liza Minnelli (Cabaretby Bob Fosse) in 1973, her role as the eccentric Aunt Augusta, whom she played from the age of 17 to 70, in the irresistible comedy by the brilliant George Cukor remains memorable. Adaptation of the novel by Graham Greene, who reportedly left the screening after five minutes, Travels with my aunt features a modest bank employee (Alec McCowen) who, after the death of his mother, experiences multiple tribulations in the company of his old aunt without knowing who she really is.
On AppleTV, Google Play and YouTube
California Suite (1978)
In this comedy by Herbert Ross, based on a play by Neil Simon, Maggie Smith plays an English actress who goes to Los Angeles with her husband (Michael Caine) to attend the Oscars ceremony. Well, unlike her character, the grande dame of British cinema won her second Oscar, for best supporting actress, with this feature film. In addition to two Oscars, Maggie Smith won a Tony, three Golden Globes, four Emmy awards and six BAFTA awards during her prolific career for a total of 108 nominations.
On Apple TV, Prime, Amazon, Google Play and YouTube
Harry Potter (2001-2011)
By lending her features to the severe but endearing Professor Minerva McGonagall in the adaptations of JK Rowling’s famous novels, Maggie Smith has seduced several generations of new spectators. However, this “national treasure”, as King Charles described it when he learned of his death, almost died. In fact, during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), by David Yates, she suffered from breast cancer. Having lost all of her hair during chemotherapy treatments, which also weakened her, the talented and courageous actress had to wear a wig.
About Crave
Downton Abbey (2010-2022)
“What is a weekend?” » “Don’t be defeatist, my dear. It’s very middle class. » “Your secret is safe with me. I wasn’t even listening to you. » Haughty, caustic, with an implacable sense of repartee and lines of joyfully tart humor, Lady Violet Crawley was certainly one of the most colorful characters in the Julian Fellows series (2010-2015) and the two films which followed in 2019 and 2022. Imperial in this role of dowager countess which seemed to be predestined for her, Maggie Smith was able to add three Emmy awards and a Golden Globe to her collection.
On Netflix
