Maggie Smith – OBITUARY

As a movie critic who has had the privilege of witnessing the cinematic journey of some of the most remarkable talents, I must say that Dame Maggie Smith stands tall among them all. Her career spanned over six decades, and her performances were as diverse as they were captivating.

Maggie Smith, a versatile actress, truly shone in numerous remarkable roles, both on stage and screen. One performance that particularly stood out, earning her global recognition and an Oscar, was her portrayal of Miss Jean Brodie in the production that brought her to international stardom.

She was born on December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, and later moved to Oxford. There, she attended a girls’ high school and made up her mind early on that she wanted to become an actress. Starting in 1951, she performed at an Oxford playhouse under the name Margaret Smith, taking various roles until 1956 when Equity informed her that another actress was already using that stage name. Her theater work caught the attention of critics and renowned theater director Peter Hall.

In the National Theatre, Smith formed a tumultuous relationship with actor Robert Stephens, whom she later married in 1967. It was during this tenure that she shared the stage with some of the UK’s most esteemed actors, including Olivier, to critical acclaim. Her marriage to Stephens resulted in two sons who also pursued acting as a career. By this time, Smith had begun her film career, and 1969 marked her debut as the lead in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She delivered an outstanding performance as a Scottish schoolteacher with grandiose romantic ideals, often clashing with the conservative headmistress, Miss MacKay. Her performance was so impressive that it earned her the Best Actress Oscar over notable actresses like Jane Fonda, Liza Minnelli, Jean Simmons, and Genevieve Bujold. In 1973, Smith was nominated again for ‘Travels with my Aunt’, but this time she lost to Liza Minnelli.

By 1975, her marriage with Stephens concluded bitterly, and she subsequently migrated to Canada, where she married screenwriter Beverley Cross. This move to Canada not only allowed her to work in local theatre but also enabled her to secure roles in American films. Her knack for comedy began to garner attention, and her performance in Neil Simon’s California Suite in 1978 earned her an Oscar nomination, marking the second time she received this honor, which turned out to be her last win.

As her acting career advanced, she acted alongside Michael Palin from Monty Python in ‘A Private Function’ in 1984, a superb adaptation by Alan Bennett following ‘The Missionary’ in 1982. Smith earned the nickname “the saint” for Palin due to his remarkable patience. Smith’s knack for comedy further blossomed in the more expansive ‘Sister Act’ (1992).

From their shared time at the Old Vic Theatre, a lasting friendship blossomed between her and Judi Dench. In the 1980s, they reconnected on Merchant-Ivory’s production of ‘A Room with a View’, earning an Oscar nomination for her. Their collaboration continued in subsequent years, with appearances together in ‘The Breath of Life (2002)’, ‘Tea with Mussolini’ (1999), and ‘Ladies in Lavender’ (2004).

1998 marked a tragic event when her husband passed away, during which time she had been developing a TV adaptation of David Copperfield. Following this, she took a short break before appearing in the first Harry Potter film, a role that would eventually attract many renowned British actors as the series expanded. However, by 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent rigorous and ultimately successful treatment.

Her treatment course was chemotherapy, but after receiving a clean bill of health, she unfortunately contracted shingles. Later, she reprised her beloved role in the popular TV series Downton Abbey as the sharp-tongued Dowager Countess of Grantham, and appeared in two subsequent movies.

Her career has been recognized with an Oscar nomination for her role in Robert Altman’s ‘Gosford Park (2002)’, a role that foreshadowed her character in Downton Abbey. Maggie Smith garnered 15 BAFTA nominations, winning seven of them, including the BAFTA Fellowship and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout her career, she has been a part of numerous critically acclaimed films and television series such as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Hook, Oh What a Lovely War, Alan Bennet’s Talking Heads, both on stage and screen, and The Lady in the Van. Her final film is yet to be released, titled ‘A German Life’.

In addition to winning an Oscar in 1970, she was also awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE). Twenty years later, in 1990, she became a Dame, and in 2014, she was honored as a Companion of Honour.

Dame Maggie Smith died 27^th September 2024 aged 89 years of age

2024-09-29 02:24

Read More