Flying for the first time in a helicopter, she observed: "I never thought I’d look down between my legs and see Guildford."
As Desdemona to Laurence Olivier’s Othello, he, in full black make-up, criticised her pronunciation; she faced off to him with a stentorian "How, now, brown cow!"
On completing her most famous role after six series: "I think the wig I wore in Downton is more tired than I am!"
As Serena McKellen has it, "Maggie's got a tongue on her."
Here are just a few of my favourite clips of the great Dame in action, from her long and brilliant career:
And, of course...
“If you have been around long enough you are an icon. A rather dusty icon... or a national treasure.”
There will never be another like her! RIP, Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, CH, DBE (28th December 1934 - 27th September 2024) PS Just one more slice of genius...
Maggie Smith once went with Kenneth Williams to Fortnum & Masons to buy a bra. Upon being told the price, she replied "Seven Guineas! It'd be cheaper to have your tits off!"
I watched and enjoyed all of the clips. I've never seen a couple of the movies so I'll look for them. How wonderful she was.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Bless you, Janie. Dame Maggie had such a long and interesting career, it's entirely understandable you may have missed some. I've missed out clips myself, from such joys as Ladies in Lavender, Gosford Park, Tea With Mussolini, A Room With a View, Quartet and so on - as well as some from films of hers I also have never seen such as Harry Potter, Best Marigold Hotel or Lady in a Van... Jx
DeleteShe was an absolute joy in everything she was in. A wonderful character who will be greatly missed. "Such a difficult colour, green".
ReplyDeleteI do so agree - anything that had Maggie Smith in the credits was certain to be a joy! Jx
DeletePS Do you think I can find a clip with that quote from Gosford Park anywhere on the interwebs? Nada. "Bought marmalade? Oh dear, I call that very feeble."
I adore her!!! And while she was excellent in Downton Abbey, a shame many here only know her from Downton Abbey. I had to read a co worker yesterday when I announced she had died, and she replied, who? Well, after sniffing my smelling salts, I explained, she was more than just Downton and Potter films, from which she recalled her then by her film names. SIGH. This woman is 48 years old!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteANYWHO....our local station here ditched there programing today to play Smith's work. So far, they played The Prime Miss Jean Brodie, Travels with My Aunt, which I have never seen, Evil Under the Sun and now playing the VIP'S followed next with California Suite, and then 6 more selections. It's still raining, so this is a perfect weekend and seems fitting.
One of her films, and one of my all-time favorite films in general. she did I really enjoyed was Tea with Mussolini. I mean her and Cher in a scene together??? And it worked.
DeleteRegarding your work colleague, the quote “You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public” by Scott Adams comes to mind. People seem to revel in being ignorant as some kind of badge of honour these days. Sigh, indeed.
DeleteIt's fabulous to hear that your local TV station's doing such a massive Dame Maggie tribute! Just scanned the BBC schedules (I've not looked any further than their site, admittedly), and they have only managed to dig up one 40-minute documentary and a re-run of Quartet. We shall see if they do better than that... And yes, I hope Tea With Mussolini is among the films that some channel somewhere will be showing again. It is a sublimely camp tour-de-force of great actresses bouncing lines off each other. Right up our street, of course! Jx
It's why I like our little, if dwindling blogger community. We all seem to enjoy each other and have common interests and enjoy each other's stories, going-ons and general campery non sense. We all get each other. Cheers to you boys!
DeleteClink, clink, sweetie! Jx
DeleteThank you for reminding us just how fabulous she was. there can never be another but she will live on in her work.
ReplyDeleteSuch a long, long list of faboo films and appearances! Jx
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