Maggie Smith seems to be one of the great, relatively unheralded actresses of our generation---often working in the shadow of her contemporary peers. She doesn't make the tabloids, her private life is quiet, and she just goes about her business of wonderful and classy and classic performances on a regular basis. I can't ever remember seeing a bad Maggie Smith performance.
Two of my favorite films of hers (among many I love), are now fairly forgotten---George Cukor's TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT (1972), and Alan Pakula's LOVE AND PAIN AND THE WHOLE DAMN THING (1973).
Glad you brought this up, Rhett. It's a vastly under-rated film that deserves a far wider audience than it's had.
With director George Cukor (whose long-time friend Katharine Hepburn was originally slated to perform the title role but bowed out).
Louis Gossett Jr. and Alec McGowan provided sterling support.
It also boasts a really flavorful score from Petula Clark's most esteemed collaborator, Tony Hatch (where's the brilliantly- belated release of THIS?!?)
Dame Maggie won an Emmy last night for the final season of "Downton Abbey".
Host Jimmy Kimmel, at the start of the show, said they were instituting the "Dame Maggie Smith Rule"...if a winner fails to appear, the Emmy goes to the next person on the list.
Of course, that's bull, but it brought a laugh or two. When her name was announced, Kimmel took the stage and the Emmy.
In all the years she has been nominated (this was her 8th nomination), she has won four times. She has NEVER been to an Emmy presentation ceremony.
