Dame Maggie Smith

September 27, 2024 9:12 AM

Passes away at the age of 89. With a career starting in the 1950's until just recently, Dame Maggie Smith roles understandably spanned the gamut from her first Oscar win for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" to more recent years as the acerbic Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey and of course, the stern, but winking Professor McGonagall. A NYT piece of roles to stream (archive)
posted by drewbage1847 (50 comments total)

Legends never die
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posted by phunniemee at 9:14 AM on September 27 [5 favorites]

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She was, as Rihanna would say, "a bad bitch." She sure was! A true legend.
posted by Kitteh at 9:15 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

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She was marvelous.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 9:18 AM on September 27 [2 favorites]

I've always considered her part of that triumvirate of very famous older British actresses who seem like they'd be a blast to be friends with and listen to their stories of fame and wild youth - her, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren. They've always been woven together in my mind, fairly or not.
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:20 AM on September 27 [13 favorites]

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posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 9:23 AM on September 27

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posted by jabo at 9:24 AM on September 27

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posted by whatevernot at 9:27 AM on September 27

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posted by Thorzdad at 9:33 AM on September 27

one of my favorites
posted by robbyrobs at 9:35 AM on September 27

Always fascinating to watch, but a real treat as Dora in "Murder by Death"
posted by chavenet at 9:37 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

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posted by Foosnark at 9:39 AM on September 27

There is a fantastic 2018 documentary, Nothing Like A Dame (Tea With the Dames in the US, Australia and New Zealand), that films Dames Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Judy Dench and Eileen Atkins sitting around at Plowright's house chatting, gossiping and reminiscing about their lives acting. BBC4 wheels it out from time to time, and I imagine the next few days will be one of them. Recommended very highly.
posted by Hogshead at 9:45 AM on September 27 [8 favorites]

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posted by HearHere at 9:45 AM on September 27

Loved her as Lady Trentham in Gosford Park, "Bought marmalade? Oh dear, I call that very feeble."
posted by olopua at 9:46 AM on September 27 [7 favorites]

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posted by humbug at 9:50 AM on September 27

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posted by briank at 9:50 AM on September 27

She was the perfect fit for Professor McGonagall.

Not sure I've ever "seen" her in anything else, although, of course I have, but the gravitas, the love for the house Quidditch team, her care for her students...

Perfect casting.

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posted by Windopaene at 9:53 AM on September 27 [3 favorites]

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goddamit, she was GREAT.
posted by lalochezia at 9:55 AM on September 27

I absolutely loved her in Hook, among many, many other things. Violet on Downton was a salty delight. Legend!
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 9:57 AM on September 27

oh I am completely devastated by this. she was just so good. so good. truly one of the great members of that pantheon of British actors.

she will be missed.


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Windopaene have you never seen A Room with A View????? you should anyway, its lovely and charming, but Maggie Smith is in it and she is one of the many reasons its worth a watch.
posted by supermedusa at 9:57 AM on September 27 [3 favorites]

I saw her in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie a few years ago. In the Harry Potter movies I think she drew a lot from her much earlier role as that Scottish schoolteacher.
posted by JonJacky at 9:57 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

Except her Miss Jean Brodie would have totally been on Voldemort's side. (She's so good in that role for the sort of awful romanticism that folks will paint the control and strong arming of fascism)
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:59 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

ooh I had forgotten about her turn in Gosford Park. its a masterclass in watching an adept director employ the most subtle hand (almost hands-off really) and trust his actors. Maggie Smith employs a degree of subtle body language and expressions to say SO.MUCH. to devastating effect. its a fun movie if you love upper crust snark delivered with sublime perfection.
posted by supermedusa at 10:01 AM on September 27 [3 favorites]

Tribute to Maggie Smith: Our Favourite Moments From The Dowager Countess of Grantham | Downton Abbey

posted by lalochezia at 10:03 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

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posted by kinnakeet at 10:05 AM on September 27

Maggie Smith died? Oh, that's tacky. That's really tacky.

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posted by East14thTaco at 10:07 AM on September 27 [4 favorites]

It felt like she was great in everything she did.
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:08 AM on September 27 [1 favorite]

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posted by Faint of Butt at 10:08 AM on September 27

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posted by tangosnail at 10:09 AM on September 27

If you've never seen her music hall turn in Oh! What a Lovely War, here it is. Well worth your time.

A giant. A favorite.

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posted by the sobsister at 10:12 AM on September 27 [3 favorites]

Four seasons at Canada's own Stratford Festival, a time she remembered fondly.

Godspeed.
posted by Capt. Renault at 10:16 AM on September 27

LEGEND
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posted by Glinn at 10:23 AM on September 27

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posted by eclectist at 10:33 AM on September 27

Simply the best.

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posted by tzikeh at 10:37 AM on September 27

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It's gotten very dusty here just now.
posted by skippyhacker at 10:53 AM on September 27

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posted by bryon at 11:04 AM on September 27

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posted by ishmael at 11:10 AM on September 27

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posted by Kattullus at 11:18 AM on September 27

Aww. A legend has passed. I'm so pleased for her that she was working and doing what she loved until close to the end. It's a blessing that we got to see so much of her work, in such iconic roles.

This sentence in her obituary gave me a double take: "The same year she married the writer Beverley Cross, who died in 1998." Turns out Beverley was a dude. The gender migration of names remains real and unidirectional.
posted by MiraK at 11:23 AM on September 27

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posted by sharp pointy objects at 11:23 AM on September 27

One of the people for whom I can honestly say that I feel blessed to occupy the earth at approximately the same time.

⭐
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:25 AM on September 27 [2 favorites]

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She was truly a legend.
posted by carnival_night_zone at 11:27 AM on September 27

What a talent. Just always such a delight to watch, whether acting or in an interview.
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:27 AM on September 27

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posted by tommasz at 11:40 AM on September 27

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posted by Archer25 at 11:51 AM on September 27

Seen on Mastodon.... Remembering Maggie Smith: ‘Every day she and Judi would swim in their Victorian swimsuits and every day we would all laugh and laugh’
posted by phigmov at 11:53 AM on September 27

Ian McKellan's Maggie Smith Story.
posted by East14thTaco at 11:54 AM on September 27

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posted by Joey Michaels at 12:05 PM on September 27

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posted by gentlyepigrams at 12:12 PM on September 27

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posted by HypotheticalWoman at 12:19 PM on September 27