Dame Maggie Smith (1934-2024)
I just have to use this week’s post to pay tribute to one of our greatests actors, Dame Maggie Smith, who died on Friday last week, aged 89. A national treasure indeed, as the King said, and one of my all-time favourites. Responsible for bringing so many stories to life.
Versatile, accomplished, hard-working and an absolute star. Who could ever forget her performances? Miss Jean Brodie moulding the minds of her elite girls (despite an dubious Scottish accent!). Vying with Dame Judi Dench in Ladies in Lavender over a young man they find on the beach. Imperiously dealing with Harry Potter and friends as Professor McGonagall. Uttering her famous one-liners as the oh-so-superior Dowager Duchess, Lady Violet Grantham in Downton Abbey. Whatever her role in both film and theatre she brought consummate skill and verve to the part.
It was hard to believe that inside she was so nervous and endlessly feared getting things wrong, and that she rather envied Judi Dench her plum casting. So completely in control in her public personnae was she that we shall never really appreciate the intensely private person and all her insecurities behind those brilliant portrayals.
She may have gone, may indeed have paved the way to our acceptance of her death in her last Downton Abbey appearance, but we have the inestimable legacy of a lifetime of films and theatre clips to keep her alive in our hearts and minds.
Thank you Dame Maggie, for years of brilliance and entertainment. Your sarcastic and witty ripostes will live on.