Smith, who has died aged 89, is best known for her wickedly acerbic line readings in Downton Abbey. While utterly plausible as a despotic, bitchy and libidinous toff, she could also play downtrodden and democratic, naive and clenched. With the baleful eyes of a bloodhound and an exquisitely raspy voice, she grips you every which way, and her influence on other actors (from Susan Sarandon to Kathryn Hahn) and even musicians (I’d argue she paved the way for Florence Welch) can’t be overstated. To tweak a line of dialogue from one of Smith’s most famous films (as beleaguered Scottish schoolmistress Jean Brodie), if intelligence is to your taste, this woman will give you a feast.
She was funny and intense from the off. Born in Essex, she moved with her family to Oxford when she was four years old, and was cast as Viola in an OUDS production of Twelfth Night (apparently, even when she was at Oxford High School, she knew this was a role she was born to play). Theatre directors like Peter Hall loved her. Before long, she was getting meaty roles at the Old Vic, working alongside Kenneth Williams (a lifelong friend), wowing audiences as Desdemona opposite Laurence Olivier’s Othello, and hanging out with husband-to-be Robert Stephens.
Understandably, Hollywood wanted a piece of her, and she wasn’t the least bit overshadowed by Richard Burton and Liz Taylor in The VIPs. She’s just as good in Jack Clayton’s sublime kitchen-sink drama The Pumpkin Eater. As the semi-gormless Philpot, Smith does full justice to Penelope Mortimer’s jolting novel about delusion, domesticity and infidelity (Philpot’s a thoroughly modern narcissist who, when not bending the ear of the hero, Jo, is secretly shagging Jo’s husband). Smith ensures that the character of Philpot is both chilling and an absolute hoot.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 28, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 28, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Tuchel left with big calls to make after Carsley refresh
No pressure, Thomas. Lee Carsley hands over to Thomas Tuchel promising to give England’s next manager a comprehensive debrief on the three autumn camps but perhaps also elevating expectations. Not so much with the results – promotion in the Nations League was anticipated for a team ranked fourth in the world and who reached the final of Euro 2024 – as with his assessment of England’s prospects for the time covered by Tuchel’s 18-month deal.
Wiegman calls up uncapped trio for injury-hit Lionesses
England manager Sarina Wiegman is confident Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Ruby Mace can both make the most of their first senior call-ups to an injury-hit squad.
Wales promoted as Cullen double freezes out Iceland
Wales won Nations League promotion as Liam Cullen’s first two international goals helped them to a 4-1 victory over Iceland.
Retail bosses gifted excuse for when things go wrong
It’s not just British farmers who are hacked off by the latest Budget some of the biggest names in retail have now joined forces to send one of those angry, multi-signature letters to the chancellor, scolding her for the imminent tax hikes coming their way.
Jaguar pounces on new logo
Car giant Jaguar has unveiled a new logo and a rebranded range of electric cars alongside marketing slogans such as “delete ordinary,” “live vivid,” and “copy nothing.”
OF UNSOUND MIND
A disquieting mood permeates the BBC's 'The Listeners', the complex story of a teacher whose life unravels after she starts hearing a ceaseless, mysterious hum, writes Nick Hilton
It's grit over gloss in photo show's eye on the Eighties
Protest, poverty and privilege - The 80s: Photographing Britain at Tate Britain offers an exciting, if partial, view of a decade that remains highly polarising, writes Mark Hudson
Publicly-owned rail may not get us back on right track
Nationalisation is often touted as a golden ticket to a better train service. Simon Calder is less optimistic it will work
CAFFEINE FIX
Why does a squirt of syrup in your coffee at Christmas burn such a massive hole in your wallet? Olivia Petter finds out.
Longing and loss: our era of British cinematic elegance
It is four decades since A Room with a View’ made Merchant Ivory a household name. Sarah Sands recalls a world in which her brother Kit and her then husband Julian were central
