DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA (2022) was one of Maggie Smith's last screen appearances.
We always knew the day would come, but it's still difficult to imagine life without the great Maggie Smith among us. Born to a secretary and a pathologist in the interim years between the Great World Wars, she became a respected star of the stage before a jump to cinema in the 1960s expanded her horizons. From temptress to bitter old lady, from romantic heroin to comic relief, dipsomaniac tragedienne, whodunit queen and deranged diva – she could do it all, despite what some might have said about her late-career range or lack thereof. To me, Dame Maggie Smith was a titan, one of my favorite screen presences, and a reliable workhorse who could elevate every project she was involved in, even those that didn't deserve her talents. The British star will be sorely missed and the arts are poorer without her. Nay, the world.
Over the years, multiple writers at The Film Experience have explored the career of the late great two-time Oscar winner. So, let's revisit those pieces and bask in the love for an actress of incomparable wit and unimpeachable craft…
Starting with a light one, we have this delightful piece by Murtada Elfadl. Pitting women against each other can be a problem, but here, it's all in good fun, with much love paid to Maggie Smith and her fellow dames. Who gets your vote?
Smackdown '65: Nuns, child abusers, and tragic pawns
For the Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1965, the panelists debated the merits of Smith's Desdemona in Othello. The production is infamous because of Olivier's blackface, but some would argue it's still watchable thanks to performances like those of the then-up-and-coming Maggie Smith.
Monday Monologue: Miss Jean Brodie
Remember the Monday Monologues? Nathaniel's old column once touched upon Maggie Smith's Jean Brodie, the performance that won her the Best Actress Oscar of 1969. At the time, the press covered it as a huge upset, but how could one resist this tour de force? Here, you'll find a beautiful exploration of one of the character's many soliloquies, a masterclass in playing a woman lying to herself.
A Room with a View: Pass the Baton
Lynn Lee, Nathaniel, and I explored A Room with the View in detail, going over nearly every shot over a three-part epic. There was much love given to Maggie Smith's poor cousin Charlotte, a pitch-perfect supporting turn with as much mirth as melancholy, hidden depths all around.
Smackdown '86: Tess, Piper, Mary Elizabeth, Dame Maggie, and Dianne Wiest!
We returned to the topic of Merchant Ivory's masterpiece for the Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1986. Maggie Smith was our runner-up – she should have won – for a hilarious characterization with a soft underbelly. Like Lynn Lee said, "the hints of a softer, more sentimental side are always there – you just have to be on the lookout for them."
The glory of Maggie Smith's "Judith Hearne"
One of Maggie Smith's most overlooked performances is also one of her best. A lacerating portrait of solitude, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne is a major achievement that feels like a punch to the gut.
Smackdown '01: Connelly, Tomei, Winslet, and the Dames
About Smith's Gosford Park performance, Shane Slater wrote: "She's highly effective and amusing, with every line laced with the haughty disdain that only she can bring. No one does it better." Go read the entire smackdown for the full panel's insights.
Almost There: Maggie Smith in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
The actress probably came close to a big Oscar comeback with the Best Exotic Marigold movies. Moving through broad humor and unexpected pathos, Smith flirted with mortality in this early-10s' crowd-pleaser.
Can we talk about that "Second Best Exotic" ending?
And then she did it again in the sequel, only more sorrowful and pointed. Manuel Betancourt wrote beautifully about the comedy's unexpected last notes, a heartfelt farewell that now feels like a preemptive goodbye to the Grand Dame herself.
AFI Fest Review: "The Lady in the Van"
Anne-Marie is a major Maggie Smith fan, and her The Lady in the Van review doubles as a love letter to its leading lady. Once again, the 2010s saw the Dame come close to the Academy's good graces, but the nomination didn't manifest. Still, we couldn't celebrate this thespian without talking about her collaborations with Alan Bennett.
Oscar History: Dame Maggie Smith
One of the first pieces I ever wrote for The Film Experience was this overview of Maggie Smith's awards history, complete with much gushing and warm considerations on her first big screen bow as Downton Abbey's Dowager Countess.
Review: A quartet of actresses grace "The Miracle Club"
Matt St. Clair reviewed Maggie Smith's last movie, a Catholic drama set on a journey from Dublin to Lourdes. She "plays the guilt-ridden Lily with the kind of reserve and command one can often expect from her."
And finally, here's my Maggie Smith top ten, written to commemorate the Miracle Club release. While I excluded TV work, there are a lot of small screen honorable mentions, from BBC Shakespeare to the claustrophobic terror of Capturing Mary. In some ways, this piece was my ultimate love letter to a personal favorite. Now, it reads like an eulogy, and I hope it does justice to Dame Maggie Smith.
What are your thoughts on Maggie Smith? Let's share some love in the comments