Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A Perfect Quartet...with Dame Smith

Dame "Maggie" Smith,  is one of my favorite English film, stage and television actress. And has she ever had an extensive career both on screen and in live theatre, and is known as one of Britain's preeminent actors. Plus I enjoy her in interviews, where she has the quotes.....

“The performances you have in your head are always much better than the performances on stage.”


"It's true I don't tolerate fools but then they don't tolerate me, so I am spiky. Maybe that's why I'm quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies"


"People say it gets better but it doesn't. It just gets different, that's all.”


"I believe that I am past my prime. I had reckoned on my prime lasting till I was at least fifty!"

So you can imagine my surprise when I saw two weeks ago that her new movie Quartet was finally arriving.... and low and behold opened tonight in Doylestown at the vintage County Theatre.I almost took a lady off the sidewalk!


Quartet is a 2012 British comedy-drama,  and stars Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins. The story centers on  Reg, Wilf, and Cissy,  all retired members of an operatic quartet, living in Beecham House, a retirement home for gifted musicians and opera singers. The musicians and singers living in the house put on a concert on Giuseppe Verdi's birthday every year. However, the arrival of the fourth member of the quartet, Reg's ex-wife, Jean, played by Dame Maggie Smith, results in old rivalries and theatrical temperaments and it becomes unclear if the show will or will not go on, however the arrival of Jean,  disrupts the equilibrium. It was filmed in its entirety at Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire in autumn 2011. The film is actor Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut, and by the looks of it , he's done a great job I'd say.




 I also figure with Downton Abbey wrapped up, this will be just the ticket for my Maggie Smith fix.

11 comments:

  1. LOVE.HER. And that first photo is wonderful! Must snatch it for my Facebook. :-)

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    1. Do I hear a date night with you and TJ?

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  2. Did you see her in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel too? I hear they're shooting a sequel to that.

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    1. One of my favorites. Yes, she was excellent in that as was the whole cast.

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  3. Its amazing when you go back and see what all she has done, and it is ALOT! And those younger pictures are striking. Yes, this is on my must see list.

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  4. She's delicious!

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  5. Saw this movie today. LOVED it and can't wait to see it again. Maggie Smith brilliant as always and the rest of the cast was superb as well.

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  6. I just want to organise to sit down and watch everything she has ever done. A Maggie marathon. I have loved her since I was blown away by Travels with my Aunt.

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  7. Oooh Dame Maggie makes any role she takes on, a triumph!

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  8. She will always be Professor McGonagall in my eyes

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!