Goodbye, Maggie Smith (1934-2024)
Friday, September 27, 2024 at 6:30PM 
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
Reader Comments (14)
I knew she had been unwell but wasn't expecting this just yet,a true one of a kind brit acting legend,fave early Maggie is The Vip's mid Maggie A Private Function late stage Maggie Lady in the Van,
Everyone who reads this as a tribute watch Judith Hearne right now,it's the one film for me that proves she was no 1 trick pony.
Still hilarious in Gosford Park.
So we have Atkins,Philips,Staunton,Scott Thomas,Mirren,Dench,Walter,Collins,Plowright left of the grand dames
Othello may have been a big break but she did not get along with Olivier. Once, he criticized her pronunciation in a scene. The next day she went to his dressing room and after helping him with his blackface (seriously how was this allowed) she said to him with perfect diction "How now brown cow?"
I also recommend Murder by Death. Dame Maggie Smith gets to show off her one liners and pithy comebacks "Oh that's tacky. That's REALLY tacky" but while looking the most sexy and glamorous she ever has on screen.
@ Mr Ripley79
Julie Andrews, Vanessa Redgrave, Joanna Lumley, Julie Walters...
I have spent a good few hours scrolling through posts on Twitter. It seems that people from every demographic and country loved Maggie Smith. It was a balm to the soul to wade through these tributes.
My introduction to this great actress was in the late 60's with her stunning portrayal of Miss Jane Brodie. A well deserved Oscar win, that sears the words, "I am in my Prime" into any viewers mind for life.
I loved Maggie Smith's versatility, and her lack of pretension. She could make any script better, and frequently had the same effect on her co-stars too. Whether you discovered her as a child with "Secret Garden", "Hook", or "Harry Potter" or as a romantic in "Room with a View" it really doesn't matter. Maggie Smith was just as much fun to watch in "Sister Act" as she was in "Death on the Nile". Everyone from Bette Midler to Alan Bennett to Daniel Radcliffe understood her great talent, and loved her wonderful caustic wit.
Dame Maggie Smith has always been the perfect embodiment of a Dame for me.
Icon, legend, and a great filmography that bears testament to a wonderful actress.
Her star will always shine.
(Btw. Many thanks to Claudio, Nathaniel, and Lynn Lee who have written so many splendid articles over the years)
Dame Maggie Smith has no equal. She is truly one of a kind that will never be seen ever again. I think I first saw her in Hook (terrible film BTW but she's great in it) . Then I got to see more of her work in The First Wives Club and some of the films she was doing in the 90s. It was as Professor Minerva McGonnagal where she just kicked ass. I really wished McGonnagal got to beat the shit out of Umbridge as to see her and Imelda Staunton go at it would've been great. I would then see some of her early work as she is the embodiment of what acting is. We will miss you Dame Maggie Smith.
Along with Julie Christie, I consider Dame Maggie Smith the Greatest British Film Actress ever. Between film, theatre and television, she's had one of the most varied careers and could make even the most mundane dialogue sound multi-layered and exceptional.
She was and remains a brilliant actress, but what I loved most about her was her presence, her sense of dignity (which is rare in this business), and her sense of humour.
And I'll always love her reading of one of my favourite lines in cinema: Difficult colour, green!
@FrankZappa I didn't know Redgrave was a Dame,I assumed she refused it,I don't consider Lumley a film actress,forgot about the the Julies,is Charlotte Rampling a Dame yet,I suspect Bonham Carter,Christie,Thompson,Blethyn,Watson and Winslet are next in line for Damehood.
Moved to the US in 1992 as a young boy and a bit of a mess. TV/movies became my coping mechanism. Now I could wax poetic about other shows/films/actors of that time period BUT the 1-2-3 punch of SISTER ACT, THE SECRET GARDEN & SISTER ACT 2 cemented Dame Maggie Smith in my burgeoning cinephilic psyche. What an undeniable force on screen. She'll be missed, but she left so many amazing performances behind. Can't wait to delve into those I haven't seen yet.
Mr Ripley79 -- She is truly special as Judith Hearne, and I must say I love seeing your shout-out to A PRIVATE FUNCTION. She could make comedy scripts sing like few others.
TomG -- It's always fascinating to ponder how her first whodunnit was a parody of the story model, considering how many straight ones she'd do down the line. She's so funny in EVIL UNDER THE SUN, she can bring tears to my eyes.
Lady Edith -- And thank you for reading them. It was a pleasure going over all these old articles and realize how many writers have shown love to Dame Maggie, here at TFE.
thevoid99 -- I think my introduction to her must have been Harry Potter, quickly followed by GOSFORD PARK, which was a favorite of mine during my tween and teen years.
Ad_Mil -- She really could spun straw into gold.
Sontag Glick -- We could do a whole post just about her line readings. "FORK"
Ryan T. -- That 1-2-3 punch would make lifelong fans out of anyone. She's so nuanced in THE SECRET GARDEN and I still giggle just remembering some of her looks and lines in SISTER ACT - "I lied."
@ Mr Ripley79
Thompson is a Dame, could be included on that list
Bonham Carter, Winslet = CBE = Commander, not quite a Dame
Rampling, Watson, Blethyn = OBE = Officer, not quite CBE
Christie = declined CBE
I'm pretty sure now a couple of days removed from her passing it will take me some time to actually come to terms with how saddened her passing makes me.
She was and will continue to be one of those foundational actors for me. I must admit I grew up when the Harry Potter films were being released and while I'd never read the books my connection to her began there as I found her such a delightful in her small yet impactful part.
When I began getting into my true adoration for cinema and discovering her decades of work prior then I became an all out stan. She just showed on so many occasions her great range as a performer managing to play anything asked of her.
I always struggle in contemporary times trying to imagine many of the current actors being as beloved as the likes of Maggie are because she has many different audiences who simply adore her work.
Her Oscar winning turn is so so exquisite and a film I return to constantly. Smith is the major reason why.
I guess what I'm trying to say is every time a legend like Smith passes I get depressed all over again that cinema history is slowly dying and while we have their work to celebrate it still is upsetting.
One of the greats who had a long career. It's pretty incredible that she never really took a break, but just kept working across mediums, delivering spectacular performances.
I also think that it's pretty funny that from Gosford Park onwards, she developed a late in life, but distinct, star persona with her roles of Costance, Minerva Mcgonagall,and Violet Crawley. It seeps into some of her other films as well, but for someone who could deliver varied performances, it was really fun to have her bring that energy and star power to each film.
I'll miss her dearly. Though I've seen a lot of her work, there's so much that I haven't seen. On Saturday I watched A Private Function, and man is she hilariously brilliant there.
I loved the way Maggie Smith played snobs, elitists—the unrepentantly stuck-up.
She was a great champion of snobbery as a style, not a moral defect but a glorious virtue.
Her characters didn’t come across as villains or bad people, just women with high standards and a sense of humor about how miserably the world failed to meet them.
Compare one of her creations to Lucille Bluth or Selena Meyer: Those two are meant to be the butt of the joke, to look vain and stupid, to be hideous in their lack of perspective. Maggie’s characters always had the upper hand (or the last laugh), not always because they were written that way but because she unfailingly played them that way.