The Immortal Prime of Dame Maggie Smith

A study into the cultural significance of the actress and her roles in film culture over time

By: Ray

Prominent critic David Yates described Dame Margaret Smith as “acting royalty”, a status she has maintained since the start of her career at seventeen, all the way to her passing on 2nd October. Through her career of both high art and blockbusters, she claimed the prestigious “triple-crown of acting” - four Oscars, two Emmys and a Tony award for acting onstage. She had been known for a “characteristically British” blend of wit and charm, applied to both tragic and comedic roles. Her natural poise and grace worked in harmony with an incredible flexibility, endearing her to a diverse audience across mediums, nations and ag

Dame Maggie Smith as Jean Brodie in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”, 1969

After Beginning her career in the Oxford Playhouse, she joined the National Theatre company in 1963. Her first movie was an on-screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, where she played Desdemona. She was popularised by the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie where she played the titular character, winning an Oscar and major roles throughout the 70s and 80s

Through Jean Brodie’s character, Maggie introduced her performance style - grace, charm and wit, delivered with a hint of a Scottish brogue. This was perhaps the birth of the “dreaming mentor” archetype- the free-thinking teacher liberating students from academic rigidity. As such, many parallels have been drawn between Jean Brodie and two other films - Dead Poets’ Society (1989), and Mona Lisa Smile (2003). Both Robin Williams’ John Keating and Julia Roberts’ Katherine Ann Watson feature with the same archetype, freeing students from confines of conservative values and societal expectations, yet often leading to tragic and disappointing outcomes from themselves and others. It is not hard to see Miss Jean Brodie’s influence in them, with the emphasis on literature, culture and art, similar uses of humour, and of course, the focus on the students who are impacted deeply by their teachers. Both these films were celebrated and iconic in their own right, and remain cornerstones in film culture in their respective decades.

Dame Maggie Smith in Miss Jean Brodie (left) influenced Dead Poets Society (Center) and Mona Lisa Smile (Right)

However, this, along with her classic roles in cinema are not widely known among the average modern moviegoer, and yet, she remains memorable to them. This is a result of a shift in her career in the 90s, moving into mainstream media roles. She grew into roles as an older woman, playing roles of mentorship and age with the same wit and charm as everything she did before. Three roles cemented her presence as a contemporary mainstream actress - The Sister Act, Downton Abbey, and, most significantly, Harry Potter.

The Sister Act, released in 1992 and described nostalgically by Buzzfeed as the “hope of the 90s”, is actually one of the 500 largest movies of all time. Praised during its release, The Sister Act acted as an introduction to Maggie Smith for the young American audiences of the time, and would characterise her later roles in the 21st century. Through The Sister Act, she made a move from ingenué to a more beloved “grandmotherly” role in cinema.

After the Sister Act, she portrayed Violet Crawford in Downton Abbey, which began airing in the UK and US in 2010 and ran for 6 seasons. Her role as the wealthy, icy dowager duchess reflected the same poise, grace and wit seen in earlier roles, yet brought a new dimension to her humour. She played her age, embodying an elderly character with a traditional and nostalgic worldview.

Her trained yet pointed expressions and immensely humorous one-liners including “what is a weekend?” were the subject of many internet memes and catapulted her to fame.

Yet her largest role to date remains the character of Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series. The fourth highest-grossing film series of all time, and one of the single most famous book series of the 21st century, the Harry Potter franchise is cemented in popular fiction.Smith’s portrayal of Minerva McGonagall, the stern, courageous and no-nonsense Hogwarts professor endeared her to viewers. Bringing a characteristically Maggie Smith performance, she won a place in the hearts and minds of the world. Yet, by joining a globally successful film franchise, she moved a long way from her initial beginnings in theatre and to a quintessentially 21st-century platform.

Dame Maggie Smith’s life was fruitful and tremendously significant, and she remains a testament to the power of stunning acting to remain relevant across time and contexts. As we mourn her loss, we can continue to acknowledge her fantastic career and the place she holds in the hearts of many.

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The Immortal Prime of Dame Maggie Smith

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