Dame Maggie Smith, the acclaimed actress renowned for her roles in the “Harry Potter” films and “Downton Abbey died at the age of 89 yesterday.
She won Oscars for her performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1970) and California Suite (1979). In his long film career, she starred in many hit films. Those wanting to honor, celebrate, and remember the great actress can find several of her best films below to watch:
1. ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ (1969)
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is the film that won Maggie Smith her first Oscar and can be looked at as a pivotal one for her movie career overall.
In the film, Maggie Smith played the title role of Miss Jean Brodie, an unconventional and passionate teacher in a girls’ school in Edinburgh.
2. ‘Gosford Park’ (2001)
Maggie Smith’s final Oscar-nominated performance was in Gosford Park where, like with California Suite, she ended up standing out within a massive ensemble cast.
In this film, Maggie Smith played the role of Constance, Lady Trentham. She is a wealthy and somewhat snobbish guest at a shooting party in the English countryside.
3. ‘A Room with a View’ (1986)
As far as romantic period dramas go, A Room with a View is often considered up there as one of the very best.
In the film, Maggie Smith plays Charlotte Bartlett. Charlotte is the protective chaperone of Lucy Honeychurch, the main character.
4. The ‘Harry Potter’ Series (2001-2011)
Maggie Smith’s role in this film is the role for which she’s perhaps most widely known today.
In this film, she plays the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall.
5. ‘Richard III’ (1995)
A Shakespeare adaptation and an unusually compelling war film of sorts simultaneously, Richard III is uniquely stylish and fantastically well-acted.
In this film, she plays the role of the Duchess of York, who is the mother of Richard III.
6. ‘Death on the Nile’ (1978)
This film is perhaps the best film adaptation of the famed Agatha Christie story of the same name.
In Death on the Nile, Maggie Smith plays the role of Mrs. Salome Otterbourne. She is a bold and somewhat eccentric romance novelist traveling on a luxurious cruise along the Nile.
7. ‘The Secret Garden’ (1993)
A fantasy film released a few years before Maggie Smith became known for starring in another series of fantasy movies, The Secret Garden is an adaptation of the 1911 children’s novel of the same name.
In the film, Maggie Smith plays the role of Mrs. Medlock, the stern housekeeper at Misselthwaite Manor.
8. ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ (2011)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel revolves around a group of characters (unsurprisingly) staying at a hotel, and it also boasts an impressive ensemble cast that Maggie Smith is one part of.
in the film, Maggie Smith plays the role of Muriel Donnelly.
9. ‘Travels with My Aunt’ (1972)
This film featured one of six Oscar-nominated Maggie Smith performances.
In this film, she plays the role of a titular aunt, with the film revolving around how she pulls her nephew along with her to go on a series of adventures, predominantly to reconnect with an old lover.
10. ‘California Suite’ (1978)
Maggie Smith won her second Oscar somewhat surprisingly for California Suite, which is an impressive achievement considering such a win required her to stand out within a phenomenal cast.
In the film, Maggie Smith plays the character Diana, a British woman who is in Los Angeles for a visit.
