Spotlight on a Character Actress: Margaret Rutherford

Having recently watched all of the Miss Marple films from the 1960s in quick succession, I thought that it was time to give Margaret Rutherford a little credit, being an actress who doesn't often get that much publicity on blogs. Enjoy!

Margaret Rutherford (1892-1972)

Margaret Taylor Rutherford was an english character actress who appeared in classics such as The V.I.Ps, Blithe Spirit (one of my favourites), and the Miss Marple series. Due to her physical appearance and interesting mouth acrobatics that she did while speaking, she was restricted to only comedic and/or slightly insane parts. But she was well received and became known for her talent as an actress and she ended up in Noel Coward's own production on the stage of his play, "Blithe Spirit". Her success as the "psychic around the corner in a little country village" led to her recreating the role for the film adaptation of the play starring Rex Harrison. She was loved by audiences everywhere and the rest, as they say, is history.

I always have loved Margaret Rutherford in the Miss Marple murder mystery films and Blithe Spirit and The V.I.P.s. After only reading about her, she sounds a bit strange, but when you watch her you understand that her looks and strange facial expressions are all part of her style on screen.

Best Films To Start With:

1. Murder She Said


2. The V.I.Ps


3. Blithe Spirit

~Bette

Miranda (1948).

Miranda (1948). British comedy film, directed by Ken Annakin and written by Peter Blackmore, who also wrote the play of the same name from which the film was adapted. Cast: Glynis Johns, Griffith Jones, Googie Withers and Margaret Rutherford. Johns and Rutherford reprised their roles in the 1954 sequel, Mad About Men.

Dr. Paul Martin, goes on a fishing trip on the Cornwall coast alone. There he reels in Miranda, a real mermaid and is pulled into the water. She keeps him prisoner in her underwater home until he agrees to show her London. He disguises her as an invalid patient in a wheelchair and takes her to his home.

Martin’s wife Clare, talks him into hiring someone to help take care of her. He asks Nurse Carey, for her eccentric nature who is trilled to be taking care of a mermaid.

Paul, his chauffeur Charles and Nigel, the fiancee of Clare's friend and neighbour Isobel, all are charmed by Miranda,causing the jealousy of their women. Will Clare ever figure out who Miranda really is?



Glynis Johns, gives a very delightful performance in this film. Margaret Rutherford, gives a hilarious performance as the nurse. The film Miranda, reminds me of the Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah film, Splash(1984) directed by Ron Howard.

Glynis Johns (born October 5, 1923). With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often thought of as the "complete actress", who also a trained pianist and singer, dancer and was qualified to teach ballet by the age of ten.

Johns made her first stage appearance in, Buckie’s Bears as a child ballerina at the Garrick Theatre in 1935. She made her 1938 film debut in the movie, South Riding. In 1944, she performed with her father in Halfway House, and in 1948 starred as a mermaid in Miranda. In 1952, she co-starred in the movie version of Arnold Bennett's novel The Card. She made a successful transition to Hollywood, appearing in the film, Personal Affair (1953)with Gene Tierney and in The Court Jester (1956) as Danny Kaye. The following year, she starred in the Christmas film, All Mine to Give. Johns received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the 1960 film The Sundowners. One of her best known film roles was that of Winifred Banks, the children's mother, a suffragette, in Mary Poppins (1964). Her last film appearance was in the 1999 film, Superstar.

The VIPs

The VIPs is a real ensemble piece. I read somewhere about Love Actually that, "If the set burned down British showbiz would be in trouble." Well, this has *gasps*: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Maggie Smith, Louis Jourdan, Rod Taylor, Margaret Rutherford (I wish she was my, ancient benefactress, or... something)

In Murder Most Foul (I think, they all morph into one!), one of her amazing characterizations of Agatha Christie's Ms. Marple

and the incomparable Orson Welles. That's a lot of awesome people for one building. Just to say, how amazing is Maggie Smith in like, everything? She doesn't get the credit she deserves! My grandma called my mum up a few weeks ago to tell her that some newspaper had done a top 100 British actresses list, and guess what. SHE WASN'T EVEN FLIPPIN' ON IT!!!!!!!!! That makes me so mad. She is one of the best actresses evah. After this long intro, here is some VIP stuff.

The V.I.Ps

Cast:

• Elizabeth Taylor - Frances Andros
• Richard Burton - Paul Andros
• Louis Jourdan - Marc Champselle
• Elsa Martinelli - Gloria Gritti
• Margaret Rutherford - Duchess of Brighton
• Maggie Smith - Miss Mead
• Rod Taylor - Les Mangrum
• Orson Welles - Max Buda

Plot:
Famous actress Frances Andros is flying out to New York from a London airport to get a connecting flight to Jamaica for a holiday escorted to the airport by millionaire husband Paul Andros. What he doesn't know is that she is really eloping aging playboy Marc Champselle because she is despairing of his checkbook generosity in place of emotion.

Les Mangrum is about to fly to New York to stop his business being sold, all of which has to be done within 24 hours. His secretary Mrs. Mead (who is secretly in love with him) is doing everything she can to ensure a safe journey for him.

The Duchess of Brighton is traveling to Florida to become a hostess at a resort in an attempt to save her stately home with the new money she will be earning.

Max Buda, movie tycoon has to leave London by midnight to avoid a hefty British tax bill. He takes his new protégée, Gloria Gritti with him.

But then a thick layer of fog moves in around the airport and they are all grounded. Leaving time for Frances and Marc to be descovered, Les to lose his business, The Duchess to go crazy with all of her hypocondriac pills and Max Buda to lose a fortune...

The Review:
This film (much like Maggie Smith) does not get the credit it deserves! It has amazing acting in it and great script! I love the Taylor/Burton story, but my favourite is the Taylor (Rod)/Smith story. There is a hilarious scene on a plane where Margaret Rutherford's hat box keeps falling on this Sidney Poitier lookalike's head. Great film. I gotta start reviewing some bad ones. All my reviews are of good films!



Ok, so I have one film I don't really want to rewatch; Suddenly Last Summer. Elizabeth Taylor in a mental asylum, Katherine Hepburn in a tropical garden in an advance state of insanity, Montgomery Clift as a brain surgeon and some guy in a white suit being eaten by cannibals. Disturbing on so many levels. Joseph Mankiewicz at his worst co-writing with Tennessee Williams.

As my blogger friend Libby posted the other day, I love listening to Doris day's christmas album. She is so cheerful and christmassy. I especially like her rendition of "White Christmas".




~Bette