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The United Kingdom has had many brainy actors over the last hundred , but Dame Maggie Smith will no doubt remain one of the most significant . Born in 1934 , she ’s had a coherent career since the sixties . Like so many British actors , Smith spent her other vocation in the theatre , but she ’s appeared in scores of films and television indicate as well .
To many people , specially fantasy fan , she ’s substantially - bonk for her role as the firm - but - fair Professor Minerva McGonagall in theHarry Potterfilm series . However , Maggie Smith has played a all-inclusive range of different roles , and the vital aggregator web site Rotten Tomatoes has outrank these 10 as her best .
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie (1969): 84 %
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodieis special in more than one way . Not only is it the oldest film on this list , but it ’s also one of the first film that brought Maggie Smith a wider recognition and made her the beloved star she remains to this day . The purpose was very challenging and Maggie Smith showed that as the titular character , she ’s one of the most talented actresses of her generation .
Downton Abbey (2010-2015): 84 %
Besides theHarry Potterfranchise , it wasDownton Abbeythat introduced Maggie Smith to many unseasoned viewer in the 21st one C . The series was very successful and it draw a lot of attending , so it was only a natural evolution when a celluloid was made in 2019 that closed the story . Maggie Smith once again reprise her role ofLady Violet Crawley , Dowager Countess of Grantham , and her heroine was just as fascinating and fun to watch as she was in the TV series .
Gosford Park (2001): 86 %
Long beforeDownton AbbeycameGosford Park . The 2001 film has become known as a phenomenal murder mystery define in the other thirties . It stars one of the most memorable casts of British stars - Michael Gambon , Kristin Scott Thomas , Kelly Macdonald , Richard E. Grant , Charles Dance , Clive Owen … and of grade , Maggie Smith , who played another noble character , Constance , Countess of Trentham . Of of course , Smith delivered another fantastic performance .
The Secret Garden (1993): 88 %
The hush-hush Gardenis slimly different from a large number of Smith ’s full stop dramas , since it combine history , drama , and phantasy elements . The film is based on the novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett .
As the form of address suggests , its main heroine , a little girl name Mary , discovers a secret garden and finally find out it has magical tycoon . Maggie Smith diddle Mrs. Medlock in the film , the question housekeeper of the house where Mary goes to populate after the end of her parent .
Evil Under The Sun (1982): 88 %
Almost every iconic British actor ends up play a character reference in either aSherlock Holmesor a Hercule Poirot story preferably or later — plainly because these two detectives are synonymous with the civilization . Maggie Smith got the opportunity to appear in a Hercule Poirot cinema more than once . 1982’sEvil Under the Sunfocuses on a mysterious murder of a successful but narcissistic Broadway actress . Smith shines as Daphne Castle alongside Peter Ustinov ’s Poirot .
A Private Function (1984): 88 %
1985’sA Private Functiontakes position in postwar England , which sustain from intellectual nourishment rationing . But that does n’t check the picture ’s main heroine , Smith ’s Joyce Chilvers , from come up with a cunning plan on how to get a pig , fatten it and run through it — all with the loth help of her husband . It ’s a crime , after all , but a hilarious one nonetheless .
The Lady In The Van (2015): 89 %
It would be perceivable if a casual motion-picture fan thought that Maggie Smith play only serious character — understandable but not correct . As an actress of a wide range , Smith has also plunge her toes into the comedy genre more than once , and succeeded .
That ’s also the casing ofThe Lady in the Van , a 2015 darkcomedyabout Miss Shepherd , who foretell to briefly park her vanguard in the generous protagonist ’s drive — and bear on to experience there for 15 years .
Richard III (1995): 94 %
It may sound obvious , but the British can makeShakespeare adaptationslike no other state . After all , William Shakespeare was British , and British culture continues to be influenced by his extensive work to this daylight .
The 1994 adaption ofRichard IIIgave Maggie Smith another opportunity to dally a Lady , this time the Duchess of York . Her casting was an excellent option consider Smith seems to have been born for this type of part . What ’s more , the movie is populate with many other slap-up thespian , such asIan McKellen , Jim Broadbent , Robert Downey , Jr. , and Kristin Scott Thomas , just to name a few .
The Missionary (1982): 100 %
1982’sThe Missionaryis one of those cinema that the critic appreciate , but the general consultation not as much — at least consider that the critic awarded it a humongous 100 percentage and the audience only gave 41 percent . This could perhaps be induce by the topic of the celluloid , which some might think of as controversial . Its protagonist is an Anglican priest who finds out that his new task of minister prostitutes . At the same fourth dimension , he juggles a relationship with Maggie Smith ’s character , the flush Lady Isabel Ames .
A Room With A View (1985): 100 %
Maggie Smith ’s highest - rated Rotten Tomatoes motion-picture show is the 1985 period romantic dramaA Room with a View . The film is free-base on the novel by E.M. Forster , and it succeed the hearts of critic , who gave it the high military rank possible . The audience also enjoyed it , give 85 percent .
A Room with a Viewtells the story of a young miss Lucy ( Helena Bonham Carter ) who has to prefer between two workforce . Maggie Smith portrayed Charlotte , Lucy ’s older cousin and chaperone . She advance the Golden Globe for her performance .
NEXT : The 10 Best Maggie Smith Movies That Are n’t Harry Potter ( According To IMDb )
