Maggie Smith began her career on stage in the early 50s and hinted at her impending dominance with her first credited big-screen performance. As Bridget Howard in Seth Holt and Basil Dearden’s Nowhere to Go (1958), the Ilford native asserted her presence and picked up the BAFTA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer to Film. Her reputation soared in the following years with roles in The V.I.P.s (1963), The Pumpkin Eater (1964), and Young Cassidy (1965). She started gaining international traction with the portrayal of Desdemona in Stuart Burge’s 1965 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello.
The role earned Maggie Smith the first of her several Oscar nominations. She starred in numerous films, television, and stage projects in a career that spanned over seven decades, bagging the industry’s most coveted awards and recognition. Until her death in September 2024, Smith ranks among the most prolific and accomplished actresses Britain has ever seen. Here are some of the best movies of the late performer honored as a Dame Commander of the British Empire for her contributions to the performing arts.
1. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
Maggie Smith rose to international stardom with her performance as the lead in Ronald Neame’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The coming-of-age period drama revolves around Smith’s character, a school teacher with unconventional ideas and an approach to life that clashes with the headmistress’ conservative lifestyle. The role won Smith her first Oscar for Best Actress. She also won the BAFTA equivalent alongside a Golden Globe nomination in the same category. The movie showcased the depth of Smith’s talent, positioning her for more leading roles.
2. Gosford Park (2001)
One of the best Maggie Smith movies in the 2000s, Gosford Park starred the English actress in a supporting role alongside Ryan Phillipe, Michael Gambon, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Smith portrayed Constance, Dowager Countess of Trentham in the dark comedy mystery directed by Robert Altman. It follows a group of rich fellows caught up in a murder case during a weekend of recreational shooting. Released to rave reviews, Smith’s role received the Oscars, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations for Best Supporting Actress among other esteemed awards.
3. Travels with My Aunt (1972)
The late English actress delivered another Oscar-worthy performance in George Cukor’s loose adaptation of Graham Greene’s 1969 novel of the same title. Starring alongside Alec McCowen and Louis Gossett Jr., Maggie Smith portrayed Aunt August, a strange old woman who lures her unsuspecting son into a globetrotting adventure of crime that reestablishes a relationship between them. The role earned Smith the Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress.
4. The Lady in the Van (2015)
Nicholas Hytner’s adaptation of Alan Bennett’s 1989 memoir of the same title ranks among the best Maggie Smith movies in the latter days of her career. She starred alongside Alex Jennings and Jim Broadbent in the biographical comedy-drama, embodying the life of Margaret Mary Fairchild — a homeless woman Bennett encountered in the 70s. Before the acclaimed big-screen adaptation, Smith played the character in a 1999 eponymous play and reprised the role for BBC Radio 4 a decade later. The late actress received the BAFTA and Golden Globe Best Actress nominations for her performance.
5. California Suite (1978)
Maggie Smith’s portrayal of Diana Barrie in Herbert Ross’ interpretation of Neil Simon’s California Suite elevated the film’s overall appeal. Cast with seasoned performers like Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Bill Cosby, and Walter Matthau, Smith delivered a stellar performance that won her another Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The farce dramedy around the misadventures of guests at a luxury hotel also won Smith Golden Globe’s Best Actress with a BAFTA nomination in the same category.
6. A Room with a View (1985)
James Ivory’s acclaimed adaptation of E. M. Forster’s eponymous novel starred Maggie Smith in a supporting role as Charlotte Bartlett. She played a chaperon to the lead character Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), enhancing the plot with memorable moments that deepened the romance drama’s entertainment value. The film was released to universal acclaim, earning Smith her second nomination for Oscar’s Best Supporting Actress. While Dianne Wiest’s Holly in Hannah and Her Sisters eventually won the award, the British actress won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for her performance.
7. Quartet (2012)
Quartet leads the best Maggie Smith movies released in the early 2010s. She played Jean Horton in the comedy-drama based on Ronald Harwood’s play of the same title. The film revolves around elderly opera singers living at a retirement home for musicians. Directed by Dustin Hoffman, Quartet was both a commercial and critical success. The movie won several awards, including a BAFTA and Golden Globe Best Actress nominations for Smith. Check out the meaning of Greta Gerwig‘s Proust Barbie joke.
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