Who are your favourite actresses?

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One actress that I love, even though I’ve only seen her in about half a dozen works, is Grayson Hall.

She was “Dr. Julia Hoffman” in Dark Shadows (TV), and I credit that character with getting me interested in lab work (I have worked in a hospital lab since college, over 40 years now).

But her main claim to fame was her portrayal of Judith Fellowes in “Night of the Iguana.” The character was so intriguing–a “lesbian” tourguide.

Night of the Iquana is one of my Top Five Movies. It includes some of the best actors/actresses ever–Richard Burton as the defrocked minister, Deborah Kerr as the daughter of the poet, Ava Gardner as the proprietress of the inn, and the wonderful, intense Grayson Hall, with the huge slanted eyes, as the the tourguide. It also includes Sue Lyon, a beautiful young starlet, as the object of the minister’s affection (and also the object of Miss Fellowes’ affection.)

The ending of the movie is so beautiful, with the elderly poet reciting the poem that he has just written.

Grayson Hall was an interesting person in real life. After her success in Night of the Iguana, she was urged to stayed in Hollywood and continue to climb the star ladder. But her husband and young son were in New York City, and she wanted to be with them. She was interested in gourmet cooking, and antiques, and other hobbies, and NYC was a better place for her. So she abandoned Hollywood and moved to be near her family. When she had the opportunity to be on Dark Shadows, she took it because it would be easier on her family life (husband and wife both involved with the same show). I believe she played five roles on the show (lots of the actors played multiple roles; the producer used his actors over and over again rather than hiring new ones for every new character).
 
Thrstypirate said:
Vivien Leigh.
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I think one of her best scenes is when she is in “A Streetcar Named Desire” her scene with Mitch (played by Karl Malden) when he confronts her about her past.

That’s a good film. Most of the cast is from the Broadway production, Vivian Leigh was from the London production, directed by Lawrence Olivier.

A number of times she’d tell Elia Kazan, “Larry didn’t do it that way.”

I hate the character Stanley. He’s so cruel.
 
I also like Shirley Booth in Come Back Little Sheba.

She’s heartbreaking.

That’s a very sad film.
 
F_Marturana said:
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Thrstypirate:
Vivien Leigh.
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I think one of her best scenes is when she is in “A Streetcar Named Desire” her scene with Mitch (played by Karl Malden) when he confronts her about her past.

That’s a good film. Most of the cast is from the Broadway production, Vivian Leigh was from the London production, directed by Lawrence Olivier.

A number of times she’d tell Elia Kazan, “Larry didn’t do it that way.”

I hate the character Stanley. He’s so cruel.
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I have always regretted that Jessica Tandy, the original Broadway Blanche du Bois, was not offered the film version. The rest of the Broadway cast, Brando, Hunter, Malden et al were brought in en masse but Tandy was considered unsuitable due to only having done secondary roles in Hollywood. Never mind that she’d appeared onstage opposite Gielgud(Cordelia to his King Lear) and Olivier (Katherine to his Henry V). That’s Hollywood for you. I have a DVD of Tandy performing a couple of scenes from Streetcar, and the words luminous and incandescent don’t begin to decribe her. A tragically underrated talent as far as films are concerned.
 
BartholomewB said:
Among present-day actresses, Maggie Smith, for her versatility. She does comedy and drama equally well. I particularly enjoyed her performance in Keeping Mum, a picture I’ve watched three or four times.
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I spoke too soon when I said there were no good living actresses. Dame Maggie has long been one of my favorites. She is heartbreaking in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, in which she plays an alcoholic music teacher. And her quirky beauty as a young woman is breathtaking in Olivier’s film of Othello, in which she plays Desdemona. Of her more modern-day roles, my favorite is the Mother Superior in the two Sister Act films. She is a treasure. Oh, and don’t miss her Aunt Betsey in David Copperfield, the version with Daniel Radcliffe as the young David and Bob Hoskins as Mr Micawber. The scene where she tells off the vile Murdstones and turns them out of her house will have you on your feet and cheering.
 
Maggie Smith is my favorite actress. I also like Betty White, Penelope Wilton, Michelle Fairley, and Carrie Fisher.
 
@Clovis1 You know, I watched most of ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ recently mainly because I was surprised that she had such a large role in it (Jane) and I wanted to see if she had acting chops now that she’s a pretty big star; I have to say I found her performance a bit generic.
 
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7_Sorrows said:
I loathe that movie Arrival. What a waste of time and money when I watched that movie.
I liked Amy Adams in another movie, but I will never watch another movie with her because of her stupid husband.
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What did her husband do that offended you, 7?
 
You might be confusing Amy with Isla Fisher who is married to Sasha Baron Cohen??
 
@7_Sorrows I did a web search on him but didn’t turn up anything controversial. He’s an actor and artist?
 
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@Clovis1 I was talking about Margot Robbie, by the way, I don’t know the other lady.
 
I haven’t really thought about it but, here goes:

Jennifer Ehle for her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet, my favourite female fictional character.
Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn for their feminine elegance.
Brenda de Banzie for her role in Hobson’s Choice, I just love it.
Meg Ryan, Anna Faris, Sandra Bullock and Kate Hudson, because I tend to like their movies.

Those are all I can think of at the moment.
 
sudy said:
Brenda de Banzie for her role in Hobson’s Choice, I just love it
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Brenda de Banzie is a terribly underrated actress, quite good in everything she did. She is moving as the remorseful kidnapper in Hitchcock’s remake of his The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Hobson’s Choice is a real gem, not as well known here in the USA as it deserves to be. It is also a rare chance to see the young and beautiful Prunella Scales, famous from her much later outings as John Cleese’s shrewish wife in the comedy series Fawlty Towers.
 
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I cannot believe I didn’t mention Sigourney Weaver. I loved her in the Alien movies, and also in Ghostbusters and Galaxy Quest.

She also has my respect for having been married to the same man since 1984 – remarkable in any case these days, but especially for a Hollywood star. Her husband, Jim Simpson, directed her in the 9/11-themed play (and its movie adaptation), The Guys.
 
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