Glenda, RIP
RIPThe outstanding English actor and politician Glenda Jackson died today after a short illness, aged 87.
As our MP, she was the best kind of politician – approachable and sympathetic even when one held opposing views.
Often raising her voice in cultural affairs, her only known musical role was as Tchaikovsky’s unfortunate wife, opposite Richard Chamberlain, in Ken Russell’s awful 1970 composer biopic, The Music Lovers (screenplay by Melvyn Bragg).
More will remember her indelibly in Peter Brooks’s Marat/Sade.
Well, she had sense enoigh to be anti-war.
Great actress who didn’t have maybe the acknowledgement she deserved outside of Holywood and UK. I think about the rest of Europe where she was not very famous. With Vanessa Redgrave and Julie Christie (my favorit I have to say) she was at the top of the golden age of the British cinema of the 60’s and 70’s. I would like to watch a second time “Women in love” with the great Alan Bates. We don’t say enough how great the Bristish cinema was during those 20 years.
British cinema was great before that; think Powell and Pressburger’s “The Red Shoes” – just for starters. This has been widely acknowledged by no less than Martin Scorsese. Then in the fifties such films as (to name only one) “Room at The Top” (1959) directed by Jack Clayton. An absolutely stunning film from start to finish.
Glenda Jackson; a woman remembered for her wonderful acting, despite some of those films being unadulterated kitsch (eg. Ken Russell). A life well lived.
Yes but… The Go-Between, Don’t look now, Sleuth…
A great artist and one of the very few politicians worthy of real respect!
Sunday, Bloody Sunday was the first movie I saw her in; great performance by her and a move waaaay ahead of its time.
RIP.
Peter Finch just ate the screen in that film; I don’t remember noticing anybody else. Gosh he was wonderful!!
Name the tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STYiWIZ-2IQ
Hint: this is the movie that won her Oscar – also directed by Ken Russell, BTW.
RIP.
I don’t know. Looks like Stravinsky
OK. Here is the answer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWcdsz-bOI8
The piece was played in the subscription concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra!
“her only known musical role was as Tchaikovsky’s unfortunate wife, opposite Richard Chamberlain, in Ken Russell’s awful 1970 composer biopic, The Music Lovers (screenplay by Melvyn Bragg).”
Did you not see her in The Boy Friend, playing the injured star whomn the Twiggy character replaces?
Worth noting that she returned to acting at 80 and had a sterling late career, including ‘King Lear’ (the title role) at 80 in London and New York, then Edward Albee’s ‘Three Tall Women’ for a Tony Award at 82. And a film with that other trooper Michael Caine (3 years her senior) with release indicated for later this year.
….trouper Michael Caine…
One of the greatest actresses of all time. She never gave less than her all on stage. I will always remember her stopping to chat and sign my programme after her exhausting performance as Phaedra at the Aldwych forty years ago. RIP Glenda! You will be much missed!
Excellent taste in music – she chose, for her Desert island Discs, among other things, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms.
I saw her Charlotte Corday when my high school English teacher invited the class to his flat to watch Marat/Sade on television (live broadcast, or tape? I don’t recall). What an experience! And one that’s hardly imaginable in today’s social/political environment. (Easier to imagine ensuing scandal…)
Jackson’s embodiment of an asylum patient portraying a mad killer is an indelible monument of the theatre.
Music lovers…. what a movie, “Ã fleur de peau”…. probably not historically correct but hysterically correct…..
The music lovers is a wonderfully insane film.