I've been trying to find this movie for years, remembering the acclaim at the time of its release that Maggie Smith got, playing a character far different than anybody she's ever played before. She's an Irish Catholic, devoted to the memory of her abusive dead aunt (Wendy Hiller) who keeps moving from boarding house to boarding house with two pictures, one of Aunt Wendy, the other of Jesus, and desperately searching for romance. She doesn't pick the proper boarding house for an aging spinster with nosy landlady Marie Kean and her extremely perverted son (Ian McNeice), an obese slob who is seducing the 16 year old servant girl and pretty much harassing every tenant with his slimy manner. Reminding me of Charles Laughton in "Sign of the Cross", he is an effeminate (but straight) do-nothing who can be simply referred to as a waste of human space. Poor Judith has to put up with his innuendos, from rubbing a book of poetry on his crotch upon their first meeting to his attempt at blackmail upon learning of her friendship with his very American uncle (Bob Hoskins).
Judith has been spending time with Hoskins who has no romantic interest in her, only trying to convince Judith to invest with him in an American hamburger stand in the middle of Dublin. His rejection of her passion sends Judith to the bottle, and from there, her descent into degradation and alcholism is more shocking than everything you've ever seen the fabulous Dame Maggie play. She gives her all to making this character beyond pitiable, yet you can't help but like her. Obviously verbally abused by her wealthy Aunt, Judith has absolutely no self esteem, even if she finally gets to stand up to her aunt and remind her that nobody else is around to take care of her.
As for Hoskins, he's no angel either, obviously raping the 16 year old out of pure resentment towards his nephew. The first quarter of the movie is almost unbearable to watch because of its perverseness, but once Maggie's plight takes over, you can't help but be hooked. She's got a huge heart, as evidenced by taking a bottle to the hospital where a dying woman in pain needs some comfort, and her embarrassment over being caught. She then sinks further into desolation, and like Catherine Sloper in "The Heiress", is re-visited by Hoskins who makes one last plea to get her back into his life. This is Dame Maggie's film all the way, and while the depressing aspects of the film are sometimes very hard to take, her performance never is.
What is also very important to notice in this film is the character's devotion to her faith and her feeling that God has betrayed her for not bringing love into her life. For her, love is more than just finding companionship: it is her only bearable lightness of being. Her relationship with God and Jesus are so precious that when her lack of passion explodes into anger, it is a frightening scene of "Why have you forsaken me?" How many people (even those of strong religious faith) have not questioned the existence of God? Her attack on the alter of the Catholic church is as prominent in Dame Maggie's career as when she screamed "Assassin!" at the teenage girl who ruined her career in "Miss Jean Brodie".
Judith has been spending time with Hoskins who has no romantic interest in her, only trying to convince Judith to invest with him in an American hamburger stand in the middle of Dublin. His rejection of her passion sends Judith to the bottle, and from there, her descent into degradation and alcholism is more shocking than everything you've ever seen the fabulous Dame Maggie play. She gives her all to making this character beyond pitiable, yet you can't help but like her. Obviously verbally abused by her wealthy Aunt, Judith has absolutely no self esteem, even if she finally gets to stand up to her aunt and remind her that nobody else is around to take care of her.
As for Hoskins, he's no angel either, obviously raping the 16 year old out of pure resentment towards his nephew. The first quarter of the movie is almost unbearable to watch because of its perverseness, but once Maggie's plight takes over, you can't help but be hooked. She's got a huge heart, as evidenced by taking a bottle to the hospital where a dying woman in pain needs some comfort, and her embarrassment over being caught. She then sinks further into desolation, and like Catherine Sloper in "The Heiress", is re-visited by Hoskins who makes one last plea to get her back into his life. This is Dame Maggie's film all the way, and while the depressing aspects of the film are sometimes very hard to take, her performance never is.
What is also very important to notice in this film is the character's devotion to her faith and her feeling that God has betrayed her for not bringing love into her life. For her, love is more than just finding companionship: it is her only bearable lightness of being. Her relationship with God and Jesus are so precious that when her lack of passion explodes into anger, it is a frightening scene of "Why have you forsaken me?" How many people (even those of strong religious faith) have not questioned the existence of God? Her attack on the alter of the Catholic church is as prominent in Dame Maggie's career as when she screamed "Assassin!" at the teenage girl who ruined her career in "Miss Jean Brodie".