MovieChat Forums > Maggie Smith Discussion > Wrong 'Known for'

Wrong 'Known for'

posted 14 years ago by AleksandertheDraconian
6 replies | jump to latest

I really think that the four movies that appear in the section "Known for" are not exactly the right movies because in that movies she does a notable role; however she has starred many films in which she has done an excellent job. For me the movies that should be there are:

*The prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
*California Suite (1978)
*Tea with Mussolini (1999)
*My house in Umbria (2003)

Is ilogical that she had won two academy awards and none of the movies in which she won appear in that section. Also why do they put movies in which she was not the main character when she is an excellent actress.

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 13 years ago

I agree with you. I also think she was near-perfect in "Ladies in Lavender". I love that movie! But, I must admit, she's my favorite part! If it weren't for her, I doubt I would have ever given the film a chance!

"Ladies in Lavender" (2004) is my idea of heaven! And I

[–] nemozup 13 years ago

I'd say Jean Brodie, California Suite, Harry Potter 1 and Gosford Park.

Do I look like a people person?

[–] Clothes-Off 13 years ago

The "Known For" section on IMDb is notoriously inaccurate due to the fact that it simply uses which of that person's movies has the most traffic on IMDb.

One glaring example: Kathy Griffin being "known for " Pulp Fiction. She's in it for all of about five seconds.

The only thing "known for" is good is for someone who's never heard of a certain actor/director/celebrity in his/her life; it would at least give that viewer a starting point. (In other words, what would the average schmo be statistically most likely to have seen him/her.) That's it. They should really factor in as part of the equation how that actor is billed--and maybe a little more weight to more recent work.

"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!" C. M. Burns

[–] ginda2000 13 years ago

You can't use a term like 'Known for' for someone like Maggie Smith. Ultimately (and I would be foolish to say otherwise) Maggie Smith is now known for Harry Potter. That's logical because millions upon millions of people have seen it and generations who may not have previously known about her work have now been introduced to her.

It's easier to explain what Maggie Smith was known for prior to doing Harry Potter. Firstly it was the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, but after that she was also recognised for a vast amount of work. Including in the 1980's 'A Private Function'. She won an Oscar for 'California Suite' but I would say she wasn't hugely recognised for this. Even though its a fantastic piece of acting, the film has not retained a following over the decades the way some of her other pictures might have. She's also brilliant in 'Death on the Nile' working with Bette Davis.

[–] KeyLime3-14 10 years ago

In my mind, she will always be Mrs. Medlock.

Nerd-in-Training

[–] mike-954-404827 8 years ago

I will always see her as the sharp-tongued and often sharp witted, Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey. Not to take away from her other stellar works, Jean Brodie comes to mind, but I don't think DA would be nearly as good without her. Downton was extremely popular so it should be near the top of the "Know fors".