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I Thought Lee Grant Was So Sexy In This Movie

posted 17 years ago by saturdaze
11 replies | jump to latest

And I'm not kidding. Yes, her character was a bit on the abrasive, cold side, but damn, I loved her sophistication, intelligence, and cool confidence. And when you couple those qualities with the fact that she was a mature (60 yrs old) woman, gaspp. I've always had a humongous weakness for older women and in this movie Lee Grant's character was the epitome of the Aloof Sexy Older Woman to whom I tend to be drawn.

The funny thing is that I usually don't prefer them as old as she was in the movie (I believe Lee Grant was in her early 60's at the time of filming)--my preference falls between 35 and 55--but I would most definitely make an exception in the case of Lee Grant's character.

One scene that really turned me on is the one where Albert Brooks' character tries to make small talk with Lee Grant's character during a break in the trial, and Lee Grant says, "After this is over, if you're still interested in knowing about me, I'll be more than happy to tell you, but for right now, let's concentrate on you." The self-assured, firm yet sincere way that Grant says that really aroused me for some reason. And it also warmed up her character somewhat; it let us know that, deep down, she probably isn't as cold and abrasive as she often comes across; she comes across that way because she's just trying to do her job, which is to prosecute the guilty. When she's not doing her job, she's probably just as open as you or me.

If I had been Albert Brooks' character, I would've definitely found a way to hang out with Lee Grant's character after the trial. Hell, I would've even asked her out. Not only is she gorgeous (those cheekbones, those lips, that bobbed hairstyle) and poised, but she also seems like someone who'd be great in bed. Every time I see her character in the film I fantasize about having wild, raw, bed-creaking, profanity-filled sex with her for hours.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] marcchanois 15 years ago

I agree with you on some, but I will show more respect.

btw: I was so astonished to find that the woman was 64 at the time,not 46....

[–] aps722 15 years ago

Agreed. And combine all of this with the scene in the restaurant where she is clearly having issues with her husband's flitatious behaviour, and it creates a very odd scenaraio: These 'big brains' who are so much more advanced than we STILL have trouble with some basics (fidelity, jealousy...).

Shouldn't those kind of flaws be long past them at this point? It makes you wonder if their 'advanced intelligence' was not that at all, but rather just a mastery of the little things that most people CAN'T do: take a compliment instead of acting like you don't deserve it, try to start someone else's day on a positive note (Good Morning!), don't let food affect your mood, or take a risk based on your heart once in a while instead of your head.

But I digress. I loved her in this movie too.

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Victoria is gone. Gone! Poof! In the wind.

[–] CalvinJarrett (462) a year ago

I agree with you, saturdaze, but I too wish to be more respectful to Lee Grant. 'Granted,' this role (Lena Foster) was where, at age 14, I discovered this great actress. Thereafter, I rented, or watched on Cable, all of her movies. I even managed to see one or two episodes of her mid-'70's TV series, Faye, which was cancelled prematurely. She looked great in it, and it was a progressive show. My sister found it so funny that as a young teenager I had a crush on a 60-something year old actress, she integrated that story into her speech at my wife and my wedding 16-17 years later.

[–] Tabbycat (878) 8 months ago

Check out her Oscar performance in “Shampoo” … if you can (used to be impossible to find).

[–] CalvinJarrett (462) 8 months ago

I saw that movie (in my quest to see all of her work) in the '90's. I either taped it off of cable or rented it on VHS. It having been set in 1968, I think she just wore her old wig from 1967's In the Heat of the Night and Valley of the Dolls. She adopted a longer do (wig) between 1971 (The Neon Ceiling, Columbo) and '74 (The Internecine Project), and then wore a bob between 1975 (Faye, TV series) and at least 1982 (Visiting Hours).

[–] CalvinJarrett (462) 8 months ago

Did she win for Shampoo (1975)? I thought she won Best Supporting Actress a year later for Voyage of the Damned.

[–] Tabbycat (878) 8 months ago

Lee Grant won the Oscar for supporting actress in Shampoo, the first award announced at the 1976 ceremony.

Nobody won anything for Voyage of the Damned except the dubious distinction of being involved with one of the decade’s biggest cinematic embarassments.

[–] CalvinJarrett (462) 8 months ago

I learned something, Tabbycat. Thanks. I always thought she won for Voyage of the Damned. If you saw her performance in that film (however critical you may be of the movie, in general), Lee did a very nice job with the role.

[–] Tabbycat (878) 8 months ago

Understood.

I wasn’t turned on but respected both her character and Grant’s acting for the reason you cite.

I find strong, honest women appealing even if they might sometimes seem callous.

She turns 99 in October.

[–] CalvinJarrett (462) 8 months ago

I don't know how honest she was as Lena Foster, but she was no less honest than her counterpart, Bob Diamond (Rip Torn). I thought they both played their roles as competent trial attorneys perfectly, massaging the facts to suit their positions.