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Post by snsurone on Dec 21, 2019 17:04:10 GMT
She was a British character actress who specialized in sweet, grandmotherly roles in such films as THE LADY VANISHES, MRS. MINIVER, and GASLIGHT.
But she was cast against type as the scheming "cripple" in NIGHT MUST FALL.
Her daughter was Margaret Webster, who held important behind-the-scene positions in the theater industry.
BTW, are you aware that her title was not in honor of her acting career but for her hospital volunteerism during WW!?
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Post by mattgarth on Dec 21, 2019 17:25:15 GMT
Want to see Dame May in an even nastier role, Snsurone?
Track down MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS, with Nina Foch -- remade as DEAD OF WINTER 40 years later with Mary Steenburgen.
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Post by petrolino on Dec 21, 2019 18:09:16 GMT
Her daughter Margaret Webster was an influential theatre director. I read a bit about her some time back. I remember also reading about Webster, Cheryl Crawford and Eve Le Gallienne staging productions together in the late 1940s, after the war.
Dame May Whitty & Margaret Webster
Eve Le Galienne
Elia Kazan, Tennessee Williams & Cheryl Crawford
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 21, 2019 18:14:19 GMT
 The Lady Vanishes |
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 21, 2019 18:16:24 GMT
  Night Must Fall |
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 21, 2019 18:20:50 GMT
Want to see Dame May in an even nastier role, Snsurone? Track down MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS, with Nina Foch    But.... She looks like such a sweet little old lady, mattgarth
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 21, 2019 18:29:12 GMT
She once said, "I've got everything Betty Grable has...only I've had it longer." |
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Post by mattgarth on Dec 21, 2019 18:31:16 GMT
Some years back I was working with and interviewing actor-director Robert Montgomery in preparation for a film tribute to his career.
NIGHT MUST FALL was to be the final film showing in a day-long viewing of his movies (which also included PRIVATE LIVES, HERE COMES MR. JORDAN, THEY WERE EXPENDABLE, RIDE THE PINK HORSE, THE EARL OF CHICAGO, YELLOW JACK, LADY IN THE LAKE, MR. & MRS. SMITH, etc.)
During our private discussions, he shared with me a story about Dame May -- whom he adored. Montgomery actually directed most of NIGHT MUST FALL ... it was a pet project of his (and the credited director -- Richard Thorpe -- felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the story material).
A decade later, Montgomery signed on to be the host and occasional performer on the radio series SUSPENSE -- which expanded that year to a full hour.
One of the programs was to be an audio version of NIGHT MUST FALL, and he persuaded Dame May to appear to recreate her Oscar-nominated film role.
But at that time, she was suffering from colon cancer, and like her film character, was really confined to a wheelchair (she would pass on later that year).
In accepting the part, she also informed Montgomery, with great embarrassment and reluctance, that her cancer caused her to have loud and uncontrollable flatulence.
In spite of the warning, the grand old trouper would do her best to carry on.
The program had to be presented twice that evening -- once for the East Coast audience, and repeated later for the listeners on the West Coast.
In spite of any trepidation, she got through both performances without any audio disturbances -- and received a standing ovation from the entire radio crew each time.
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Post by mattgarth on Dec 21, 2019 18:37:12 GMT
But.... She looks like such a sweet little old lady
_______________________________________________________
She may look like a sweet old lady there, Bat ... but believe me, she WAS NOT !!!
Just ask Nina Foch's character, who was put-upon by her employer Dame May.
As Julia says at the end when she escapes their clutches:
"The next time I apply for a job, I'll ask for THEIR references!"
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 21, 2019 18:37:48 GMT
mattgarth"Some years back I was working with and interviewing actor-director Robert Montgomery in preparation for a film tribute to his career." <--- so very cool ! L@@ky what I found :
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Post by mattgarth on Dec 21, 2019 18:50:53 GMT
And was that Dame May herself, doing her own stunts as she leapt down from the train and made her escape running in THE LADY VANISHES?
And that ending with her at the piano -- greeting her rescuers Iris and Gilbert -- is among Hitch's most satisfying.
Here it is, below -- and watch for Hitchcock himself at the train station ... smoking and shrugging his shoulders ---
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsL_gdAOCmI
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Post by teleadm on Dec 21, 2019 20:35:54 GMT
One of the great supporting actresses, and always a joy to watch!   |
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Post by snsurone on Dec 21, 2019 22:30:30 GMT
THE LADY VANISHES is one of my two favorite Hitchcock movies--the other one being REBECCA.
I remember Hitch's cameo at the station, but I don't recall him smoking.
Matt, you seem to have lived a very interesting life.
Would you be offended if I asked how old you are?
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Post by mattgarth on Dec 21, 2019 23:02:51 GMT
I'm forever 39, Snsurone Just like Jack Benny  And thank you for asking |
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Post by snsurone on Dec 22, 2019 0:16:18 GMT
I'm forever 39, Snsurone Just like Jack Benny And thank you for asking
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Post by louise on Dec 24, 2019 14:39:57 GMT
She is great in The Lady Vanishes
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Post by snsurone on Dec 27, 2019 1:28:34 GMT
Pet, I'm afraid that your photo of Dame May and Margaret did no show up on my screen.
But I'm amused by the photo of Eva Le Galienne, depicting her as the "fragile flower" she had to portray early in her career.
IRL, she was a tough bird; she had to be in order to survive in the male-dominated world of theatrical entrepreneurship.
Her repertory company was one of the most successful in theater history, especially in the 1920's.
BTW, was her lesbianism known during her lifetime?
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Post by marshamae on Dec 27, 2019 16:50:11 GMT
I must watch Night Must Fall again. I’m puzzled by all the references to WHITTY as manipulative, evil etc. What I remember is a fussy invalid, confined to her chair and giving others a hard time. Annoying, but not evil.
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Post by mikef6 on Dec 28, 2019 5:59:51 GMT
She once said, "I've got everything Betty Grable has...only I've had it longer." One of the great quotes EVAH!
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Post by snsurone on Dec 28, 2019 15:19:35 GMT
I must watch Night Must Fall again. I’m puzzled by all the references to WHITTY as manipulative, evil etc. What I remember is a fussy invalid, confined to her chair and giving others a hard time. Annoying, but not evil. Maybe the term "scheming" was a bit harsh, but she certainly was manipulative. Her biggest mistake was engaging the psychotic Danny as a caregiver.
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