A grand celebration of Dame Maggie Smith

To honour the celebrated career of doyenne Dame Maggie Smith, The Historic Documentary Film Society recognised her irreplaceable legacy with a screening of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Smith won both the Academy Award and BAFTA (British equivalent) for Best Actress for her role in the film.

Read more: The Historic Documentary Film Society tributes Dame Maggie Smith
This event marks the 55th Anniversary of the film’s release. “Still ranked as a timeless classic,” noted Selwyn Klass, co-founder of the Film Society.
The wrap-up event for the year took place at the Beit Emanuel Slome Auditorium in Parktown, attended by various community groups, including U3A, Second Innings, Good Times Club, and the Royal Air Force Association. Also in attendance was Una Rowlands, first vice president of the International Women’s Club.

Following the screening, a lavish buffet tea was served in tribute to Dame Maggie, featuring a tartan theme that reflected the film’s setting in 1930s Edinburgh.

Also read: A documentary screening to honour Anne Franks legacy in Parktown

Jean Brodie’s iconic quotes embodied her free-thinking approach as a spirited teacher at an all-girls school.

Notable lines include: “All my pupils are the creme de la creme,” and “I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders.” The film’s theme song, Jean, rendered by Rod McKuen with his distinctive voice, was nominated for an Academy Award.

Klass, who served as McKuen’s publicist, launched the artist’s lesser-known classical catalogue during his Springbok Radio broadcasting days, further showcasing the rich cultural contributions of this celebrated actress and her contemporaries.

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