Tag Archives: formative performances

I wouldn’t be me if I only wrote about one Jane Austen heroine and the actress who played her. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Austen novel – in fact, my favorite novel, period – but I think Persuasion is … Continue reading →

[The following is a guest post from abovethetitle.] And now I should be caught up. In keeping with Lady T’s choice of Dame Julie for “Mary Poppins,” I’m going with Dame Julie for far and away the single most influential … Continue reading →

[The following is a guest post from abovethetitle.] Just to be ornery, I’m choosing something at the total opposite end of the spectrum from Swank. My early childhood was dominated by “Baby-Sitters Club,” “Sweet Valley” and “Pippi Longstocking.” Of those, … Continue reading →

[The following is a guest post from abovethetitle.] Hilary Swank’s goodwill in Hollywood is on a downturn right now but that doesn’t mean we should forget her breakthrough performance. Gender bender is a long-standing tradition in Hollywood (another favorite of … Continue reading →

The best babysitter and nanny of all time – Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. Seriously, how many people can maintain a persona of perfect dignity and calm even when jumping through sidewalk drawings, having tea parties on the … Continue reading →

[The following is a guest post from abovethetitle.] “Romeo and Ethel, the Pirates Daughter.” Thus begins the conceit of one of history’s most groaned about Best Picture winners…and perhaps my favorite movie of all time. It’s a simple but clever … Continue reading →

Citizen Ruthis a damn funny movie. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s about a woman whose four children have been placed in different foster homes as she has been declared unfit to take care of any of them … Continue reading →

Madeline Kahn is a comic genius. This is a fact. Do not argue with me on this. Describing Madeline Kahn’s talent and skill is a little difficult. This is a woman who created an iconic character with a single line … Continue reading →

This performance is technically from a television special, not a film, but I don’t care – my blog, my rules, and this performance is far too important to overlook. The filmed production of Peter Pan was vital to my upbringing. … Continue reading →

[The following is a guest post from abovethetitle.] She will not be known as the greatest actress of my generation but she certainly will be remembered as the greatest female movie star. Some of her recent choices have been half-baked … Continue reading →