Awesome interview with Emma Thompson in this weekend’s New York Magazine. I love it because she’s talking about the books she loved.
Oddly enough, Im probably still vaguely Victorian. Moderns are just different. As a child, my mind latched onto a kind of Victorian morality, which I dont necessarily think did me that much good, to be honest. Its not ideal. I suppose theres something spinal, theres something that lives in your ganglia, that connects you to past moral models, and its very difficult to unhook yourself from them.
Uhm, yes?
Also, I love it because she is one of those rare people who is just wired comedically. If there is humor in a situation – she will sniff it out. This is not a natural gift. It is a very rare gift. I gravitate towards such people in my own life. I love them. I love her – can’t wait to see her next film.
Goodness, Emma Thompson stole my heart away in Henry V, and she hasn’t given it back yet.
One of my favorite Shakespeare-on-film scenes was in Much Ado About Nothing – her reaction when Denzel Washington (as The Prince) asks her to marry him. Her surprise and shock – so restrained! but so palpable. Wow. (P.S. Brian Blessed is God.)
One movie of hers I’ve been saving (mainly because Netflix doesn’t have it!) is Peter’s Friends. Can’t wait to see her in that.
I remember her delightful little scene totally in French in Henry V … and then – before she was really famous – or a star in her own right – she had a small part in Impromptu – I think that was the name of the movie. With Judy Davis playing George Sand?? I can’t remember any of it – but man, I remember Emma Thompson. It is a completley buffoonish over-the-top performance – and there’s a moment when Mandy Patinkin (I think) assaults her during a house party. Not violently – but he seduces her, and overcomes her resistance. And her response to the whole thing – the WAY she reacts when he puts his hand down her dress … it is just laugh out loud funny.
I wasn’t wacky about that film but I should see it again, just to watch her. She is hilarious.
Oh, thank you thank you for posting this link! I have a life-threatening crush on Emma Thompson, to whom I too lost my heart when she was in Henry V. She was also hilarious in Impromptu, which is one of my favourite films. I remember her being quite wonderful in Peter’s Friends, which I haven’t seen since it was in the theatre.
Man. Now I just want to blow off the rest of the day, watch Dead Again and The Tall Guy and read William Gibson books.
roro – Ha!! I love that we all have crushes on her – she’s so great.
Do you remember the moment in IMpromptu that I’m trying to remember? I think it’s Mandy Patinkin and he puts his hand down her dress – and she literally shivers and gasps and convulses – it is HYSTERICAL.
“The Remains of the Day” … that movie still haunts me.
I’m a member of the Emma crush club as well. I had seen her before, but it was The Remains Of The Day that really seized my heart. I never saw Impromptu – Judy Davis and Emma Thompson in the same movie is something I definitely need to see…
Oh man. Yes.
And also her spontaneous storm of tears at the end of Sense & Sensibility. Every time I see that movie I am amazed by how out of nowhere it seems to come from. I read her published journal of the making of that movie – and she was really anxious and nervous about that scene, days ahead of time … she had this clenching nervousness in her stomach every time she thought about it …
So to know that somehow she worked it all out … and that that moment came out that good, and seemed that spontaneous … is just really inspiring to me.
Oops, my “oh man yes” was in response to Tracey’s Remains of the Day comment.
That movie just freakin’ kills me.
I DO remember the Impromptu scene, but I do believe it’s Ralph Brown as Eugene Delacroix who seduces Emma. And it is totally hysterical – he puts his hand down her nightie, she shivers and trembles and then TOTALLY JUMPS HIS BONES. Fantastic.
Mandy Patinkin, however, has many other delightful moments in that film. Also, Bernadette Peters. Mmmm. Bernadette.
roro – hahahahahahaha yes!!! And she’s wearing these ridiculous curling papers in her hair if I am remembering it right.
You ARE remembering it right! Totally crazy curling papers or rags in these two bunches on either side of her head. I am laughing out loud just thinking about it. Brilliant!
And how her mouth just gapes and trembles open in complete and utter shock at what is happening to her.
Genius!!!
I am guffawing. I need to see that scene again.
Slightly off-topic, but too funny to pass up. From Waiting for Guffman:
Corky St. Clair: “Here’s the Remains of the Day lunchbox. Kids don’t like eating at school, but if they have a Remains of the Day lunchbox they’re a lot happier.”
I know I would be. But I’d settle for a Sense & Sensibility lunchbox with Emma on it.
Hahaha
And how ’bout the “My Dinner with Andre” action figures.
Action??? The only thing that movies in that movie is the camera!
So hilarious!
love that part of Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson is utter genius; i love her. even the wonderful ladies of go fug yourself love her. when they did a shout-out to Kate Winslet [love her too] they quoted Emma Thompson. Here’s a snippet of it:
/She [Winslet] has not hired Rachel Zoe and wasted away down to a child’s size pants. (In fact, in this week’s EW, she says that Emma Thompson once told her that if she [Kate] lost weight, Emma would “never fucking speak to [her] again,” and that is one of the reasons we love Emma Thompson, even if she sometimes shows up places in unflattering bodices.)/
from this article: http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2006/10/well_played_kat.html
anyway, LOVE Emma Thompson. I don’t think she gives herself enough credit.
She’s the best part of Love Actually, probably the only person who can hold her own with Alan Rickman.
Oh God, Lisa – I know we have discussed her in that movie before – and her moment in the bedroom trying to get herself together. With the music and it’s Christmas and … it’s just sooooo real!!
Count me in on the Emma fan club. I loved her diaries during the making of S&S, especially as she’s going through her own breakup with Kenneth during the making of the film.
My favorite scene is when she LOSES it when she thinks her sister is going to succumb to the “fever” or whatever it is that she’s suffering from (broken heart). I lose it every time.
Oh God. That moment is absolutely unbelievable.
“Don’t … leave me all alone …” and there’s this FEAR in her eyes that absolutely kills me. It’s not just sadness … she’s afraid, Killer.
Emma is one of my favorite actresses. Her emotions and facial expressions are so believable – it just draws you in.
I thought she was really good-looking in Much Ado About Nothing. Something about the white dress, the hair, and her tan. I dont understand why Kenneth gave her up especially if just for a fling.
She was also so perfect as Prof. Trelawney that I think JK Rowling had her in mind when she was writing the character.
Oh shit, Lisa, wasn’t she just a RIOT in that?