Lynn Redgrave on Albert Finney
Star of upcoming Jane Austen Book Club on her Cinematic Salad Days.
Lynn Redgrave has many awards and nominations to her credit having worked with film's finest leading men including The Bourne Ultimatum's Albert Finney.
Lynn Redgrave has played countless film and televison roles from Deeply to The White Countess to Shine to Desparate Housewives. In 1999, she won the Golden Globe Award and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress and prestigious other nom nods ( Oscar, Bafta, Screen Actors Guild ) for her role as Hanna opposite Ian McKellen in Gods and Monsters. In Part Four of this five part series, Redgrave discusses fellow actors she worked with in her cinematic salad days, including her 1963 film debut with mother, Rachel Kempson in Tom Jones.
You’ve worked with so many people including, Albert Finney, Alan Bates, Tom Courtney, Rex Harrison, even Timothy Dalton!
“Yes, Timothy played Antony, and I played Cleopatra. It was wonderful. He was absolutely marvelous. He was a little young for Antony I suppose, just borderline young, but by God he had a go at it. We did that for television. I would love to do it on the stage, but I haven’t done it on the stage. It is a thrilling play to work on and he was terrific to act with and he just took a flying leap at that huge role and did it wonderfully."
David Bowie..?
David Bowie, well, before he was a famous rock star he was in a film called The Virgin Soldiers. He was this tall, lanky, guy and then he turned into a rock star. He was very nice."
Maggie Smith?
"Maggie Smith is an extraordinary actress to work with. Of course, she for many years she was playing in Stratford, Ontario and did some amazing work up there."
Would you ever come to the Stratford Festival?
"I would love to come to Stratford. I have been asked on a couple of occasions, but haven’t been available at the time. But I know what wonderful work is done there."
Let’s go one of my favorite films of all time, Tom Jones…
“That was my film debut. I have a very small part. I am called Susan at Upton Inn. The plot begins when Tom and Mrs. Waters have their eating scene ( yes, that chicken leg scene) and I serve them their food and show them to their room. Then Mrs. Waters' (Joyce Redman) husband turns up and I let him in and show him upstairs. So I wear a lot of sackcloth and mud and a very thick West Country accent and look fairly recognizable. ( **Authors note – Rachel Kempson was also in the film as Bridget Allworthy**)
Georgy Girl is another favourite….
“Wasn’t Alan Bates lovely in it? He’s always lovely.”
Comments on Albert Finney and Alan Bates?
“I worked more closely with Alan Bates than I did with Albert Finney. I did work later in the theatre with Albert Finney. In Tom Jones; my very first scene was showing him across the courtyard when he arrives at Upton Inn. It was my first scene on film and I was terrified and there were all these people around. I didn’t know enough about film to know they’ve all got a job to do – all the technicians and people. They’re not really looking at me, but I was paranoid they were looking at me and thinking I was terrible. I was muttering my way across the courtyard deeply in character and I hear Albert whisper under his breath ‘For God’s Sake, get a bleep bleep move on.’ But he was a lovely guy with a great sense of humour and I did get a move on and he was quite right.”
“Alan Bates – a gem, sweet and funny and great. They are both great guys -wonderful actors.”
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