Discovering Lynn Redgrave in ‘Georgy Girl’ (Silvio Narizzano, 1966)
- Trinity Auditorium
- Oct 27, 2024
- 16 min read
I’ve always been fascinated by acting families and acting dynasties. I love that some families kept the art of acting within their roots over different generations, therefore adding their names among the key personalities of film and theatre history. When I think of acting families, the ones that automatically come to mind are the Redgraves, the Barrymores, the Mills, and the Carradines (I’m less familiar with them, yet somehow, they are among the ones I think of first). To celebrating acting families, Rebecca from Taking Up Room is hosting the We Are Family Blogathon. Since I’d been hyper-busy in September and October (and also August, for that matter), I only came across that blogathon existence two days ago. I couldn’t pass on the opportunity since I adored the concept! So, I decided to celebrate the Redgraves by making Georgy Girl (Silvio Narizzano, 1966) my topic choice. I’ve been wanting to revisit that film for some time, so that was the ideal occasion.
In all of the Redgraves’ filmography, Georgy Girl stars Lynn Redgrave. Her mother, Rachel Kempson, has a small part in it. Lynn Redgrave was the youngest child of Kempson and Michael Redgrave (my favourite member of the dynasty). Her sister, Vanessa, probably remains the most famous and celebrated sibling with a career of 6 decades and gaining many awards and recognitions.
An Introduction to The Redgraves
The dynasty began with silent film actor Roy Redgrave and actress Margaret (born Daisy) Scudamore. Roy was only briefly at the centre of the dynasty’s circle as, only six months after Michael’s birth, he returned to Australia to pursue his acting career.1 He and Margaret divorced in 1908, a marriage lasting only a year.2 Roy Redgrave passed away at the young age of 49 (when Michael was only 14), leaving behind him a legacy of Australian silent films. As for Margaret, her work seemed more significant on stage than in films. Although they were small parts, she noticeably was in Powell & Pressburger films: A Canterbury Tale (1944) and Black Narcissus (1947). Interestingly, she also appeared in the 1937 musical comedy Melody and Romance, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Margaret Lockwood. Lockwood would co-star with Michael Redgrave in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes(1938) and The Stars Look Down (Carol Reed, 1940).
Talking of Michael Redgrave, it’s precisely with The Lady Vanishes that he made his screen debut (in a credited part). His character, Gilbert, remains my favourite film character of all time. He also became a top member of the British acting society with many theatre and film credits, honours and awards (including the Best Actor Award at Cannes Film Festival forThe Browning Version). It was at the Liverpool Repertory Company, in 1934, that he met Rachel Kempson, whom he married in 1935.3 She shared the screen with her husband in her first film Jeannie (Harold French, 1941), The Captive Heart (Basil Dearden, 1946) and The Sea Shall Not Have Them (Lewis Gilbert, 1954). Many of Michael Redgrave’s parts are worth mentioning, but juste to name a few favourite of mine: Kipps (Carol Reed, 1941), Dead of Night (1945), Secret Beyond the Door, (Fritz Lang, 1947), The Importance of Being Earnest (Anthony Asquith, 1952), The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961), etc. Michael Redgrave received his (unfortunately) only Oscar nomination for Mourning Becomes Electra (Dudley Nichols, 1947).
As for their children, Vanessa was the firstborn (and the only one still alive today). Winner of one Academy Award for Julia (Fred Zinnemann, 1977)and nominee for five more, she was at the heart of some cult films of the second part of the 20th century, such as Blow Up (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1966), Murder on the Orient Express (Sidney Lumet, 1974), Julia, Howards End (James Ivory, 1992), etc. She kept the world of film within her family with her first husband, director Tony Richardson (Look Back in Anger, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Tom Jones), with whom she had two daughters: actresses Joely Richardson and Natasha Richardson. The latter married famous Northem-Irish actor Liam Neeson in 1994 and sadly passed away at the young age of 45 due to a fatal ski accident. Weirdly enough, that accident took place at Mont-Tremblant Resort, and she died from her injuries at the hospital in Montreal (where I live).4 Natasha is probably better known for her work in The Parent Trap (Nancy Meyers, 1998) as Lyndsay Lohan’s mother. Vanessa’s second husband was actor Franco Nero. They met in 1966 on the set of Camelot (Joshua Logan, 1967) and only married in 2006 (better late than never).5 They are still together today. Franco and Vanessa had one son, Carlo Gabriel Nero, a screenwriter, a producer and a director. His film Uninvited (1999), an Italian-American thriller, stars his parents and Eli Wallach. Aside from her work as an actress, Vanessa Redgrave is also an important political activist and her brother Corin as well. But that’s a complex dossier that would be worth its own blogging entry!
Michael and Rachel’s second child was actor Corin Redgrave. I’m not so familiar with him, but we probably remember him best as the villain in the excellent In the Name of the Father (Jim Sheridan, 1994). His career varied between stage, cinema and television (he played in many TV movies). Among his films, you probably also know Four Weddings and a Funeral (Mike Newel, 1994), A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann, 1966) and Oh! What a Lovely War (Richard Attenborough, 1969), also starring Michael and Vanessa Redgrave. Sadly, Corin passed away in 2010 after battling prostate cancer for 10 years.6 His children, still in the film industry, are actress Jemma Redgrave and Luke Redgrave, who became a camera operator and a production assistant.
Now, we come to Lynn Redgrave, the youngest daughter of Rachel Kempson and Michael Redgrave and the main attraction of today’s article. Although I have shamefully seen only one of her films, her role as Georgina Parkin in Georgy Girl inspires the same fun and carefreeness as her father, Michael, in The Lady Vanishes. Both films are very different, don’t get me wrong, but they introduce two characters with whom you know you won’t be bored. Anyway, Lynn Redgrave, with theatre training like her siblings, marked her way in the theatre industry by being cast in plays staged by the biggest names in the industry, such as Laurence Olivier and Noël Coward.7 She also had a noteworthy career on Broadway and was nominated for several awards. On the silver screen, her first credited role was in Tom Jones. Two years later, she played the title role in Georgy Girl. For Gods and Monsters (Bill Condon, 1998), she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress (which she lost to Judi Dench for Shakespeare in Love). She also had a significant career on television, with roles in popular series, more particularly House Calls. She also made guest appearances in Desperate Housewives, Law & Order and Ugly Betty. Lynn Redgrave married actor John Clark in 1967 (they divorced in 2000).8 They had four children: Annabel Clark, a photographer; former actress Kelly Clark (she seems to have a very small filmography, mostly a few credits in the mid-90s); Benjamin Clark and Pema Clark (both don’t seem connected to the film industry). Sadly, just like her brother Corin, Lynn Redgrave also passed away in 2010. She has been battling breast cancer since 2002, which turned out to be fatal.9 So, in less than a year, Vanessa Redgrave lost a daughter and her two siblings. Rough.
Travelling across Redgrave’s genealogy is complex, and I’ve only given you a brief preview of what can be said about them. Now, we really need to get to our main feature: Georgy Girl!
Exploring Georgy Girl
Directed by Canadian film director Silvio Narizzano (whom I just learned was born in Montreal!), Georgy Girl belongs in the category of Kitchen sink realism, looking for the realism of the British working class, with some obvious influences of the French New Wave. With a release in 1966, Georgy Girl already belonged to the end of the movement, Narizzano being inspired by the work of Tony Richardson and John Schlesinger.10
Georgy Girl takes place in London during the “Swinging 60s”. Georgina “Georgy” Parkin is a free-spirited woman of 22 who doesn’t live up to the conventions (and seems to have much more fun that way). She works as a music teacher with young children. Her parents, played by Bill Owen and Clare Kelly, are employees of businessman James Leamington (James Mason) and his sick wife Ellen (enters Rachel Kempson). They live in his impressive mansion, with the last floor (the attic) used as the classroom for Georgy’s music lessons. While the latter embodies an aura of liberty and nonchalance, she lacks experiences in life and relationships, resulting in awkward situations despite herself. Leamington constantly tries to hit on her (she always tries to avoid him). On his 49th birthday (he looks more like 60 – sorry, James), he offers her to become his mistress by presenting a contract on paper (yeah, he really is a businessman). She doesn’t say yes, but that leads to one of the most awkward kisses in film history.
On her side, Georgy lives with her “friend” Meredith. Very much into the beauty standard (she’s played by Charlotte Rampling, after all), outgoing and experienced, she is the complete opposite of Georgy. And she’s not much of a friend, always ditching her when she can find someone more “interesting” with whom to go to parties. Meredith has a boyfriend, Jos (Alan Bates), whom Georgy has a crush on. He eventually also develops a crush on Georgy (after marrying Meredith because she is expecting a baby – yeah, complicated!). Their affair doesn’t seem very honest, but Meredith is revealed to be not much of a friend and not much of a girlfriend. In other words, she sadly doesn’t care about them. After her daughter Sara’s birth, we realise that although Georgy is the “less” experienced one, she has more experienced in life, much more than Meredith, who is pretty much a spoiled child. She knows how to take responsibility. I won’t tell you everything that happens because I want to let you discover it yourself.
From the first moment you see Georgy on the screen, you know you’ll love her. She rambles through the big streets of London as the opening titles are displayed on the screen and the theme song “Georgy Girl”, written by the one and only Jim Dale (hello Carry On actor!) and Tom Springfield and interpreted by The Seekers, plays in the background and introduces her character. The lyrics speak to her and tell her what she should do and how she should be, but also how she is at that moment:
Hey there, Georgy girlSwinging down the street so fancy-freeNobody you meet could ever see the loneliness there inside youHey there, Georgy girlWhy do all the boys just pass you by?Could it be you just don’t try or is it the clothes you wear?
This describes the opposition between the way Georgy presents herself and her internal complexions. You realise, throughout the film, that she is someone who gives a lot but, unfortunately, doesn’t get much in return.
You’re always window shopping but never stopping to buySo shed those dowdy feathers and fly a little bit
Hey there, Georgy girlThere’s another Georgy deep insideBring out all the love you hide and, oh, what a change there’d beThe world would see a new Georgy girl
Here, we know that despite her lack of confidence (well hidden by her extravagant personality), she just needs a little boost to present her best version, and she doesn’t need to hide who she is so much. She needs to accept and assume her flaws.
Hey there, Georgy girlDreaming of the someone you could beLife is a reality, you can’t always run awayDon’t be so scared of changing and rearranging yourselfIt’s time for jumping down from the shelf a little bit
When we hear this part of the song during the opening sequence, Georgy passes by a beauty parlour where she observes different mannequin heads with wigs on them, presenting fancy hairdos. Our protagonist, her hair dishevelled and worn in a ponytail, enters the parlour, willing to try something new with her hair. She exits with a complicated and extravagant hairdo that doesn’t resemble her. It just takes her a few minutes to realise her mistake and that she doesn’t like it. She looks in a mirror with a face saying: “Who the hell is that?” So, she starts running down the street, and the hairdo falls apart. She enters an underground public washroom and wets her hair under the sink for a new start and to find her true self again. I think all that sequence says that she can evolve and change as a person, but she doesn’t have to do it according to conventions. She doesn’t have to change for other people but for herself.
The song was nominated for Best Song at the Oscar.
Georgy Girl happened to be Lynn Redgrave’s first starring role after small parts in films since the early 60s. She made her official entrance with a sensational boom as she is fantastic in Narizzano’s picture. What I like most about her acting is the contagious dynamism drawn into her character and, by association, the dynamism that is well-balanced with more humble emotions, showcasing the complexity of her character. She wants to be a lot and extravagant but doesn’t know how to really take her place. This is well-shown in the scene where she performs “Whole Lotta Woman” after her father tells her to act more like a lady. You see that she’s doing it out of spite and really is playing a role in front of the pretty uptight guests that happened to be here (it’s Mr Leamington’s birthday). In opposition, each time she feels like a third wheel when she’s with Jos and Meredith, Georgy tends to quietly fade away with regrets that she doesn’t feel more included in their social circle. Kids love her, however, because she has a noteworthy mother instinct.
Lynn Redgrave’s acting was brilliantly received with awards and nominations. She was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar (alongside her sister Vanessa, nominated for Morgan!). They both lost it to Elizabeth Taylor for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe (Mike Nichols, 1955). She was nominated for Best Actress at the BFTA and Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards. Finally, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical of a Comedy and the award for Best Actress at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.
As I’ve mentioned, Rachel Kempson, Lynn’s mother, also has a part in the film. However, I must admit, it was much smaller than what I remembered. She doesn’t have a lot of screen time nor a lot of lines. That being said, she somehow contributes to the absurdity of the film. The poor lady is stuck in bed, sick. She tries to tolerate Georgy’s noisy music lessons, taking place on the floor above. By the way, that reminded me of that scene in The Lady Vanishes when Michael Redgrave plays the clarinet in a room above Margaret Lockwood’s bedroom while she is trying to get some sleep. Like father, like daughter! Anyway, poor Ellen also has a husband who is ready to cheat on her with a girl who is half his age. However, you feel that, at this point, she doesn’t have much to lose, and I love her setting. She’s in that big bed with a box of chocolate next to her, reminding me of Jean Harlow’s character in Dinner at Eight (George Cukor, 1933). When her character passes away, there’s this long funeral procession in front of the Leamington. However, the first thing I notice is an adorable dog who coincidentally happens to be there. The poor lady. You feel all the irony here, highlighted by the fact that she’s probably been in the background all her life. She also doesn’t believe in doctors, which doesn’t help her case. After her passing, Leamington also describes her that way: “She was a beautiful woman… beautiful. Tolerant. Civilized… and about as exciting as a half brick.” It describes well what a fun relationship they must have had (yes, I’m sarcastic).
Georgy Girl presents an array of other actors who had already paved their way in the film industry or were about to do so. Of course, we can’t avoid mentioning the legendary James Mason, who plays Mr Leamington and received a Best Actor Oscar nomination. As co-workers, it was a match made in heaven for him and Lynn Redgrave. From her experience working with the actor, Redgrave said:
“I couldn’t have had a better start than with James. From the very first day on the set he treated me as an equal, never patronizing but always ready with advice and encouragement if you seemed to need it. […] James made me feel that if I tried I could do anything, even sing that song, and he told me always to close my eyes just before the camera started to roll. First because it would help to concentrate my mind on the scene, and second it would make my pupils look bigger and better. I’ve always remembered to do that.”11
In other words, he was a class act. I love it when experienced actors, like James Mason at the time, decide to help the new generation instead of being scared of them and treating them as inferior.
Charlotte Rampling, who later became a celebrated actress and is still working today (Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 2 is a good example!), received her second film credit with Georgy Girl. She initially started working as a model before moving to the acting profession.12 A newcomer to the film industry in 66, I believe she made a big impression as she seemed to have perfectly understood the type of character she was supposed to play. Even if Meredith eventually shows her true colours (that aren’t so beautiful), we cannot help feeling her sense of cool and fun. As Meredith, Charlotte Rampling perfectly embodies the essence of London’s Swinging 60s. She’s also the one privileged by the best costumes and the one that incarnate this era’s fashion the best. I especially like the coat with the big buttons she’s wearing at some point while walking in the streets, looking fresh like a rose. Rampling’s costumes for this film were designed by no other than Mary Quant, a fashion icon of the swinging 60s and the creator of the miniskirt, which was popularized by Twiggy.13
By the time Georgy Girl was made, Alan Bates had played leading roles in a few films. He plays a character with no sense of responsibility as Jos. Bates gave a curious essence to his character and understood his immaturity well. Also, I believe Jos is the character embodying the best the idea of Kitchen sink realism, which often describes male characters as “angry young men”. However, I felt there was still a certain sense of awkward novelty in his acting and that he was not fully taking his place. While I’ve only seen two of his films, Women in Love (Ken Russell, 1969), also starring Glenda Jackson and Oliver Reed, is the one that really made an impression on me and would make me want to see more of his work. With that being said, Bates received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Georgy Girl.
I can’t go across all the actors, but I think Bill Owen, who plays Georgy’s father, is worth mentioning. He is a father who tries to have a grip on his daughter (who’s, by the way, an adult) but doesn’t really manage to. I’ve always thought Owen was good at playing people who are constantly discouraged and not in full possession of their means. It’s well-proved in Georgy Girl but also with his role as Corporal Bill Copping in Carry On Sergant (Gerald Thomas, 1958)!
Georgy Girl, belonging to the Kitchen sink realism aesthetic, seeks a sense of realism through its camera work and manages to do it well. Interestingly, the latter seems to change according to the setting. When we are in the Leamingtons’ mansion, it’s usually a much more static and standard type of filming and editing, often opting for large plans to showcase its grandeur and wealth. It often feels empty and is made lively by the presence of the occupants, especially Georgy. On the opposite, when we are in the “real world”, London streets or in the working-class neighbourhood where Georgina and Meredith live, the camera takes the liberty of moving more and making more close-ups of the characters. It results in a more chaotic esthetic but creates proximity and intimacy with the characters. I’m usually not the biggest fan of over-the-shoulder camera esthetics, but here, I think it works well as it is justified. It’s precisely not used ad-nauseam. Despite being more chaotic and showing us raw reality, the image of Georgy Girl remains a gorgeous black and white that becomes colourful by the interior colours of the character and the different events. It’s very luminous and knows how to incorporate elements of the British landscape, like the fog or the rain, and never overshadows any character. Cinematographer Kenneth Higgins received an Oscar nomination for his work. He also worked on Darling (John Schlesinger, 1965), which I think has a similar visual style.
Georgy Girl was written by Margaret Foster and Peter Nichols and is based on the book of the same name by Foster. I haven’t read it, but considering its author also took part in the screenplay, I wonder how much of a faithful adaptation it is. Anyway, I feel she had her things to say about it since it resulted in well-written and multi-layered characters, making the whole thing very engaging and far from bland. Georgy grows up, and we grow up with her. The film also has one of my favourite dialogues, showing how Georgy sees life and how her father “can’t keep up with that generation”. After learning that Meredith is pregnant (and keeping the baby), Georgy (visually happier than Meredith about the news) runs to the Leamingtons’ mansion and rushes to the kitchen where her parents quietly read the newspaper. She spontaneously tells them: “Meredith is getting married! She’s pregnant!” Her father answers: “That’s nice, isn’t it? Typical of the way we’re going. I sometimes wonder to what the country’s coming to.”
With a budget of 400 000 $ (around 4 million today, which is not that high), Georgy Girl became a massive success at the box office, earning close to 17 million $ worldwide. The critics were generally positive, but some focused more on its flaws. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote: “Georgy Girl is a striking example of what could only be achieved with a uniquely right performer in the crucial rule. … The screenplay is generously spangled with truly wonderful throwaway lines, delicious plot surprises and lovely quirks of character”14, while The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: “It proceeds in triangular jerks from scene to scene, linked tenuously and loudly by continuous snatches of music to keep the action going. The potentially excellent cast and the promising comedienne talent of Lynn Redgrave can do little in the face of such opposition from both script and direction.”15 So, there were nuances to observe.
Georgy Girl is not necessarily perfect, but it’s a film that feels great to see and is worth every minute of your time. It’s deliciously in-your-face and ahead of its time as well. And, among the whole Redgrave dynasty’s filmography, it holds a prime place.
There’s so much we could write about this film or the Redgrave family. Looking through their work is always a delight, and I’m glad I’ve had such an occasion on behalf of Rebecca’s creative blogathon. A huge thanks to her for hosting and to you for reading! Make sure not to miss the other entries here.
See you!
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Sources :
1- Michael Redgrave: My Father, 1996 BBC documentary film narrated by his son Corin Redgrave, based on his book of the same name; produced and directed by Roger Michell
2- Skidmore, Warren. “FORTUNATUS AUGUSTINE DAVIS SCUDAMORE (1846-1904), PLAYWRIGHT” (PDF). Occasional Papers of Warren Skidmore. SCUDAMORE/SKIDMORE.
3- “Michael Redgrave.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Redgrave.
4- “Neeson opens up on death of wife: ‘It still kind of isn’t real'”. New York Daily News. 21 February 2014.
5- Amy Goodman (13 June 2007). “Vanessa Redgrave Combines Lifelong Devotion to Acting and Political Involvement in New HBO Film The Fever” (.MP3). Democracy Now!.
6- Sanderson, David (7 April 2010). “Corin Redgrave, actor who paid dearly for political beliefs, dies aged 70”. The Times. London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011.
8- “Lynn Redgrave Wed to John Clark”. The New York Times. 3 April 1967.
9- “Actress Lynn Redgrave dies at 67”. BBC News. 3 May 2010.
10 – Bergan, Ronald (July 28, 2011). “Silvio Narizzano Obituary”. The Guardian. UK. Archived from the original on 5 December 2011.
11- Stafford, Jeff. “Georgy Girl”. Turner Classic Movies, https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/27902/georgy-girl#articles-reviews?articleId=33743, September 25, 2003.
12- Smoldering Charlotte Rampling Archived 21 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, bbcamerica.com.
13- “Mary Quant: The designer who launched a fashion revolution”. The Courier. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022.
14- Crowther, Bosley (6 November 1966). “‘Georgy Girl’ Is Puddin’ and Pie: That ‘Georgy Girl'”. The New York Times.
15- “Georgy Girl”. The Monthly Film Bulletin. 33 (384): 185. 1 January 1966 – via ProQuest.
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