Product: The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne [VHS] (1988)
Rating: 5.0
Maggie Smith is brilliant as Judith Hearne
What a great movie, and why it's not on DVD is beyond me. Maggie Smith plays the spinster Judith Hearne, a lonely Dublin woman who's spent her life caring for her sick aunt, seeking refuge in the teachings of the Catholic Church, and when that fails, the bottle. She meets an American Babbitt type (played by Bob Hoskins) who shows her some attention, especially after he learns she's got money. She immediately fancies he's in love with her and she throws herself at him, only to be rebuked. This pushes her off the deep end: she renounces her faith, hits the bottle hard, and ends up in an institution.Years go by after which Hoskins shows up again and asks Smith to marry him; she realizes it's just for her money now and sends him packing. Her lonely life will remain just that.Smith is superb as Hearne; in fact, everyone is outstanding. The boarding house in which much of the action takes place is occupied by some of the meanest people you're likely to find. Although most of the action takes place in the present, Hearne's life is revealed to us through an excellent use of flashbacks - just enough to fill us in on her past without detracting from the story. It's a terrific production; I wonder if the loneliness of an aging woman has ever been better captured in a movie. It's poignant and sad - and a magnificent film. Definitely worth a watch. And should be on DVD!!