Katie McManus ranks Maggie Smith's best roles in a viewing order tribute. Start with Sister Act, move through Harry Potter for Professor McGonagall, then The First Wives Club, all of Downton Abbey, and Sister Act 2. Skip the Downton film set in France where her character dies.
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Are you a millennial? And are you sad that Maggie Smith just died? Well, I put together a list of all the movies and shows that you need to watch to pay tribute to this incredible talent. And I am presenting them in the order of which I think they should be watched. Number one on the list is Sister Act. You might not remember this, but the Mother Superior in this movie is actually Maggie Smith. You know, she's the one who's, like, really suspicious of Whoopi and, like, does not want her in the monastery, is kind of forced to accept her and puts her to work and kind of, kind of a jerk in the beginning, but they've become friends over time. After you finish Sister act, okay, you're going to want to move on to all of the Harry Potter movies because we really need some Professor McGonagall in this vibe. And also, yeah, I'm a Harry Potter fan, but I also think that trans people should be trusted to know their own identity. So take that, J.K. rowling. And I apologize. I know the typical binging time for the Harry Potter series is Christmas, and it is coming up in a couple months. You're just gonna have to double up this year. Okay, Moving on. Next on the list, you're going to want to watch the First Wives Club. Now, she plays this really, really amazing widow who is super snobby in, like, all the best ways. And she really helps these three ladies in their journey to get back at their husbands. This was my favorite movie when I was 8 years old. I tried showing it my third grade, last day of school, and it starts off with a smooth side and my teacher freaked out and was like, why did you bring this? And I didn't understand. I didn't understand, but I was really embarrassed and I cried in the bathroom. Either way, next we're going to take it from the Upper east side of New York, all the way over across the pond back to England. You're going to watch all of Downton Abbey, all the seasons, every episode. You're going to watch the first movie. You are not watching this movie. Okay? This is the exception. You're not watching this one. This is the one where they, like, go to France. The reason we're not watching this is because we're trying to forget that Maggie Smith died and she dies in this. We don't. We don't need that kind of energy. Okay? That's it. We don't need it. No. But, Julian Fellows, if you are watching the one liners you gave this woman as Lady Violet, just c' est magnifique. Now, after you finish with Downton Abbey, we're gonna go on to the other side of the planet. We're gonna follow Maggie Smith as she tries to make a home in a new world in India. Now, this movie, she's such a good actress, you kind of hate her because she's a little bit racist, but it's redeeming in the end. Okay, well, I mean, not that racism is ever redeeming, but she kind of redeems herself. Okay, just hang with me. And last but not least. You thought I was going to forget it. No, no, no, my friend. Okay? We are finishing this out with some sister act, too. Okay? So this is after she and Sister Mary Clarence have become friends, she calls upon Sister Mary Clarence to come back and help teach high school students. And it is just pure magic. Anyway, thank you for joining me for this tribute list of movies to watch to honor the great Maggie Smith. Let me know if there are any movies that you're going to be adding to this or if there's any that you really object to and you are not going to be watching. And rest in peace, Maggie. We'll miss you.
