Favourite character

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Its Ruth Wilcox for me. Notice how at the dinner (or lunch?) scene, everyone is seated at the table and talking over each other. However, the second Ruth begins to talk, everyone stops and listens. It was such a wonderful moment when she asks Margaret to go to Howards end with her like it was a small journey. Loved this movie.

Joshf84 wrote: <<Emma Thompson held her own amongst a superb cast of veterans like Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Hopkins and Prunella Scales..>>

It seems to me that Emma Thompson doesn't have to hold her own. Something about that expression implies that she is (or was) a young, untried actress competing (I can't think of a softer word) against greats like Redgrave, Hopkins, and Scales.

The thing is, to my mind, Emma Thompson has been classed among the greats ever since she first appeared on film. I don't know -- she never had to grow into greatness, develop it -- it's just her birthright, that brilliance she has as an actor and an intellectual. It's just who she is.

However, your comment made me realize that there are those like you who, while recognizing her greatness, saw it as something she had to earn. You could be right. I guess she did, but did it in such a subtle that way that it just, as I said, seems to me as if she always has been in the same league as the Redgraves and Hopkinses and Scaleses of the world.

BTW -- totally OT, but Prunella Scales paid my sister a compliment once and was quite nice to her. I already loved PS, but I just had to love her even more after that!

Every time I watch this film, which I do now and again with discipline so as not to loose its effect on me, the smile on my face begins sooner and sooner as I better notice all of the actors from the audience in the music hall, to the maid, to the aunt, the friends, the wedding guests and so on, but of the leading actors its a definite toss-up between, Helen, Magaret and Ruth.

Helen's cool.

I love this movie through and through. Like many others, my favorite characters are Ruth Wilcox and Margaret Schlegel...but every character is played to perfection and is a pleasure to watch.

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The wonderful, gracious Ruth.

I absolutely love her, she made me feel true love for my own house. After the beautiful opening scene, my favorite scenes are those between her and Margaret. Like Roger Ebert wrote, "Vanessa Redgrave casts a spell over the whole movie".

VR had little screentime, but she's unforgettable. I wish she had won the Supporting Actress Oscar! At least, Emma Thompson did, and deservingly.