MovieChat Forums > The Wings of the Dove (1998) Discussion > ALISON ELLIOTT

ALISON ELLIOTT

posted 20 years ago by twm-2
27 replies | jump to latest

I thought all three of the leads were quite good, but I was amazed by Alison Elliott. I had never seen her before but thought her performance at least the equal of the other two more well known players. There was one unregretable drawback to her performance--her luminous preternatural beauty made it difficult to believe she was really near death. As I watched her, in some scenes I felt that no actress has ever been more radient, more lovely. Maybe some small part of my admiration of her physical qualities was fueled by the personality of the character she was playing--she was, of course, extraorinarily lovable--so much so it's hard to believe Kate would ever have suggested the "arrangement" she does. So--WHY haven't we seen much much more of her???????????????????????????????????????!! Are all the casting directors out there idiots?! Anyone else out there agree?

"THE SPOTS!!!"

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[–] gonbaoji 20 years ago

Just seen her in Indictment: the McMartin Trial. This was made in 1995 based on a true story. She did her part well and was convincing. This was a sad and rather disturbing movie to say the least. But the acting was very good, especially James Woods.

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[–] cecile_p 19 years ago

I agree with gr8expectations -if you like Alison Elliott, you should definitely see The Spitfire Grill. I think that all three leads HBC, LR and AE were wonderfully cast, the acting was fantastic and together they had great chemistry.

[–] twm-2 20 years ago

Your response is just further indication of the infinite variety of opinion to be found in the world of Man. I in no way mean to suggest your opinion is any less valuable than mine--but it sure is just about 180 degrees different. I thought Ms. Elliott's performance WAS of someone who exuded a "quiet charisma" though it eventually grew into a "shout it from the rooftops" charisma by movie's end. I would acknowlege that Grace Kelly has the kind of transcendant beauty that few can aspire to, but nonetheless, I thought Ms. Elliott inCREDibly beautiful and, at least as important, she was all warmth and gentleness--attributes found in lesser abundance in the screen presence of Grace Kelly. I'm sure this will come as a shock, but based solely on their respective cinematic personae, if I could have choosen either gal as a significant other (I wish), I'd take my chances with Alison, all the while acknowleging that making such a choice on that basis would be foolhardy (we should all be so lucky to have such foolish choices).

Incidentally, I would question your assertion that Kelly had "a quiet charisma." I would say, rather, that her appearance on the big screen is more like a wallop over the head, or a mighty explosion of pulchritude with very little quiet about it. Cheerio!

"I'm a lover of beauty--and a beauty of a lover!"--The Court Jester

[–] Kalpurnia 19 years ago

Kalpur14

Dear TWm-2

I totally agree. For me, HBC is a great actress nevertheless Ms.Elliot impress me because she portraits a very natural and sweet woman very well, despite her own reality, she was rich, and rich people are different in the way that they don't feel friendship or love for people so easily.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] twm-2 19 years ago

I agree that HBC is excellent in this film, and I can see why that for many, her performance out shines that of Ms. Elliott. HBC is a great actress in a showy role, replete with ambivalences and serpentine motivations, while Ms. Elliott's role is much less complicated. Her character is written as one who is a sweet natured woman, pure of heart. Generally, a role like that would prove boring in the extreme, but somehow, magically, Ms. Elliott manages to make Millie interesting. This, I believe, was a more difficult task than Ms. Carter's. If it was HBC's film, I don't believe this was so much a matter of superior acting abilities, as it was the fact that she had the better role, with significantly more screen time. I am in no way trying to take anything away from HBC, because she's teriffic, but I think Elliott's performance is too often overlooked.

"Nothing in this world is more surprising than the attack without mercy!"--Little Big Man

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[–] gonbaoji 19 years ago

All the reviews I have read, Alison has gotten nothing but high praise of her performance as Millie. She was also nominated for a SAG as best supporting actress for this role. She was equally good or better in the Spitfire Grill.

[–] 19 years ago

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