Flickgrrl

In no particular order...

"The Sundowners," because she was so in sync with the ambience

"The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp," because she's incredible in it

"Tea and Sympathy," because she embodied the perfect "older woman"

"Separate Tables," because she is so effortlessly affecting in it.

"The Grass Is Greener," because it reunited her with Mitchum and Grant, with Jean Simmons as an added bonus

"The Gypsy Moths," because it meant, Kerr and Lancaster together again at last.

I love The King and I.

Carrie,
As always, your obit of her in today's Inq. is a masterpiece! I seldom read any better writing anywhere than your obits.

I agree with Howard Hass, Carrie, your movie obits are sublime. However, I wouldn't call them obits, but appreciations. Heartfelt appreciations.

BTW, Marni Nixon also dubbed Kerr's singing voice in "An Affair to Remember."

"Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison." Just the contrast between her and the almost always under appreciated Robert Mitchum. Huston directed it. Want to see how easy it is to do this badly, just watch Joan Collins and Richard Burton in "Sea Wife." Especially the end. God, that sucked.

One performance that I'm especially fond of, one that you don't mention, is Kerr's governess in "The Innocents." It's a bit like "The King and I" -- only with fear and trembling added.

I also love that bit in her Huston-directed scene of "Casino Royale" where Kerr wears a black negligee and tells David Niven about the family curse. So funny! So unfettered!

Then, too. thinking of the John Huston films, there's the delicacy of her artist in "Night of The Iguana."

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Two cherished moments from films already mentioned:

"Modern" Kerr in "Life and Death of Colonel Blimp," wearing her tie and snappy military uniform, compulsively throwing darts at a dartboard. My, oh my!

A chic Kerr in "Bonjour, Tristesse" when told by Niven that they can always remain casual friends, responding to him huskily "Oh Raymond ... I could *never* be casual!"

Deborah Kerr was one of the real stars of the 1950s: not just a lovely woman, but a real actress who showed great range and depth during that period. There were many, many terrific performances.

However, that said, my favorite performances are those at the beginning of her career (her small part as the Salvation Army novice in MAJOR BARBARA, her shy wife who blossoms during her women's-army service in VACATION FROM MARRIAGE, her magnificent Sister Clodagh in BLACK NARCISSUS) and near the end of her film career, especially her governess in THE INNOCENTS (1961) and her poetess in NIGHT OF THE IGUANA (1964).

Yet she has left many memories for those of us who grew up in the 1950s, and so appreciations certainly are in order.

As "The King and I" is one of my two favorite films, I have to vote for her Anna Leonowens as my favorite performance. She perfectly captured the many different moods of this complex character, and her reaction as Prince Chulalongkorn begins reciting what changes he will make during his reign, and she realizes what a difference she has made in his young life, is truly magnificent and life-affirming.

No one's mentioned it, but I like Kerr and Clark Gable's work together in "The Hucksters."

"Vacation From Marriage" was mentioned - a very good movie that ought to be better known. I enjoy this in part because it's probably Kerr at her most English - not in the cosmopolitan, Continental style in which Americans are used to seeing English actors, but rather in an ordinary, everyday way. Good studies of Kerr's and Robert Donat's characters, and a grown-up look at marriage.

In fact, "grown-up" is one of words that I would use to describe Kerr. Even working under the Code, it's always clear that this is a grown woman - experienced, sophisticated, and glad of it. I can remember seeing her for the first time when I was very young and having a vague inkling that here was a good way of looking at life.