1942 – May Whitty
Mrs. Miniver
May Whitty was one of those character actresses who could really only play one kind of character, but darn if she didn’t play it so perfectly. She was the crotchety, snooty, aristocratic woman who had a better-than-thou personality. She was self-important, self-righteous, and self-aggrandizing. But beneath all that, she actually had a good heart. And Whitty did a perfect job of getting all that across, even the good natured and selfless parts of the character.
And that’s one of the reasons I ended up liking her by the end of the film. Though she had a relatively small part in the overall narrative, she had a character arc that showed the quality of the script, and the quality of the actress. Yes, she started out as the pompous woman who believed she was better than everyone else because her class in British society, but by the end, she was shown to be a changed woman. It was a combination of her relationship with Mrs. Miniver and her son, Vin, and the devastation caused by the war. And finally, it was the death of her beloved niece from enemy gunfire, and the death of Mr. Ballard, that allowed her to shed tears, cementing her character’s positive development.
I really liked her in the scene where she gave the prize for the most beautiful rose in the flower competition to the deserving Mr. Ballard. After an entire movie of being haughty and superior, she spoke words of kindness and was likeable. And that was all due to May’s genuine performance. “This is the first time a rose other than the Beldon rose has won the cup since the shows began. I won’t say I’m not disappointed. We Beldons are not used to competitors. In the old days we just lopped off their heads. Can’t do that nowadays. More’s the pity. But if I had to lose, there’s no man I’d sooner lose to than James Ballard because he’s a man of spirit, and I like a man of spirit.” It shows how she is a gracious woman after all, and Whitty delivered it beautifully, with poise and just a touch of humbleness.
It was a good and well-written part, and I like that Whitty was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, even though she lost the award to Teresa Wright who played her granddaughter, Carol Beldon, a decision I completely agree with.