Oh, I’m sorry to learn this. My parents took my sister and I to see Zefferelli’s Romeo and Juliet when it came out, and though I spent much of the movie besotted with Leonard Whiting and Michael York, I remember thinking she made a wonderful Juliet, as she was innocent and alluring at the same time. Since then, I’ve seen it dozens of times because I showed it to freshman English classes. She was superb and luminous. I think half the boys (and some girls) in my classes had a crush on her.
I saw her briefly in a movie on Jesus that played on TV. She played Mary. I’d assumed after seeing Romeo and Juliet the first time that she’d become wildly successful. I don’t know why she didn’t.
Anyway, sad news.
My sister took me to see it when I was a kid. First time I ever saw nudity in a film. What Is A Youth is what I think of whenever this film comes to mind. I’ve only seen it once.
Played both Jesus’ and Norman Bates’ mom. Girlfriend had range.
When I was in ninth grade we had Romeo and Juliet in English class, and that was when the movie came out. Our teacher wanted to take us to the theater as a group but some parents complained because of a rumore nude scene. So that just made the rest of us go see it on our own. Even then I wondered what the fuss was about, the scene was so short and after all, they were married.
She was in some mini series about Mid East conflict. Also she played in the awful musical version of *Lost Horizon.*So many good actors in such a bad film. She was John Boy’s wife in the TV mini series of It.
That TV movie was Jesus of Nazareth, another Zefferelli film. He was besotten with Olivia, saying she was perfect for playing the Madonna, who never aged.
Both films are remarkable works of art.
RIP, Olivia. I loved you too.
Of all the Jesus movies out there that one is my favorite. The three wisemen were from different countries that only met when they were approaching journey’s end. And when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead it seemed to take physical effort, he dropped to the ground in prayer before standing again and giving the command. And the next to last scene, when the Temple scribe is gazing into the empty tomb he mutters “Now it begins, it all begins.”
The school had two versions of the movie, the original and one somebody edited to take out the blink-and-you-miss-it shots of Romeo’s buttocks and Juliet’s breasts. We were only supposed to show the latter. One time I suddenly realized I’d put the wrong version in the VCR and, in the stupidest reaction in my early career, ran in front of the TV, opened my blazer to help cover the screen, and yelled, “Don’t look!” I was, of course, wearing a blouse, but you wouldn’t know it from the stunned look on my students’ faces.
Back to Hussey, I was moved to learn that she and Leonard Whiting stayed close friends for the rest of her life.
That’s nice. He didn’t pursue a film career, but of all the conventional versions of the play he is the best Romeo.
I first saw Jesus of Nazareth when it was aired on British TV the Easter of 1977. It made quite an impression for many reasons, one of which was its remarkable cast, which included Donald Pleasence, Peter Ustinov, Rod Steiger, James Earl Jones, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Anne Bancroft, Claudia Cardinale, and Ernest Borgnine as a Roman Centurion.
In a review I read at the time, it was said that even the most hard-boiled of the actors were moved to tears watching a rough cut of the movie.
Romeo and Juliet is the kind of movie you should watch with your SO on Valentine’s Day.
She also played Bill’s wife Audra in the original It (the miniseries version with Tim Curry), and voiced a Jedi Master in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game.
I mentioned IT but called Bill John Boy, as Richard Thomas played him.
That’s too bad.
I didn’t get around to seeing Black Christmas yet again this year. A fantastic movie, but just felt like I already know all the beats and lines, and didn’t have the desire.
And I confess I don’t regularly watch her Romeo&Juliet for reasons of propriety…a bit uncomfortable for me, given her age, although the film itself has no blemish.
She was an extraordinary actress who seemed of uncommon ability to choose interesting roles.
O lamentable day…
Perfect. Thank you.
You win the thread. Totally.
More recently, she and her co-star tried to sue over the nude scene, asserting that it amounted to child abuse.
Sorta like this and equally unsuccessful:
She was impressive in that one. It’s a shame she didn’t choose to work more (I’m sure she had offers.)
73 seems so young. My condolences to her family and friends.