Stevie

Born in Yorkshire, England in 1902, Florence Margaret “Stevie” Smith began writing poetry in her twenties. Her father left when she was very young and her mother died when she was a teenager, leaving Stevie and her sister under the loving care of their spinster aunt. Stevie was officially recognised with the Chomondeley Award for Poetry in 1966 and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 1969. She died of a brain tumor in 1971. The film “Stevie” is literally based on Hugh Whitemore’s play and the works of Stevie Smith to present an historical and biographical look at Stevie’s life. It explores the loving relationship between Stevie (Glenda Jackson) and her Aunt (Mona Washbourne), the romantic liaisons in Stevie’s life, and the eventual fame that her poetic writings bring, using flashbacks and direct dialogue with the audience by Stevie and “The Man” (Trevor Howard). This is very much a stage play on film with not a lot of cinematic expression or extravagant landscapes, confined most of the time to the living room scenes of the house where Stevie and her Aunt dwell. However, it is the literary merit and the art of language which perhaps give this film its appeal, not to mention the excellent performances by some of Britain’s most highly acclaimed actors. Cast also includes Alex McCowan. Winner of many awards including Montreal Film Festival, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and nominated for BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards.