Author Topic: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)  (Read 8340 times)

Offline ProwlAmongUs

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Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« on: May 04, 2006, 10:37:10 pm »
Sorry if this has been discussed, but I thought Roberta Maxwell did a super job as Mrs. Twist. In the limited time she was on screen, she gave a powerful performance. Her entire life was spelled out in her face and expressions like a road map. The subtle looks and gestures conveyed so much, plus she was probably the most non-judgmental character in the movie and the most "Christian."

Ironically, I've only seen her in one other film, "Philadelphia," in which she had an even smaller part.
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Roberta played other mothers
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2006, 11:00:59 pm »
This is at least Roberta's 3rd role as the movie mother of a guy; two gay!!

Eleven years ago (1995) she played Sean Penn's mother in "Dead Man Walking".

Exactly 20 years ago (1986), she played the newly-discovered "real" mother of Anthony Perkins' gay Norman Bates in "Psycho III".  (At the very end in the climatic scene, which ironically takes place in a house kitchen, she gets whacked!)

DeeDee also knows Roberta from t.v.'s "All My Children" as Nanny Judith (1988).

Miss Maxwell is always terrific and very effective.  She's done two more movies since BBM.  Roberts is Canadian and is now 63.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2006, 11:08:37 pm by Will-ABC »

Offline JfT

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2006, 03:08:13 pm »
And don't forget her turn as a judge on Law & Order.
Her line as Jacks' mom, " You are welcome to go up to his room, if you want. " looking Ennis dead in the eye & compelling him to do just that. Sending him on a quest with one line & a meaningful look.

"Miss Maxwell is always terrific and very effective." Agree, Will-ABC.

Offline starboardlight

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2006, 07:15:51 pm »
Not just Roberta Maxwell, but Peter McRobbie too. In a scene that should have been the denouement, the two of them just drove it home. It was an amazing scene that was as heart breaking as the climax of the story. I absolutely agree that Roberta, along with Peter, deserves some recognition.
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Offline JfT

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2006, 10:37:11 pm »
True enough about men living together on a ranch, possibly as partners. I was born in Texas & know first hand of men living & working together on ranches & farms. No one thought a thing about.

In the context of the story/film, Ennis' paranoia was so ingrained that he couldn't see past how unreasonable his objection to the idea(cow&calf operation) was. But then again his daughters did play a role in his not taking up the offer.

Offline bbm_stitchbuffyfan

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2006, 10:27:28 am »
Roberta Maxwell and Peter McRobbie were both excellent in their roles. She created a very memorable, tangible character with only, what, 5 pages of script to work with? His lines were piercing and he delivered them well.

That scene was so fucking sad and amazing.
If you'd just realize what I just realized then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now
We missed out on each other now


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Offline silkncense

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2006, 12:21:12 pm »
HMMMMMMMM -

What happened to the post by TJ regarding bbm_stitchbuffyfan's post that I responded to below????

Makes MY post (below) look rather strange...shouldn't there be some indication that a prior post had been deleted?


The poster did not say "sad fucking" but rather "fucking sad" - used as an adjective to express 'extremely' as is done in current vernacular.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2006, 10:25:50 am by silkncense »
"……when I think of him, I just can't keep from crying…because he was a friend of mine…"

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2006, 10:05:25 pm »
I removed my posts here because I was not going to apologize to a 16 year old boy for using filthy language that was completely uncalled for in the first place.

Using the "F-word" and similar type words completely out of the context of their original meaning is like toddlers telling each other toilet jokes and using kiddy toilet slang to call each other names; except that the only difference is that the speakers just have a larger more vulgar vocabulary. I consider the use of such words by people intelligent enough to get on the internet to be evidence of how low their own moral standards are.

It is one thing to quote what is in a book or in a movie and also when a person said those vulgar words in real life due to their lack of education, like Ennis and Jack did, but, it is something else for people to think that the have to communicate like they are poor white ignorant trailer trash on forums such as this.

The fictional Ennis Del Mar did live in a trailer and he was somewhat ignorant; BUT, he was not trash!

Offline twistedude

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2006, 01:11:17 am »
Is that a fuckin' problem? (I didn't see the original offensive post--I just wondered if mine would be considered offensive.).
Thought Robbie and Maxwell were superb...

"The only things Jack's ma don't know haven't happened yet."---me.

I don't find the occasional use of profanity or obscenity to be trashy. IMNSHO.

Again, I did not see the original offensive post, which apparently WAS removed by someone other than the poster--right?

I think I'll have to sneak that line into the story Ijust finished; it's less gloomy than what I have. Might add: "And I'm not so sure about the yet-to-come ones, either."

« Last Edit: May 15, 2006, 01:29:19 am by julie01 »
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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2006, 01:18:51 am »
julie01, did your folks teach you to talk that way? Or you did you decide to go along with the crowd?

Men who have a "fuckin' problem" usually have erectile dysfunction. I don't know that much about women. Notice that I selected two words from your post as a quote.

Offline twistedude

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2006, 01:33:28 am »
I do not have the female equivilent of erectile disfunction, and the line "is that a fuckin' problem?" is from Brokeback Mountain. It follows the much more controversial one "You been to Mexico, Jack Twist? Huh? Cause I hear what they've  got in Mexico for boys like you." "Hell yes, I've been to mexico. is that a fuckin' problem?"

I have been speaking English, and even German, long enough not to blame my parents for the way I speak it.

Anyone who thinks I go along with the crowd hasn't read many of my posts. And CERTAINLY hasn't read my only published story on fanfiction so far--the second awaits the fate of two guys in a dark rose house, which my peer reader is inextricably tied up with at the moment...
« Last Edit: May 15, 2006, 01:41:58 am by julie01 »
"We're each of us alone, to be sure. What can you do but hold your hand out in the dark?" --"Nine Lives," by Ursula K. Le Guin, from The Wind's Twelve Quarters

TJ

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2006, 01:51:39 am »
julie01, after I posted a response to your message, I looked at your BetterMost Profile.

I did not know that you were so much older than me.

The 16 year old "guy" actually has a woman's name "ednakrabapley" in his email address. I have never met a guy named "Edna" (that's my older sister's name); but, I have had friends whose first names were Sherrill, Shirley and Sharon.

Sherrill's last name was "Booker' and he prefered to be called by his last name. Shirley's Middle name was "Rogers;" he had been named after a male Cherokee relative "Shirley Rogers," he preferred to be called "Roger."

Now the Sharon guy was a big fellow and nobody made fun of his name.

Offline twistedude

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2006, 07:45:52 pm »
Apology accepted..if one was offered.
"We're each of us alone, to be sure. What can you do but hold your hand out in the dark?" --"Nine Lives," by Ursula K. Le Guin, from The Wind's Twelve Quarters

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2006, 09:10:30 pm »
Apology accepted..if one was offered.

Well, I would have offered an apology; but, you defended the right of a minor child to use lewd language (which in reality is rather childish and has no connection with real adult maturity) while in a forum which is almost all adults.


Offline Phillip Dampier

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2006, 09:36:07 am »
No replies to TJ are necessary as he chose to delete his account yesterday.
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2006, 09:42:47 am »
Well, that is f**kin sad.
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Offline Sheyne

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2006, 04:22:49 am »

Alas he returned tho...  >:(
Chut up!

tiawahcowboy

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #17 on: May 29, 2006, 02:18:24 pm »
julie01, after I posted a response to your message, I looked at your BetterMost Profile.

I did not know that you were so much older than me.

The 16 year old "guy" actually has a woman's name "ednakrabapley" in his email address. I have never met a guy named "Edna" (that's my older sister's name); but, I have had friends whose first names were Sherrill, Shirley and Sharon.

Sherrill's last name was "Booker' and he prefered to be called by his last name. Shirley's Middle name was "Rogers;" he had been named after a male Cherokee relative "Shirley Rogers," he preferred to be called "Roger."

Now the Sharon guy was a big fellow and nobody made fun of his name.

Well, whadda ya know? Just did a search and saw the above.  All them there guys did live in the same county, Rogers, as I do. Ain't seen any of them in at least 40 years. Both Sharon and Roger went to the same high school up at Chelsea. Chelsea is North of Claremore, the county seat, and Tiawah is down Claremore.


Offline silkncense

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2006, 04:33:30 pm »
Tiawahcowboy -

Must be some school since y'all think &write just alike. 

Fascinating - do y'all write fiction too?

LJ

« Last Edit: May 29, 2006, 04:39:33 pm by silkncense »
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tiawahcowboy

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #19 on: May 29, 2006, 04:48:39 pm »
Tiawahcowboy -

Must be some school since y'all think & wirte just alike. 

Fascinating - do y'all write fiction too?

LJ



Wirte? How y'all do thet?  ???  ;D I have read some of that other guy's phantasie stories, you know the kind that might have been true if something else had happened in real life?

Quote
"Phantasie is a process of creative imagining---not escapism, but, active, faithful imaging of possibilities." Dorothy Solle, Beyond Mere Obedience, translation of Phantasie und Gehorsam, Lawrence W. Denuf, trans. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1970) p. 30.

I do remember reading a true story about that other guy and a real cowboy and he added what could have happened if they had ever been alone together.

Offline silkncense

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #20 on: May 29, 2006, 04:51:37 pm »
Tiawahcowboy, et al -

Caught my typo & fixed it before your post.  Thanks anyway tho'

Edit - Ooops - mistyped your ID.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2006, 04:54:16 pm by silkncense »
"……when I think of him, I just can't keep from crying…because he was a friend of mine…"

slayers_creek_oth

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #21 on: June 01, 2006, 12:16:47 pm »
Sorry if this has been discussed, but I thought Roberta Maxwell did a super job as Mrs. Twist. In the limited time she was on screen, she gave a powerful performance. Her entire life was spelled out in her face and expressions like a road map. The subtle looks and gestures conveyed so much, plus she was probably the most non-judgmental character in the movie and the most "Christian."

Ironically, I've only seen her in one other film, "Philadelphia," in which she had an even smaller part.

I agree....great casting!  She brought real emotion to that scene - it assisted Heath in his emotion as well.  She did really well with the little details...the simple little expressions and hand movements brought her character to life...

Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #22 on: June 01, 2006, 06:26:07 pm »
That is one of the cool things about this film for me, it has made me conscious of all the actors and behind the scenes people and they work they have done. Both Maxwell and McRobbie reoccure on Law and Order. If it were not for BBM I would have never seen Casanova, though I did fall asleap 3x.
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Offline Phillip Dampier

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Re: Hats off to Roberta Maxwell (Mrs. Twist)
« Reply #23 on: December 04, 2006, 01:03:57 am »
bump
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