She won an Oscar, an Emmy, and a BAFTA for costume design, and these wins and all her award nominations were for historical costume dramas. Yet Margaret Furse is one of the lesser-known costume designers in the frock flick world today. You’ll probably recognize her work though because it’s been hugely influential for the generation of costume designers that came after her in the ’80s and ’90s.
Oliver Twist (1948)
Madeleine (1950)
The Mudlark (1950)
I’ll Never Forget You (1951)
The Crimson Pirate (1952)
The Master of Ballantrae (1953)
Richard III (1955)
Kidnapped (1960)
Sons and Lovers (1960)
Becket (1964)
The Lion in Winter (1968)
Great Catherine (1968)
Sinful Davey (1969)
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Scrooge (1970)
Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
The Nelson Affair (1973)
Love Among the Ruins (1975)
What’s your favorite historical costume movie or TV show designed by Margaret Furse?
hmm.. couldn’t help but notice that Queen Bess/Glenda has a cigarette in her hand ….
Behind the scenes shot, of course ;)
Its behind the scenes – not a still.
I’ve seen several of these movies. And I loved BECKET and THE LION IN WINTER. But now I need to seriously try to the rest of her work.
The comment about the 50s hairstyles in Madeline got me thinking…which is worse? Anachronistic hairstyles or tragic wigs?
Wow, that’s a good one! Maybe Kendra can judge ;)
TRAGIC. ALWAYS!!
I adore Anne of the Thousand Days and actually can forgive the french hoods – they are way better than 90% of all other “Tudor” films (my only grouch is Anne’s hair is NOT in a centre parting and is frequently loose which is irritating but far less irritating than seeing earrings on women wearing french hoods. I think only Elizabeth Taylor in her cameo role in that film was wearing earrings). The only production which surpasses AoTD in accuracy on 1530s/40s dresses is the 1995 BBC version of A Prince and the Pauper. The costumes in that were perfect.
I also love the Mary Queen of Scots costumes too. So gorgeous.
My top favourite is Anne of A Thousand Days despite the play version is told from Anne’s viewpoint while the movie is more Henry-centric. Ms Bujold and Ms Dormer are my favourite Anne Boleyns.
My other three favourites are Love Among the Ruins, Lion in Winter and Mary Queen of Scots with both incomparables Jackson and Redgrave.
I’ve always loved when costumer designers put characters in strapless dresses before the 20th century!
Scrooge! One of my favorite adaptations of “A Christmas Carol.” I don’t even care that the flashback scenes are so heavily 1970s more than 1810s-1820s. Dame Edith Evans in that red late-1700s gown is SO impressive.