On Genevieve Bujold

Her regal performance brought her the Golden Globe for Best Actress.  She was an Oscar nominee for Best Actress.  Her co-star was an Oscar nominee for Best Actor.  The film was an Oscar contender for Best Picture of 1969.  Geneviéve Bujold and Richard Burton star in ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS airing tonight, March 7th, at 10:15p Eastern on TCM.

Bujold was fabulous as the doomed Anne Boleyn.  Richard Burton matches her as King Henry VIII.

But it's Bujold with her soulful early Judy Garland-like eyes who is the spark of this historical costume drama.  That was the one Oscar nomination the Canadian actress has received.  So far.  And what a well-deserved Oscar nomination that was.  In my opinion, she should have been an Oscar contender a few years ago for an independent film she did with James Cromwell of BABE, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL and THE ARTIST.  You can stream STILL MINE  on Amazon Prime Video.

STILL MINE is a moving, heartfelt film about an older married couple living in rural New Brunswick.  This is a story about love and the corporate excess that clutters up the lives of everyday people.  As Craig, Cromwell's character, says -- "When did we become a country of bureaucrats?"

The story opens in court.  Craig is a craftsman, a builder.  There are building code violations against the house he's building.  We go back two years to see why he's building this humble little place in the woods.

Geneviéve Bujold plays Irene, Craig's wife.  She and Craig are a terrific couple.  Hospital visits are necessary because she's starting to shows signs of memory loss.  There's still fire in their marriage.  Bujold delightfully delivers this sexy, sweet line:  "Take off your clothes, old man."  And he does. Irene is the love of Craig's life.  She's still excited by his kisses.

Bujold, with long gray hair, fills Irene with wit and passion.  Irene can make Craig laugh.  She can work his last good nerve.  She's a modern woman.  She just cannot help the inevitability of getting slower with age and having ailments.  The movie is forthright, honest and never maudlin.  Craig and Irene's two grown kids are a bit annoying but that's a minor point.  James Cromwell and Geneviéve Bujold are golden together in this 2013 release.  Here's a trailer for STILL MINE.

 I love those two lead performances in STILL MINE.

Geneviéve Bujold was the love interest in the 1966 French feel-good cult classic, KING OF HEARTS, co-starring Alan Bates.  The restored film gets a 50th anniversary North American premiere at next month's TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood.

If you can, check out STILL MINE on Amazon Prime Video.  I think you'll like it.