THE AMERICAN is a dark erotic thriller loosely based on a novel by Henry James, set in Paris in the 1930’s. Matthew Modine stars as a self-made man who travels to France in search of cultural treasures. There, he falls in love with young widow “Claire de Cintré” (Aisling O'Sullivan). Diana Rigg plays “Madame de Bellegarde,” Claire’s ruthless, poisonous mother.
Alec McCowen narrates the tale as Henry James. Paul Unwin directed the 1998 made-for-television film, which has an unreleased score by Stephen McKeon. The film did not air in the U.S. until 2001, when it was shown on PBS as part of the “Masterpiece Theatre” series.
Diana Rigg co-starred with such luminaries as Bob Hoskins, Ben Kingsley, and Oliver Reed in director Michael Winner's final film, 1998's aptly named PARTING SHOTS. In this comedy crime film, “Harry Sterndale” (Chris Rea) finds out he has stomach cancer and only six weeks to live. Rather than make peace with himself, he sits down and goes through a photo album, recollecting all the people whom he loved in life, and all the people who made his time on earth a living hell. He then decides that he is going to kill everyone who did something to upset him in his life. Diana Rigg plays Harry’s ex-wife, a bitchy woman who dumped her loving husband for a younger man who was loaded with money.
PARTING SHOTS never got a U.S. theatrical release. The film was scored by Les Reed.
The 2000 Biblical television movie IN THE BEGINNING, covered the story of man up through Moses. Diana Rigg played “Rebeccah,” the wife of “Isaac” (Sean Pertwee) and the mother of “Jacob” (Frederick Weller) and “Esau” (Andrew Grainger).
Kevin Connor directed the two-part Hallmark production, which aired on NBC beginning on 12 November 2000. Ken Thorne scored the film.
Young Irish actress Emma Bolger had her biggest feature film role in the 2005 version of HEIDI, in which she had the good fortune to be surrounded by a group of skilled veterans. “Heidi” (Bolger) is a little orphan whose money-grubbing “Aunt Detie” (Pauline McLynn) dumps her with her grandfather (Max von Sydow), a cheesemaker living high in the Swiss Alps. Heidi loves mountain life, daily accompanying neighbor boy Peter (Sam Friend) with the goats to the high pasture. Then Detie returns with a plan to sell Heidi to a German family, the “Rottenmeiers” headed by Geraldine Chaplin, as a playmate for their crippled daughter Clara (Jessica Claridge). Diana Rigg is Clara’s grandmother.
Paul Marcus directed the film. Jocelyn Pook’s score was released by Gate Records in Japan only. It’s unclear whether the film had a theatrical release in the U.S.
THE PAINTED VEIL, based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, tells the 'love' story of “Walter Fane” (Edward Norton), a timid bacteriologist, and his cheating wife “Kitty” (Naomi Watts) in the 1920s. When Fane discovers Kitty's infidelity, he accepts a position in a remote Chinese village and drags her along just to be spiteful. However, what ensues in the closeness of a cholera village and amid the dying bodies is a new understanding and love for each other. Diana Rigg is the Mother Superior of a convent in the village, offering comfort and wisdom to Kitty.
Diana Rigg in THE PAINTED VEIL
John Curran directed the 2006 release. Alexandre Desplat’s Golden Globe-winning score was released by Deutsche Grammophon. The film had a worldwide gross of $27 million.
In MOTHER LOVE, “Kit Vesey” (James Wilby), a London barrister, has proposed to “Angela Turner” (Fiona Gillies), a receptionist at an art gallery. He is fearful about breaking this news to his fiercely controlling mother, “Helena Vesey” (Diana Rigg), but they do. Kit also insists that Angela not mention anything to Helena about them going to visit his father “Alex” (David McCallum) who divorced Helena and remarried many years ago. Helena has blocked all mention of Alex from her life and even threatened to commit suicide when Kit once suggested going and living with him. But when Helena discovers that Kit, his wife, and Helena’s driver are seeing Alex and his new wife “Ruth” (Isla Blair) behind her back, she is determined to take retribution.
Diana Rigg in MOTHER LOVE
Simon Langton directed the 1989 film. Patrick Gowers provided the unreleased score. MOTHER LOVE was a BBC mini-series, originally shown in four one-hour segments. It garnered a great deal of attention from the arts establishment, winning the BAFTA for Best Drama Series or Serial and a BAFTA Best Actress Award for Diana Rigg. The respect it gained caused it to be aired as part of the PBS series “Mystery!” in the U.S., in three segments broadcast between October 25-November 8, 1990. Coincidentally, the “Mystery!” series had begun being hosted by Diana Rigg in 1989. She would continue to host the series through 2003.
In ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE, “James Bond” (George Lazenby) faces “Blofeld” (Telly Savalas), who is planning to hold the world to ransom by a threat to render infertile all food plants and livestock, through the actions of a group of brainwashed "angels of death". Along the way, Bond meets, falls in love with, and eventually marries “Contessa Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo” (Diana Rigg). Tracy was the daughter of “Marc-Ange Draco” (Gabriele Ferzetti), head of the Union Corse, a major crime syndicate.
George Lazenby and Diana Rigg in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
For Tracy Draco, the producers wanted an established actress opposite neophyte Lazenby. Brigitte Bardot was invited, but after she signed to appear in SHALAKO opposite Sean Connery, the deal fell through, and Diana Rigg—who had already been the popular heroine “Emma Peel” in “The Avengers”—was cast instead. Rigg said one of the reasons for accepting the role was that she always wanted to be in an epic film. She was also keen to play a role that didn't require her to hold a gun (though she actually does briefly in the movie).
The role was physically demanding. In the film, Tracy Draco was half throttled by a two hundred fifty pound Russian wrestler who's the villain's chief bodyguard, buried alive in freezing snow half way up the Swiss Alps for scenes in which she's trapped by an avalanche, knocked unconscious by a punch on the jaw during a battle, and half drowned walking into the cold Atlantic for scenes in which James Bond rescues her from suicide. The £700 jeweled dress Rigg wore in the beach scene was ruined by the sand and sea.
For the scene where Bond and Tracy crash into a car race while being pursued, an ice rink was constructed over an unused airplane runway, with water and snow sprayed on it constantly. Lazenby and Rigg did most of the driving due to the high number of close-ups involved. However, a double was used for Rigg skating at the ice rink, as the actress did not know how to skate.
Diana Rigg in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
Allegedly, there were personality conflicts between Lazenby and Rigg, who was already an established star. However, according to director Peter Hunt, these rumors are untrue and there were no such difficulties—or else they were minor—and may have started with Rigg joking to Lazenby before filming a love scene, "Hey George, I'm having garlic for lunch. I hope you are!" This led to an article in which Rigg supposedly hated Lazenby so much that "She eats garlic before love scenes".
George Lazenby shared one incident - "One time, we were on-location at an ice rink, and Diana and Peter [Hunt] were drinking champagne inside. Of course, I wasn't invited as Peter was there. I could see them through the window, but the crew were all outside stomping around on the ice, trying to keep warm. So, when she got in the car, I went for her. She couldn't drive the car properly, and I got into her about her drinking and things like that. Then she jumped out and started shouting 'he's attacking me in the car!' I called her a so-and-so for not considering the crew, who were freezing their butts off outside. And it wasn't that at all in the end, as she was sick that night, and I was at fault for getting into her about it. I think everyone gets upset at one time."
Hunt said his original intention had been to conclude ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE with Bond and Tracy driving off following their wedding, saving Tracy's murder for the pre-credit sequence of DIAMONDS ARE FORVEVER. The idea was discarded after Lazenby quit the role.
In his review of the film, Donald Zec in the Daily Mirror said that "there is style to Diana Rigg's performance, and I suspect that the last scene which draws something of a performance out of Lazenby owes much to her silken expertise."
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE was the 12th most popular film in the U.S. in 1969, with a $22.7 million gross. John Barry’s score was released on a United Artists LP, which was re-issued on CD by EMI Manhattan in 1988. Capitol/EMI released an expanded version of the score in 2003.
In a recurring role over Seasons 3 through 7 of “Game of Thrones” (2013-2017), Diana Rigg played “Olenna Tyrell,” better known as "the Queen of Thorns." She was the sharp-witted grandmother of “Loras Tyrell” (Finn Jones) and “Margaery Tyrell” (Natalie Dormer). Olenna was a matriarch and the real power behind House Tyrell. She had very progressive views and believed that women should be more involved in politics.
Natalie Dormer and Diana Rigg in “Game of Thrones”
Diana Rigg appeared in 18 of the series’ 73 episodes. She was nominated four times for both an Emmy Award and an Online Film & Television Association Award as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She lost the four Emmys to Carrie Preston (2013), Allison Janney (2014), Margo Martindale (2015), and Samira Wiley (2018). But Rigg won three of the four OFTA Awards (all but 2015)
Ramin Djawadi’s music from the series was released variously by Watertower Music, Silva Screen, and Sony Classical.
Diana Rigg had her final feature film role in 2017’s BREATHE. In 1956, When “Robin Cavendish” (Andrew Garfield) is struck down by polio at the age of twenty-eight, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of his wife “Diana” (Claire Foy), her twin brothers “Bloggs and David Blacker” (both played by Tom Hollander) and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor “Teddy Hall” (Hugh Bonneville), Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together, raising their young son, travelling, and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients. Diana Rigg has a small role as “Lady Neville,” who gives her money for polio victims’ chairs.
Diana Rigg in BREATHE
Andy Serkis, best known for his performance-capture acting roles, made his directorial debut with this drama. Nitin Sawhney’s score was released by Varese Sarabande.
Diana Rigg’s remaining acting roles were in British television. In June 1994, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to drama.
At one point, Diana Rigg was voted the sexiest-ever TV star by TV Guide in the U.S., most likely because of her appearance in “The Avengers.” So, it was only fitting that in 2000, the four women who had starred in “The Avengers”—Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson, and Joanna Lumley—were given a special award by BAFTA.
Speaking of her time on “The Avengers,” Rigg said “I sort of vaguely knew Patrick Macnee, and he looked kindly on me and sort of husbanded me through the first couple of episodes. After that we became equal, and loved each other and sparked off each other. And we'd then improvise, write our own lines. They trusted us. Particularly our scenes when we were finding a dead body--I mean, another dead body. How do you get 'round that one? They allowed us to do it.”
And her thoughts on George Lazenby walking away from the James Bond franchise: “The role made Sean Connery a millionaire. It made Sean Connery...I truly don't know what's happening in George's mind, so I can only speak of my reaction. I think it's a pretty foolish move. I think if he can bear to do an apprenticeship, which everybody in this business has to do--has to do--then he should do it quietly and with humility. Everybody has to do it. There are few instant successes in the film business.”
Indeed, Rigg herself worked on stage beginning in 1957 and in television starting in 1959 before her “overnight” success in 1965 in “The Avengers.” It was the two seasons on that show that propelled her into a 50-year career, and into our hearts. Farewell, Diana.
The respect it gained caused it to be aired as part of the PBS series “Mystery!” in the U.S., in three segments broadcast between October 25-November 8, 1990. Coincidentally, the “Mystery!” series had begun being hosted by Diana Rigg in 1989. She would continue to host the series through 2003.
I was hoping to see the words "Released on home video in .....". But no .
As a kid I saw a few rerun episodes of her in The Avengers, thought the show was weird at the time as a child but always thought her very pretty. But I had no idea that was the same actress in Game of Thrones and for me was one of my absolute favorite characters and loved her portrayal.
Acorn Media will release on Blu-ray Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Complete Collection. The nine-disc box set will be available for purchase on November 3.
Acorn Media will release on Blu-ray Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Complete Collection. The nine-disc box set will be available for purchase on November 3.
. 
