Deborah Kerr, 1921-2007

Elegant actress Deborah Kerr, star of countless film classics, has passed away at age 86.

Kerr's memorable films include FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, JULIUS CAESAR, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER, SEPARATE TABLES, and THE SUNDOWNERS. THE HUCKSTERS, costarring Clark Gable, was reviewed here earlier this year.

The beach scene in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, of course, ranks among the most famous cinema love scenes of all time, and AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER is also immortalized as a key plot element in SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.

My two favorite Kerr performances are in KING SOLOMON'S MINES and THE KING AND I. KING SOLOMON'S MINES is a rip-roaring good adventure film, with Kerr always believable as the spunky British woman looking for her missing husband -- even when she magically transforms her hairstyle in the middle of the jungle. And she was absolute perfection as "Mrs. Anna" in THE KING AND I, even if she did need to have her singing dubbed by Marni Nixon. The mixture of grace and courage seen in these films were key elements of the Kerr film persona.

Kerr is survived by her husband of 47 years, two children, and grandchildren.

Deborah Kerr was a great lady whose contributions to film history will live on forever.

Update: TCM is changing its originally planned schedule for Sunday evening, October 21st, and honoring Kerr with showings of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and SEPARATE TABLES.

Update: A touching tribute at Self-Styled Siren. I'm sure there will be more blog tributes forthcoming in the near future.

Late Update: More to read at The Shelf.

October 22 Update: Another good tribute at Missyisms. Miss Kerr was obviously special to a great many movie fans.

October 23: A new Kerr post is above.