Actually, I think she is perfect for the part. She was a big name actress in the sixties and seventies and adds incredible presence in this movie. As would the actress Merrick is so enthralled with. Her scene with John is lovely.

ghfgh

If Judi Dench had played the role they would have nominated her for another Oscar. I'm surprised she wasn't nominated for her single line in POC: On Stranger Tides. It took longer to dress her for that bit than it took to shoot !
Rescue the damsel in distress, whip the bad guy, save the world.

Perhaps she was a bit underutilized, but she really did a great job in her limited screen time.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

This message has been deleted.

I heard she was on very good terms with the producer of this movie.

I think she did very well in this film, especially in the scene where she first meets Mr Merrick. You can really sense the unease underlying her attempt to be cordial. Not in an insincere way, necessarily; I think it's ambiguous.

www.rattiganwrites.blogspot.com
www.dictionaryofhammer.com

This message has been deleted.

I think that the reason she's only in a few scenes is because the film isn't actually about her character. It's supposed to be about Joseph Merrick.

I love Anne Bancroft in this film.its not easy to pull off that combination of showy victorian actress and warm human being, but she succeeds. The only time she seems false to me is in the scene in the theatre and thats badly written and forced, so it isnt really her fault
It is not our abilities that show who we truly areit is our choices

I thought the Romeo and Juliet scene was one of the most beautiful and powerfully moving in the whole film, and everyone I've ever watched this with has specifically cited that scene as moving them to tears.
"I've flown this route before."
"When was that?"
"IT WAS ON THE WINGS OF A DEMON!"