Dame Diana Rigg will always be most famous for her iconic role as the stylish, sexy, ass-kicking scientist Emma Peel opposite Patrick Macnee’s suave John Steed on three seasons of “The Avengers,” the popular British spy show of the 1960s. Younger generations who might not remember her in that role, or as a Bond Girl opposite George Lazenby in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, probably at least recall her tongue-in-cheek appearance on “Extras,” in which a sex-crazed Daniel Radcliffe inquires as to whether the seventy-something actress “still has her catsuit from the Avengers.” Yet Ms. Rigg’s career has spanned decades between her first appearance as Emma and that reference to her on “Extras.” In that time, she has graced theatre, film, and television with her gorgeous voice, incredible talent, and impeccable comic timing. This five-DVD set unties most of her performances on BBC programs from the 1970s through 2000, and is definitely a must-watch for anyone who enjoys pure talent and wit.
The best parts of Rigg’s years on “The Avengers” were her bubbly chemistry with Macnee and her flair for finding the comedy in their constant sparring. These talents are visible in most of the productions in this set, in particular the 1977 comedy series “Three Piece Suite.” The premise of the series was that Ms. Rigg would present three comedy sketches written by various talents, starring herself and a number of familiar faces such as John Cleese and Bob Hoskins. According to Ms. Rigg, in an interview included as a special feature on the fifth disc, critics panned the series, a result of what she deems was sexism in the comedy world at the time. I would tend to agree with her, as while the sketches are sometimes a mixed bag they are for the most part very funny, and Ms. Rigg shines in even the weakest ones. The gem of the series is “Screen Night,” in which she portrays a brash American actress promoting her biography on a BBC program. Her talent for vulgarity is rare for female actresses at the time and is still frowned upon in many female comedians today, so I can understand why audiences and critics might have winced. Yet I couldn’t help but roar with laughter, particularly at Ms. Rigg’s spot-on Long Island accent.
Ms. Rigg approaches each role with the focus and delivery of a classically trained actor, whether it be the madcap shenanigans of “Three Piece Suite” or the melodramatic suspense of Unexplained Laughter, in which she plays Lydia, a heartbroken journalist who takes off to the Welsh countryside to nurse her wounds and finds herself haunted by—you guessed it—unexplained laughter. Meanwhile, though she came to the rural area to escape the reminder of love, everyone around her is entangled in some form of passion and lust. Lydia is bitter, rather selfish, and very abrasive, yet Ms. Rigg makes her as likeable as anyone possibly could. Her eyes are crinklier than they were circa “The Avengers,” being that it’s now 1989, but middle age brings a spark and a character to her face. The film itself is rather odd, and some of the dialogue and performances rather stilted, but overall it’s a good film to watch curled up in bed on a rainy day.
The film Little Eyolf, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s play, is most notable in that it costars Anthony Hopkins, and to watch these two spar as an unhappily married couple in the drama is a remarkable tour de force of scenery chewing, building to a bitter climax. This renders it much less enjoyable than the more comedic pieces in the set. The Holocaust black comedy (yes, you read that right)Genghis Cohn features a surprising early appearance by a young Daniel Craig. Yet Ms. Rigg’s talents are better displayed in the series of “Mrs. Bradley Mysteries,” based on a series of novels, in which she portrays feisty society dame-cum-detective Adela Bradley. I’d imagine Mrs. Bradley is the kind of woman that Emma Peel would have aged into, though the time periods are slightly off (the mysteries are set in the 1930s). Both are impossibly clever and capable to getting themselves both into and out of trouble in a pinch. They both have loyal men to rely on as well—in Mrs. Bradley’s case, it’s her chauffeur George, played by Neil Dudgeon. He is the Watson to her Holmes, and it’s a remarkable partnership, with the same kind of chemistry Ms. Rigg had with Macnee so many years ago. Then again, who wouldn’t have chemistry with such a gorgeous and multitalented woman?
Being a huge fan of “The Avengers” and of BBC programming in general, I was already predisposed to love this set. However, it should be required viewing for any student of acting, especially comedy, in order for them to absorb some of Ms. Rigg’s natural ability as it oozes off the screen.
DVD Bonus Features
There are only two bonus features, included on the fifth disc of the set. One is MS. Rigg’s appearance on the 1975 “Morecombe and Wise Christmas Show,” in which she does similar sketch comedy to “Three Piece Suite.” The other is an extensive present-day interview with her in which she reminisces about the productions. Her honest recollections of the people she worked with and the response to her work is an intriguing window into life at the BBC.
"Diana Rigg at the BBC" is on sale September 6, 2011 and is not rated. Drama, Television. Directed by Gareth Davies, James Hawes, Michael Darlow. Written by Alun Owen, Michael Meyer, Stanley Price, Simon Booker, et al.. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Diana Rigg, Neil Dudgeon.
