Shelley Duvall, who is best known for her role in The Shining recently passed away in her Blanco, Texas, home on July 11, 2024, at age 75. The actor who had a legendary career was suffering from diabetes. Duvall who worked with several actors and directors in her illustrious career had appeared in movies across genres, here’s the highest-rated movie of the actor that claimed a stunning 97% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Shelley Duvall’s Highest Rated Movie
Woody Allen and Shelley Duvall in Annie Hall. Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/ United Artists
Although Duvall’s performance in legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror mystery The Shining gave her global fame, her appearance in Woody Allen-directed and starrer Annie Hall claimed the throne of the highest-rated movie in her career. Duvall played Pam in the 1977 movie that starred Diane Keaton as the title character.
The movie follows comedian Alvy Singer played by Woody Allen examining “the rise and fall of his relationship with struggling nightclub singer Annie Hall” played by Diane Keaton. “Speaking directly to the audience in front of a bare background, Singer reflects briefly on his childhood and his early adult years before settling in to tell the story of how he and Annie met, fell in love, and struggled with the obstacles of modern romance, mixing surreal fantasy sequences with small moments of emotional drama,” as per the synopsis.
Duvall played a Rolling Stone reporter in the film and in her brief appearance, the actor put up a brilliant performance as the narrative demanded.
Woody Allen On Casting Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall and Woody Allen in Annie Hall. Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/ United Artists
Allen was cautious about casting for the role of Pam but as he met Devall, he knew that she would be perfect for the role. “We cast Shelley Duvall as the Rolling Stone reporter in Annie Hall because it’s a flaky character and we wanted someone with a little strangeness,” Allen said of casting Duvall (via The Guardian). “Not someone who’d have been better playing a quiet schoolteacher or an accountant. She was odd, charming, wonderful-looking in her way and a very good actress with unique screen charisma,” he added.
Duvall was flawless performing her part on set, as the director revealed that she did “pretty much everything on her own” as Allen had no direction to give her. “We’d just start the scene and she would come to it with that natural quirky personality. She said the ‘Kafkaesque’ line just like an average person would. When she spoke, with that voice and intonation and look, she made something happen.”
Allen realized Duvall was exactly what they wanted as soon as filming began. Before then, it’s always uncertain what will resonate. However, upon reviewing the dailies, it became evident how talented the actor or actress was. With Shelley, it was clear she was breathing real life into a character that had only been words on a page.
Annie Hall was also a huge commercial hit as the movie went on to earn a stunning $44 million against the production budget of just $4 million. Also, the movie claimed 4 Oscars including the Best Picture award.
Duvall demise is sad for her devout fans. Her other prominent roles include Nashville, Popeye, Rapunzel, Time Bandits, Roxanne, Thieves Like Us, and Women. Following her death, Duvall’s longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, told NBC News that died in her sleep past midnight after her long-fought battle with complications from diabetes.
