THE LADY ANNE

In John Clark’s article about Anne Bancroft, he remarked that “she’s not a leading lady anymore but a character actress” (“Escaping Mrs. Robinson,” Aug. 10). Why? Due to the roles she’s given to play lately or merely because of her age? What a shortsighted but typically Hollywood viewpoint. Did Cary Grant stop being a leading man in his “golden years”?

To me, Bancroft has been and always will be not only a great leading lady but a star of the first magnitude. The roles she takes (in many ways is limited to, these days) are being used by Clark to define her place within the system, a place she’s been assigned rather than deserves.

I’d say rate her category by her abilities, not by the roles she’s being offered by a nearsighted business that makes a habit of throwing away our best talent merely because of age and gender.

NANCY PARRY

Montrose

*

Over 3,000 words about Anne Bancroft and her great career and not one mention of “Fatso”? Shame, shame, shame!

As far as I know, this was Bancroft’s only directorial outing, unfortunately, and one of the funniest movies this fatso has ever seen. I rarely laugh out loud, and “Fatso” was only the second film I practically rolled on the floor with tears in my eyes laughing over. The first one? Her husband’s “The Twelve Chairs.” Maybe I’m a relative.

In any event, I wrote one of the few fan letters I’ve ever penned to her (which she graciously acknowledged), ending with a request that if she ever makes a sequel about a female fatso, to please call me. Now that I’ve relocated to Hollywood, SAG card in hand, I repeat the request.

JUDITH DRAKE

Burbank

*

What I found startling is that Anne Bancroft is now just 66. Dustin Hoffman recently turned 60, which makes him less than seven years her junior. That she could so perfectly play someone old enough to be his mother underscores her remarkable achievement as Mrs. Robinson.

She is indeed a national treasure and we are blessed to have so much of her fine work preserved on film.

RON HARDCASTLE

Los Angeles

*

Clark omitted the film that many consider to be among Bancroft’s finest. I refer to her superb work in the 1964 film “The Pumpkin Eater.” She won the Golden Globe and Cannes Film Festival awards for it as well as a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

ROBERT FALCE

Los Angeles