On occasion of her heavenly 88th birthday on February 27, 2024, I would like to share with the inclined audience a small collection of memorabilia of my favourite British actress, the magnificent Virginia Maskell. It’s a rare Danish trio of contemporary cinema programmes that flew to me once. Virginia made only three colour movies for the big screen between 1957 and 1967 (apart from her iconic appearance as the ominous lady in Arrival, the first episode of Patrick McGoohan’s legendary series The Prisoner (filmed in autumn ’66, aired from end of ’67); but this was, of course, a TV production).

I Virgin Island (filmed in autumn 1957, released in autumn ‘58. Danish title: Our little Dream Island) 
is a soothing romance and partly the true story of an escapist couple who builds their raft of love on a tiny islet, entirely shot on location over four glorious months. 
Virginia plays Tina, a lively young lady, who asserts herself between two lads as strong as bears. Watch out! Real drama lurked beyond the blue horizon of the British Virgin Islands: Virginia’s first main role could have almost been her swan song when she overturned her vessel, threatened to drown and collapsed on the beach; but she was saved by Jack and his bunch. She may have confused the sea with the pool where she had filmed the episode Decoy of the TV Buccaneers shortly before – as a lost lady in a dinghy. 
Oh, sinister destiny!

II Doctor in Love (both filmed and released in early 1960. Danish title: The little Doctor falls in Love) 
is an episode of the popular Doctor series. Albeit rather shallow, the plot gains unexpected depth through Virginia’s appearance as Nicola, our both enchanting and conscientious lady doctor. She comforts a sick little boy and she will get her naughty darling, of course (I’m sorry for this spoiler). Nevertheless, real drama lurked off the Pinewood gates: Her second colour movie could have almost been her last when she overturned her car on the icy alley in January ’60. 
But she emerged from the wreckage with just a bad bump and carried on filming. 
In her private life, she remained discreet. Virginia largely withdrew from the Vanity Fair and often liked to submerge in her Devonshire retreat.

III Interlude (filmed in the Summer of Love of 1967, released mid ’68. Danish title: Erotic Interlude) 
is the touching tragedy of Antonia, a mature heroine who struggles bravely against her vain husband’s obsessive relation with a random void girl. 
The movie was mostly made at stunning sites in and off London, reminding of BLOW-UP for its swinging mood and driving scenes. 
But, but... Virginia wouldn’t be granted to see her greatest performance due to her premature death. Real drama lurked behind her farm gates at the Chiltern Escarpment: 
In January ’68, after an ominous phase of decay, she drove to a beautiful spot in the country where she took her own life. Nothing remained but legends. 

I am half a German with Danish beech roots and one of Maskell’s rare admirers off the Fairest Isle. She caught my attention some decades ago when I saw Virgin Island on Marina Cay, a tiny islet that had belonged to the author of the literary template and was used as a location in autumn ‘57. Beyond, I am pleased to say that some sequences were filmed in the bay of Charlotte Amalie, the former capital of the Danish West Indies until their purchase by the US over hundred years ago (oh my, what a loss!). 

By the way, the first Danish colour movie was filmed in Copenhagen also in 1957: Kispus, an enchanting romance of cabal and love, starring Helle Virkner, my second favourite actress, whose exciting life story has (even though it lasted longer) quite some parallels to the rise and decline of Virginia Maskell. 
And since both ladies were heavy smokers, I have strangely to ponder about whether they ever met for a cigarette at the Hotel d’Angleterre (I apologize for this whimsical cross-connection – but it won´t be the last one, I promise you!). So let’s continue and set off on a journey in the footsteps of our enigmatic protagonist.