Skip to content
MovieCove
Frances de la Tour

Frances de la Tour

Actor · Born July 30, 1944 (82) · Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, England, UK

BAFTA Award nominee

Frances de la Tour is an English television, stage and film actress, known for her role as Miss Ruth Jones in the television sitcom "Rising Damp" from 1974 until 1978; Madame Olympe Maxime in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005) and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1" (2010) and Mrs. Lintott in Alan Bennett's "The History Boys". She is a Tony Award winner and three-time Olivier Award winner.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 30, 1944 (82)
From
Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

What are Frances de la Tour's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
33%
Bonds
24%
Morality
14%
Power
9%
Society
9%
Survival
7%
Ideas
4%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 9 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 5 · Intense 5

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 8 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 10 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 10
Shadow
2 of 10
Shapeshifter
1 of 10
Threshold guardian
1 of 10
Herald
1 of 10
Mentor
1 of 10
Hero
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Warm
11
Joyful
7
Melancholic
6
Thrilling
5
Other
24

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Frances de la Tour's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 33 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Frances de la Tour's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

68 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Prince(2021)

    Show 12 episodes · as Queen Elizabeth (voice)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Professor T(2021)

    Show 20 episodes · as Adelaide Tempest

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Enola Holmes(2020)

    as The Dowager

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Dolittle(2020)

    as Dragon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Highway Rat(2017)

    as The Rabbit (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Vanity Fair(2018)

    Show 7 episodes · as Lady Matilda Crawley

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Man in an Orange Shirt(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. March

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Collection(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Yvette Sabine

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Alice Through the Looking Glass(2016)

    as Aunt Imogene

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Lady in the Van(2015)

    as Ursula Vaughan Williams

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Miss You Already(2015)

    as Jill

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Holmes(2015)

    as Madame Schirmer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Survivor(2015)

    as Sally

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Into the Woods(2014)

    as Giant

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Outlander(2014)

    Show 4 episodes · as Mother Hildegarde

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Kay

  • Big School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 12 episodes · as Ms Baron

  • Trap for Cinderella(2013)

    as Aunt Elinor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Vicious(2013)

    Show 12 episodes · as Violet Crosby

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Dorothy Stacpoole

  • Suspension of Disbelief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Nesta

  • Private Peaceful(2012)

    as Grandma Wolf

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Hugo(2011)

    as Madame Emilie

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Nutcracker: The Untold Story(2010)

    as The Rat Queen / Frau Eva

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1(2010)

    as Olympe Maxime

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Kay

  • Alice in Wonderland(2010)

    as Aunt Imogene

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Book of Eli(2010)

    as Martha

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The History Boys(2006)

    as Mrs. Lintott

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(2005)

    as Madame Olympe Maxime

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sensitive Skin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Thorne

  • Agatha Christie's Marple(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Maud Dane Calthrop

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • New Tricks(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Love Actually(2003)

    as Lesbian Lover (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • What's Your Problem? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Born and Bred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Eugenia Maddox

  • Waking the Dead(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alice Taylor-Garnett

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The Cherry Orchard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Charlotte Ivanovna

  • The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling(1997)

    Show 5 episodes · as Aunt Western

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Cold Lazarus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dr Emma Porlock

  • Downwardly Mobile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Genghis Cohn(1993)

    as Dr. Helga Feuchtwanger, Psychiatrist

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Every Silver Lining (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Heartbeat(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Tessa

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Bejewelled(1991)

    as Beatrice

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Strike It Rich(1990)

    as Mrs de Vere

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Stay Lucky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Poirot(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Salome Otterbourne

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • A Kind of Living (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 13 episodes · as Carol Beasley

  • Unnatural Causes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcia

  • Murder with Mirrors(1985)

    as Miss Bellaver

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Skirmishes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Jean

  • The Bounder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · as Celia

  • Flickers(1980)

    Show 6 episodes · as Maud Cole

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Rising Damp(1980)

    as Miss Jones

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Leave it to Charlie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Miss Grimshaw

  • Wombling Free(1977)

    as Julia Frogmorton

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Cottage to Let (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Elsie Pope

  • The Galton & Simpson Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as The Woman

  • Housewives' Choice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Marcia

  • To the Devil a Daughter(1976)

    as Salvation Army Major

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Rising Damp(1974)

    Show 28 episodes · as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • All Good Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Our Miss Fred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Miss Lockhart

  • Right to Work March (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Elizabeth I

  • Play for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcia · as Maria Waite

  • Every Home Should Have One(1970)

    as Maud Crape

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Jean

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 68 titles from 1967 to 2021; peak year 2014.

Biggest box office

Hugo (2011)

$186M worldwide

Highest rated

Hugo (2011)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Professor T (2021)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19672021

Peak 2014 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 68: 68 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s9 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s9 · acting2010s24 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 18 roles
7611

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

3 major nominations and no wins, 1986–2014.

  1. 2014
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Female Performance in a Comedy Role
  2. 2007
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  3. 1986
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actress

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Frances de la Tour's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

The Prince (2021)

94th percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Frances de la Tour's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films and sex & nudity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles29–74 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles5–39 · median 14 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles7–78 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles5–44 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles22–73 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Frances de la Tour work with?

People who share at least 2 of Frances de la Tour's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alexandra Roach shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Producers