![]() And “Sabrina” had a rough ride from reviewers, most of whom also thought Ormond was no Hepburn. “Legends of the Fall” was successful but is now regarded mainly as Pitt’s breakthrough film. Yet “First Knight” received a lukewarm reception from audiences and critics alike. The three films certainly raised her profile dramatically. Swiftly she segued to Sydney Pollack’s “Sabrina” in late 1995, portraying the title role made famous by Audrey Hepburn in Billy Wilder’s original film. She first emerged as love interest to three brothers (played by Brad Pitt, Aidan Quinn and Henry Thomas) in 1994’s “Legends of the Fall,” then was cast as Guinevere opposite Richard Gere in 1995’s “First Knight,” a retelling of the Arthurian legend. Moving into another career phase may also halt gossipy talk of Ormond’s initial rise to fame. Positioning herself in this way is shrewd, since most challenging roles for actresses these days are to be found in the independent sector and in European films, as the recent Oscar nominations for actresses proved. This gives an indication of the career path Ormond would like to follow-a deliberate mix of European and American films, small independent movies and bigger-budget studio projects. On completing her duties in Munich, she would head for Moscow, to make a film called “The Barber of Siberia” with Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov (“Burnt by the Sun”). Ormond, 32, whose alert, intelligent features and to-die-for bone structure make her even more striking in the flesh than on celluloid, was a picture of understated elegance in a simple black tuxedo-style suit and black suede boots. She pondered this in a hotel suite in this German city, where post-production for “Smilla” was being completed. And she filmed several scenes on the ice at 20 degrees below, snow stinging her face as if she were in a sandstorm. She was also called on to abseil 60 feet above the freezing ocean from a ship. In Greenland she sailed around icebergs, went dog-sledding, saw fish being skinned in markets and learned to run across ice floes like a native Greenlander, without looking down. With “Smilla,” she earned that status the hard way. Whatever critics think of “Smilla,” the film announces Ormond’s arrival as a major actress, likely to be a significant player for years to come. Not only is she the leading character, but she is present in almost every frame-a female hero whose actions advance the plot. Yet “Smilla’s Sense of Snow” is unquestionably Ormond’s film. (Rumors have linked Byrne and Ormond romantically since the filming, but they have denied them.) Distinguished actors including Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Harris, Gabriel Byrne and Jim Broadbent are in the supporting cast. The film was directed by Bille August, himself Danish, whose previous credits include “Pelle the Conqueror,” which won the 1988 Oscar for best foreign-language film, and “The Best Intentions,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1992.
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