Not too long ago I received a birthday card with this message: Remember, you’re not just getting older. You're  becoming more valuable -- like the Mona Lisa. Flattering, of course, but more appropriate for a remarkable group of actresses who are now past 50, women such as Susan Sarandon, Anjelica Huston, Maggie Smith, and Judi Dench.

These talented female actors have displayed incredible staying power in a business where glamour and youth seem necessary for success. What’s their secret? Sure, all of them can act up a storm. But perhaps the roles they accept have contributed to their moviedom endurance. Take Sarandon, for instance. During 2002, she brought three very different "mature" characters to life on the big screen.

In Moonlight Mile, "Jo-Jo" has suffered the loss of a daughter killed in a random act of violence, and Sarandon makes us feel this mother’s pain, even while projecting an edgy sarcasm as her way of handling grief. "I consider this role a continuation of Dead Man Walking (her Oscar-winning performance), showing a person going from a dark place to the light and not landing on revenge," Sarandon says.

The role of "Mimi," in Igby Goes Down, stretches Sarandon’s range by giving her the chance to play a demanding woman dying of cancer who must deal with an incorrigible young son. Although portraying an unsympathetic mother, Sarandon endows this complex character with a bit of humor and lots of style. She calls Igby "one of the truly original films to come out recently."

In The Banger Sisters, Sarandon manages to make "Lavinia" seem very real as she changes from an uptight suburban mom to the swinger of her earlier days. "This film might have been a bit more frivolous," she declares, "but it has themes important to explore."

Sarandon sums up her roles in 2002 by explaining, "These women were all very different, but similar in that they were mothers who succumbed to certain temptations. And all three movies were labors of love."

How does Sarandon keep up her energy level? Admitting she’s lucky to be blessed with good health, she adds, "Although I do work out, it’s not the Madonna type of exercise. But I try to keep in shape. And living in New York, I’m on foot a lot." Whatever she’s doing, it works. I saw Sarandon in person when she received her Maverick Award at the 2002 Taos Talking Picture Festival, and she looks sensational.

As does Anjelica Huston, who won the same award in Taos the previous year. Huston’s portrayal of an Irish widow left to raise a family in Agnes Browne (which she also directed) is a memorable one – a performance combining both her dramatic and comedic ability.

England’s contribution to the "Mona Lisa" factor includes Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. Smith continues to wow audiences with her humorous characterizations in recent films like Gosford Park and the Harry Potter adventures, while Dench still commands the screen in diverse roles ranging from "M" in the latest James Bond flicks to the snobbish Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest.

And I'm sure there are other actresses worthy of "Mona Lisa" comparison – Sigourney Weaver (Tadpole) , Catherine Deneuve (8 Women), Kathy Bates (About Schmidt), Sonia Braga (Empire), and many more. 

Bravo, ladies! You are masterpieces of inspiration for women of any age.