Looking Back: 'The Music Lovers'

'the music lovers' has always been a favorite of mine. finally here is someone, director bernard rose,  who agrees with me. we both think it is glorious and moving. it was ken russell's follow up to 'women in love' and he again used the wonderful, well brilliant, glenda jackson to play the nympho wife to richard chamberlain's so gay but terrifically acted tchaikovsky. it was killed by the critics at large. frack them. it is currently available on netflix streaming but never got an official dvd release. it deserves a blu ray release.

Finally Someone Who Agrees with Me about 'The Music Lovers'

 i actually love most of the madness of director ken russell. this is madness personified in visual lushness. this film should have made richard chamberlain a 'star'. glenda jackson is brilliantly courageous. it is not for the weak of heart, mind or spirit.

Ranking the Best Actress Wins So Far

#1 katharine hepburn in 'the lion in winter'

#2 sophia loren in 'two women'

#3 glenda jackson in 'women in love'

#4 maggie smith in 'the prime of miss jean brodie'

#5 barbra streisand in 'funny girl'

#6 helen hunt in 'as good as it gets'

#7 julie andrews in 'mary poppins'

#8 marie dressler in 'min and bill'

#9 greer garson in 'mrs miniver'

#10 helen hayes in 'coquete'

#11 janet gaynor in 'seventh heaven'

#12 mary pickford in 'sins of madelon claudet'

#14 norma shearer in 'the divorcee'

#15 katharine hepburn in 'morning glory'

#16 elizabeth taylor in 'butterfield 8'

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1970 for Best Actress

1970's best actress nominees was a strong crop.

#5

sarah miles

ms. miles got her nom for 'ryan's hope'. her performance got lost in david lean's over bloated film. i am surprised she got a nom. she never stood a chance at a win.

#4

ali macgraw

ali macgraw got a nom because of the popularity of 'love story'.otherwise she would have been overlooked. interestingly enough she was not nominated the year before for her wonderful debut in 'goodbye columbus'. however, when all is said and done

ms macgraw was glorious as the middle class heroine jenny. the nom was her win. she would not receive another.

#3

jane alexander

ms alexander repeated her stage role in this still important film 'the great white hope' but her performance as well as the film itself was too 'stagey' as happens with 90% of stage to film transfers. ms alexander is a wonderful actress whose film work never quite matched her stage work.

#2

carrie snodgress

ms snodgress was amazing in this one and only major film of her career, 'diary of a mad housewife'. a loveless marriage with an abusive husband and an affair lead her deeper and deeper into depression. there are moments of her performance that are almost to painful to watch.

#1

glenda jackson

the moment 'women in love' was released ms jackson won her first oscar. ms jackson tore the screen apart in a blazing performance as the strong willed, self confident, predatory gudrun brangwen. another actress would not have made this rather unlikable character an award winner. her performance remains one of the best on film and ranks in my top 10 deserved oscar wins.

Ken Russell's 'The Music Lovers'

1970's The Music Lovers' is a bizarre yet intriguing film by Ken Russell. It should have made Richard Chamberlain a film star. sadly it did not. Perhaps the then closeted actor played it just 'too gay' for hollywood's comfort. glenda jackson (two time oscar winner) as always gave a brilliant performance as his nymphomaniac wife nina. it's all too much fun really and any russell fan would admit though not his best it's his second best. 

it's never been released on dvd but for those of you with netflix and have the ability to watch their streaming films it's currently available. between the music of Tchaikovsky and dazzling visuals it's pure entertainment. if you are puritanical move on it's not for you.

some highlights:

In Ken Russell's own words: "It's the story of the marriage between a homosexual and a nymphomaniac."

Happy Birthday Glenda