Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1960 for Best Actress

1960 best actress nominees range from the sublime to the ridiculous

#5

elizabeth taylor in 'butterfield 8'

'butterfield 8' simply put was trash. hollywood thought elizabeth was dying after a tracheotomy. paleeze!

even ms taylor said the film was crap and that she was awful in it. it may be the worst performance by a respected actress of all time.

it's a damn shame because two wonderful performances got left in the dark.

ms taylor for 'butterfield 8' is...
the ridiculous!

(in fact: the most ridiculous nomination and win in this field to date)

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#4 greer garson in 'sunrise at campobello'

definitely an also ran performance. it was ralph bellamy's film. ms garson has ms taylor to thank for not placing last.

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#3

melina mercouri in 'never on sunday'

ms mercouri shined as the ilya the proverbial 'prostitute with a heart of gold'. i still love watching her performance every now and then even as the film itself becomes more 'creaky'.

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#2

shirley maclaine in 'the apartment'

ms maclaine was a wonder as fran kubelik in 'the apartment'. it cemented her fate as leading lady and star. being nominated for this best picture winner certainly pumped up her resume.

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#1

deborah kerr in 'the sundowners'

what to do about deborah? ms kerr lost the oscar yet again but this time to a damn tracheotomy. i ask you, beg you, to watch the train sequence where ms kerr as ida, wife of 'sundowner' robert mitchum, eyes her compartment companion. without a single line of dialouge ms kerr lays bare to us ida's very being and her longings of all that might have been but never would be. a superb performance. ms taylor indeed!

the sublime

Kate

today's my birthday. i'm celebrating it here updating the films of kate winslet. indulge me.

with two films coming out this season it's time to review the films of kate winslet adding 'contagion' (9/9) and 'carnage' (12/16) to the tribute.

'Castle' Season 4 Promo

she lives...well hell she has to or there would be no show. duh!

smart, sexy, funny...we just hope it stays that way. anyway september 19th is getting closer and becket and castle will be back with one of the best casts on network tv.

season 4 promo:

The Help' ***stars

it is wonderful that 'the help' has become a grand slam winner at the box office. it's a mainstream film that touches the heart while it is at the same time disturbing. but wait...the disturbing parts are infact the most touching. i think this movie could have been second rate though were it not for the brilliant performances of the lead women in it. viola davis, emma stone, octavia spencer, allison janney, sissy spacek and bryce dallas howard all shine.

pampered white southern women and their 'help'. i have often seen this subject matter treated in more cliched films over the years. here it is not so cliched. i don't think it's the 'last word' on the subject. it should not be the 'last word' but for now it is the best word so far.

viola davis and octavia spencer should get academy consideration come oscar time in best actress and supporting categories respectively. they get a nom from me. there are not many really good parts for black actresses on screen. these two actresses nabbed two of the best to date.

i think just about everyone has seen this film judging from the boffo box office it has done. if you have not i say put it on your list of things to do and see it before the fall/winter oscar hopefuls take over our collective movie going.

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*****

now why have i waited so long to see it? well i heard melissa harris-perry discuss it on 'the last word with lawrence o'donnell'. i so so respect ms harris-perry and hearing her 'review' i opted out of going to see it. but word of mouth spread and thus i had see it. also, good friends were urging me to see it. so using viola davis's probable oscar nom as an excuse i went.needless to say i am not sorry i did. but the words of ms harris-perry would not leave me throughout my viewing of it.

when i got home i had to re-watch her interview with mr o'donnell. now, i am not a black woman nor a black man. i'm a northern white gay man somehow transplanted to the south (what the hell was i thinking or smoking?). i do not stand in ms harris-perry's shoes nor the shoes of her ancestors. yet after seeing the film i have to ask: 'what am i missing here?'.

i have no answer to this.so in a way i bow to melissa's first hand knowledge. i am sharing her interview so you can hear her in her own words. you need to decide for yourself. in any case i continue to follow ms harris-perry and her thoughtfulness and hope msnbc graduates her from the 'best substitute teacher' around and gives her tenure as tulane university has done.

ms harris-perry in her own words:

i see strength in adversity in these women. and may i add that i also see the strength in emma stone's character as the white woman who dared to stand up and be counted as a woman of courage. i recommend this beautifully told story and it's wonderful performances.

trailer

Oscarbation:: Contender 'The Artist'

the weinstein's have pulled off miracles before but can they sell a love letter to days gone by with a black and white silent film. the festival circuit is in love with it. critics are raving about it. but will an under 50 crowd buy tix for it. i too often hear people say they don't even like to watch the older black and white classics. so i wonder if only cinephiles will go see what looks to be a charming film. check out the trailer below. what do you think? will it be oscar bait. i think it possible.

opening november 23

'Chicago' Revival Becomes Broadway's Fourth Longest Running Show Tonight As It Passes 'Chorus Line'

i love this revival. it's kind od amazing that a revival has run so long. the movie version has come and gone. it was a fairly good version of the show but can't compare to this well conceived version that is still a broadway killer.

some memories with bebe neuwirth and ann reinking

bebe and karen ziemba: 'hot honey rag' and 'nowadays'

bebe and 'all that jazz'

'Fireflies in the Garden'

this 1978 film (worldwide release) will get it's stateside opening oct.14. the trailer looks interesting so why was this julia roberts/ryan reynolds starer held up so long.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1942 for Best Actress

it was a mixed crop in 1942. only two of the performances stand the test of time. the remaining three are either forgotten or should be. it was for the most part a mediocre year for actresses on film.

#5

teresa wright in 'pride of the yankees

this was gary cooper's film. ms wright always charmed on screen but never a great actress. ms wright would justifiably win this same year in the supporting category in 'mrs miniver'

#4

rosalind russell in 'my sister eileen'

ms russell charmed as usual but this film and her role in it were not award worthy in the least. the frothy tale of two sisters in greenwich village would be considered a just a piece of fluff and her performance just short of cotton candy.

#3

greer garson in 'mrs. miniver

a long drawn out bore of a film. it was a propaganda film for the allies in world war 2. it was highly popular at the time and it's very nature ms garson to the stage to receive her oscar. she then proceeded to give one of the most effusive acceptance speeces ever. they should have grapped it from her hands then and there and handed it to the rightful winner.

#2

katharine hepburn in 'woman of the year'

damn when she was with spencer tracy ms hepburn she shined. the film, mr tracy and the wonderful ms hepburn stands the test of time.

#1

bette davis in 'now voyager'

ms davis shines as the repressed, overweight charlotte vale dominated by an overbearing verbally abusive upper crust mother. the transformation of charlotte from ugly duckling to swan and from an abused 'nothing' to a woman of strength and courage lies in ms davis's performance. she is perfectly magnificent and she 'wuz' robbed.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1928-1933 for Best Actress

i have not seen all the nominees so i will not rank them here. actually it is virtually impossible to see all the nominees in their respective films. for instance 'the letter' starring jeanne eagels (1929) is seemingly gone as in non existent.

the only way i can handle the first six years is to just name the winners so they can go into the ranking of all the winners eventually.

so moving on the winners between 1928 and 1933 are:

1987: janet gaynor for, well like, three films. yup 3 out of the 5 best actress nominations went to ms. gaynor. most cinema historians name 'seventh heaven' as the win although it seems the official academy records seem to name her for all of them. so what the hell i'll go with 'seventh heaven' as it's the only one i saw. as is obvious for it's time it was a silent film. the only silent actress performance to win.

1929: mary pickford in 'coquete'. this was ms pickford's first talkie. thus the first actress to win for a 'talkie'.

1930: 'norma shearer in 'the divorcee'. the director wanted joan crawford. he did not think ms shearer was sexy enough. she finally got the part and the oscar. hollywood lore says crawford never forgave her. who cares.

1931: marie dressler in 'min and bill'. i think ms dressler is a hoot on film. she certainly was in this film and received this early oscar before hollywood decided comedic roles not worthy of them

1932: helen hayes in 'the sins of madelon claudet'. good work here by ms hayes in her first talkie. along with ms dressler she is the best of this crop of early oscar winners.

1933: katharine hepburn in 'morning glory'. this was ms hepburn's first film role and she was quite lucky it was not her last. the film and her performance in it were absolutely awful. totally unwatchable. this i can say: may robson was robbed for 'lady for a day'.

This Should Scare the Bejesus Out of You

'Castle' Season 3 Promo Shots

damn is it september 19th yet! i love this show and it's entire cast. one of network's best. here's hoping it stays crisp and smart come september.

'Glee'

i find 'glee' a bit scitzoprenic week to week. it seems to lose it's way, find it's way and back and forth. as it heads into it's third season this is the promo they have released.

really this is supposed to make me want to tune in. really? i mean really???

'Sarah's Key' ****stars

sometimes a film comes along that takes over your heart, mind, spirit and readjusts one's moral compass. . 'sarah's key' is one of those films. based on the novel of the same name it's the path of a journalist who uncovers a story that involves the french collabarators of the axix powers in ww2, the jews in the marais section of paris, and eventually her own family as she unlocks the story of sarah's key. sarah is remarkably played by young actress melusine mayance. she locks her brother in a closet during a jewish roundup hoping to release him in a few short days. this would not happen. as journalist julia jarmond investigates the story unfolds in past and present time.

although a work of fiction those of us who have studied the jewish situation during the nazi hell and the vichy collaboration know this story could have happened. i cannot recommend this smallish film enough. it will not get the 'talk' come oscar season but it damn well should. i think i will be hard pressed to find a more important film this season.

and now kristin scott thomas: ms thomas choses her roles wisely. she once again proves here that she is one of the best cinema has to offer. even in silence she explodes. some day, if there is any justice, she will win her oscar.

a surprise appearance by aidan quinn as william rainsford, sarah's son, in the present time of the film is exceptional. it is good to see him in a meaty role, no matter how brief, again. i would give him a supporting actor nod.

with all the fuss of 'schindler's list' and 'sophie's choice' this this the period film that 'moves' you. oddly i found spielberg's 'schindler's list' void of emotion. i found the 'present day' portion of 'sophie's choice' just plain awful. the key to 'sarah's key' is the unlocking of the truth between past and present seamlessly.

as of this day it is my favorite, best, film of 2011.

'sarah's key'

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1961 for Best Actress

1969 gave us the following: one brilliant performance, one wonderful performance, one breakthrough performance and two fairly good performances.

the nominees were:

#5

piper laurie

piper laurie in 'the hustler' was completely overshadowed by lead actor paul newman. she gave an 'okay' performance that would not have ruled any other year either.

#4

geraldine page

geraldine page in 'summer and smoke' gave a mighty good performance but i always tended to embrace her more on the stage than on the screen. she would go on to win the oscar for a far better role in a far better film.

#3

natalie wood

natalie wood gave a breakout performance in 'splendor in the grass'. she crossed the barrier that most child stars are not able to cross with great success. although many will disagree i believe ms wood was nominated for the wrong film in 1961. she should have been nominated for 'west side story'. she would not have won but at the very least

would have been nominated for her most memorable performance. and she made a lovely maria who made you feel first her joyous innocence and then her tragedy. let me say: i love natalie wood. she lights up the screen always no matter how good or bad the material she had to work with.

#2

audrey hepburn

audrey hepburn was and will always be holly golightly. she charmed her way through 'breakfast at tiffany's' and left an indelible mark on cinematic history. she won the oscar for a lesser role and lost the oscar for a superior role both of which i will address in the days and months to come. had it not been for the actress who holds my #1 spot, as well as the oscar, audrey may have won in 1961. those who know me know my love for audrey. i miss her to this day.

#1

sophia loren

sophia loren in 'two women' gave one of cinemas best performances of all time. actually her performance is a masterpiece. the first actress to win the oscar in a non english speaking role that would not be achieved again until 2007. i cannot find enough words to satisfy her brilliant performance as a mother in world war 2 italy and the abuse, rape, of both herself and her daughter. interesting note on her casting: ms loren was first picked to play the daughter with anna magnani in the role sophia eventually essayed. ms magnani refused to play her mother. ms magnani felt sophia was too old to play her daugter. so on recast ms loren went on to win the oscar as cesira.

brava ms loren.

Kate the Hero

yesterday kate was a hero...saving richard branson's mom when that fire struck his island home. here's to you kate.

from the ap

" Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet helped rescue Richard Branson's elderly mother from a fire that destroyed his Caribbean home.

The Virgin Group boss said in his blog that he wanted to offer "many thanks to Kate Winslet for helping to carry my 90 year (old) mum out of the main house to safety." He joked that Winslet "was wondering when a director was going to shout 'CUT!'

In a separate statement Tuesday, Branson praised Winslet's two children, 10-year-old Mia and 7-year-old Joe, who were also staying in the house when it caught fire. He called them "two of the bravest kids I've ever come across."

and here's a moment from 'romance and cigarettes'

"Do You Love Me Like You Kiss Me"

From the AP: Kate Winslet Escapes Fire at Branson's Island Home

LONDON (AP) — Guests including Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet escaped uninjured when fire destroyed Richard Branson's Caribbean home during a tropical storm Monday, said the British businessman.

The Virgin Group boss said about 20 people, including Winslet and her children, were staying in the eight-bedroom Great House on Necker, his private isle in the British Virgin Islands.

Branson said he was staying in another property around 100 yards (meters) away with his wife, Joan and son Sam, 25.

He said the fire broke out around 4 a.m. during a tropical storm with lightning and high winds, and Sam managed to help evacuate Winslet and other guests from the house.

Tropical Storm Irene walloped the Virgin islands and headed towards Puerto Rico late Sunday and early Monday, strengthening into a hurricane Monday with winds of about 80mph (130 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Branson said the guests, including his 90-year-old mother and his daughter Holly, 29, all managed to get out safely.

"Kate Winslet, her boyfriend and her family were there and Holly and some of her friends were also staying," Branson said. "My mother was there and they managed to get her out and she is fine."

Winslet's spokeswoman, Sara Keene, confirmed the actress was unharmed.

Branson said the house was "completely destroyed" and the fire was not entirely out Monday.

"My office was based in the house and I have lost thousands of photographs which is very sad," Branson said.

He said he planned to rebuild the house "as soon as we can."

"We'll all stay here for the time being," he said. "There's a lot of damage and we won't be able to stick it back together again right away."

Virgin said the cause of the fire was still being investigated but lightning was the likely culprit.

Branson, 60, bought the island in the early 1980s and began building the Great House in 1982. He also has developed an exclusive eco-resort on the island showcasing renewable energy technology.

Winslet, 35, shot to international stardom with her appearance opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in James Cameron's "Titanic," and sealed her reputation with a best actress Academy Award in 2009 for "The Reader."

She has two children, 10-year-old Mia and Joe, 7, from marriages to directors Jim Threapleton and Sam Mendes.

'Carnage': First Look

coming in december

3 oscar winners and an oscar nominee.

and kate winslet is one of those oscar winners. enough said.

and oscar winning director roman polanski.