the great big academy awards project: BEST LEAD ACTRESS in the 1950s
Just when you think it can’t possibly still be trudging along, the project rears its magnificent head. And in this case, it’s taking the form of the 1950s Best Actress races — a decade of extreme highs and lows, melodramas that work and those that fail spectacularly, obsessions with particular Oscar darlings that shine brightly and those that fizzle miserably. In other words, this decade was a moment. Let’s dive back into the Hays Code and enjoy a bit of throwback treats (and tricks), shall we?
1950
The Winner: Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday)
State of the Category: We begin the decade that was getting, well… awfully spoiled. Because as it turns out, it can’t get much better than this here lineup. Starting with the pair of performances from the heavenly All About Eve. Anne Baxter is calculating, icy and magnificent in a surprisingly restrained performance, considering the “Moses…” that came after at. Her little miss evil is quintessential doe-eyed villain, keeping her cards close to her vest while her scene partners shoot for the stars. Speaking of stars… is there anything more instantly iconic and splendid than Margot Channing? What can be said that hasn’t been said before — it’s the perfect convergence of everything Bette Davis does well. She’s brassy, she’s hilarious, she’s commanding — it’s a master-class in leading a picture. Next up is Judy —and when your “worst” in the category is this captivating and utter rom-com perfection, you’ve got a great lineup on your hands. Her Billie Dawn is surprising, totes exquisite comedic timing and offers up just the right amount of screwball comedy you crave — and the chemistry with her male co-stars is off the charts. Shocking in its candor around the conditions of women’s prisons, Caged doesn’t mince words in ways you might expect of a film of this era. And Parker’s journey from lost soul to hardened baddie is such a grand takedown of the prison industrial complex that was imminent in the decades to come. Rounding out the list is yet another impossibly iconic role — Gloria Swanson’s Norma Desmond is camp grandiosity, but grounded in the harsh truths of aging in Hollywood, probable mental illness and a thirst for lost stardom. She’s living in the rafters and it’s incredible to behold. She 100% understands the assignment and is rightfully in the pantheon as a result.
Report Card
Anne Baxter (All About Eve) – A-
Bette Davis (All About Eve) – A
Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday) – A-
Eleanor Parker (Caged) – A-
Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard) – A
My Choice: Gloria Swanson
1951
The Winner: Vivien Leigh (A Streetcar Named Desire)
State of the Category: To call Katharine Hepburn tempestuous is a bit mundane, but her scrappy Rose in The African Queen is a standard-bearer of her post-rom-com phase. She ably plays against Humphrey Bogart, both in fine form, and though she’s not necessarily mining territory that proves novel in the years after, this is her perhaps her “spinster” character with the most agency and depth. Is Leigh’s the greatest nominated performance of all time? Saying so wouldn’t be hyperbole. She’s pitch-perfect start to finish as the mentally anguished southerner in Streetcar, and her scene work with every single co-star, including extras, is perfection, from the legendary line readings to the subdued build-up scenes between her and Brando’s Stanley. While the motives of Detective Story are hazy, and many of the story beats are troubling in a modern context, Parker is admirable if not astounding in her role as the wife of a detective bearing a secret. In an odd twist, it’s blatant category fraud, as she’s not even in half of the movie and is very clearly a supporting performance. Winters is heartbreakingly realistic and so unlike the “usual” fodder this category gravitates toward, particularly when the ultra-glamorous Elizabeth Taylor is in the mix as well. She is devastating as the collateral damage—finding every corner of Alice’s deeply destroyed soul borne out of being told time and again she’s not worthy. Rounding out the lineup is a veritable embarrassment of a nomination — Wyman makes her LouLou excessively pious and a complete bore devoid of any motivation, passion or desire. She’s a facsimile of what a 50s American housewife was meant to be—all surface-level, ever-pleasing demeanor whose only goal is to serve with a sensible smile. It’s achingly dull, and she’s a covert monster out to deliver hateful judgments on any woman who doesn’t meet her impossible standards of “female.”
Report Card
Katharine Hepburn (The African Queen) – B+
Vivien Leigh (A Streetcar Named Desire) – A
Eleanor Parker (Detective Story) – B
Shelley Winters (A Place in the Sun) – A-
Jane Wyman (The Blue Veil) – F
My Choice: Vivien Leigh
1952
The Winner: Shirley Booth (Come Back, Little Sheba)
State of the Category: A rarity among Best Actress winners, Oscar went with a fifty-something thespian in 1952—never mind the fact that she was making her screen debut! So how does Booth do? Her subtle tics and maneuvers translate surprisingly well from stage to screen—Booth feels more adept than a debut film performer should be at filling a differently sized frame than playing to the back of the room. This is Booth’s picture, and she steals it wholesale. Crawford is amidst a surprisingly genre picture for the category and most succeeds. She delivers a performance that feels masterful in early scenes and occasionally veers into histrionics perhaps one too many times to call a triumph of any major degree. When she’s good, she’s great—taking control of every scene she’s in and refusing to hand off the reins. Davis’s portrayal of an aging, washed-up actress desperate to reignite her flagging career feels a bit on the nose, and the challenge isn’t nearly exciting enough for an actor of Davis’s caliber. It’s a bit dull and predictable, and lacks many of the charms of what a borderline camp Bette flick should be. Our next nominee is a case of badly miscasting. Bizarrely positioning 27-year-old Julie Harris as a 12-year-old was the first problem—the second one that the whole cast is sporting a heavy Southern accent, while Harris boasts one that feels like a combo of British and northeastern American. It’s difficult to look past the screeching and fits of our leading lady… er, girl. A well-meaning but fairly innocuous trifle from the early 50s, With a Song in My Heart is not delving into any new territory for Hayward, who plays the saint-like figure of Jane Froman completely by the book. (And though Froman herself dubbing the singing was stunning, that was the only outstanding part about the performance, unfortunately for Hayward.)
Report Card
Shirley Booth (Come Back, Little Sheba) – A-
Joan Crawford (Sudden Fear) – B
Bette Davis (The Star) – B-
Julie Harris (The Member of the Wedding) – D+
Susan Hayward (With a Song in My Heart) – C+
My Choice: Shirley Booth
1953
The Winner: Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday)
State of the Category: A wild array of performance styles come to us courtesy of the women of 1953. Let’s start on a positive note — what could very easily have been a 1950s version of “twee” as we follow an enchanting young woman becoming enamored with a puppeteer, Caron in Lili is genuinely charming, lovely and captivating. Quite honestly, I find it more effective than the much more lauded Gigi. Next up is the devastatingly beautiful Ava Gardner, who does her best to elevate the tiresome Mogambo, but unfortunately can’t do much with a dull script, dated love triangle and dud chemistry. If you don’t first think of Holly Golightly or Eliza Doolittle, you must think of Princess Anne when it comes to Ms. Hepburn. She’s believably naive, adventuresome and romantic in equal measure, delivering just the right amount of comedy and chemistry with aggressively handsome Gregory Peck. While there are heaps of potential in From Here to Eternity, the successes of the film largely rest upon the filmmaking and the performances of Montgomery Clift and Donna Reed. Beyond the iconic beach makeout, Kerr brings nothing to the table, a performance largely devoid of the required sex appeal or charm. Ho-hum. Rounding out the crew is a completely absurd movie — McNamara, with the voice of Snow White and the delivery and impressionability of a woman raised by animated forest animals… is it meant to be intentionally robotic, akin to Diary of a Mad Housewife, or is it merely wildly sexist and of the time period? I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I left feeling cold on her Oscar-nominated performance.
Report Card
Leslie Caron (Lili) – A-
Ava Gardner (Mogambo) – C
Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday) – A
Deborah Kerr (From Here to Eternity) – B-
Maggie McNamara (The Moon is Blue) – C-
My Choice: Audrey Hepburn
1954
The Winner: Grace Kelly (The Country Girl)
State of the Category: A landmark nomination that cannot be denied for its importance in Oscar history, Dorothy Dandridge saunters into Carmen Jones with epic levels of charisma and confidence — and co-star Harry Belafonte is stunningly beautiful himself. Now, if they’d just had the sense to use their actual singing voices, as the dubbing is incredibly distracting and poorly mixed, taking away from what is almost an opera of a musical. Thank goodness that wasn’t the case for the masterful Judy Garland in 1954’s A Star is Born. You might assume such a mega-watt star wouldn’t be able to sell a rags-to-riches journey, but she does so in spades. Esther is a singular creation and believably the ultimate showbiz hero. Bringing that same level of Roman Holiday charm to a lesser story, Audrey Hepburn makes her Sabrina the most exciting character in the proceedings, but unfortunately the love stories don’t quite connect in any real way, and an iconic film doesn’t quite hold up, in this critic’s opinion, to no fault of Audrey’s. In Country Girl, Grace Kelly is okay but largely buried under being miscast as a long-suffering wife trope, at her worst in the histrionic revelations in the final act. A melodrama can be lovely on occasion, but this one is all bleak and garishly broad line readings. In Magnificent Obsession, Wyman is merely an empty vessel delivering out-of-control dialogue that feels straight out of a Cinema Classics SNL sketch (there is legitimately one moment where a character literally says the phrase “magnificent obsession” without any irony). While I found myself smirking and cackling now and again and was genuinely entertained, I doubt a single laugh-line was intentional in any way, shape or form, so it has to be dinged heavily for that lack of self-awareness.
Report Card
Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones) – B
Judy Garland (A Star is Born) – A
Audrey Hepburn (Sabrina) – B+
Grace Kelly (The Country Girl) – D
Jane Wyman (Magnificent Obsession) – C-
My Choice: Judy Garland
1955
The Winner: Anna Magnani (The Rose Tattoo)
State of the Category: Oh, it’s a Susan Hayward movie? Oh, and she’s playing a tempestuous real-life singer dealing with a tragedy? Oh, and bonus points for said tragedy being crippling alcoholism? (This describes… an astoundingly many movies.) In truth, there are a few bonus points for this particular Hayward outing — one, that her Lillian Roth makes use of Hayward’s actual voice versus a dub, and her throaty tenor is surprisingly astute, with just the right amount of careworn aesthetic. Katharine Hepburn is remarkably restrained in this often-times lovely overseas outing in Summertime. A departure from her “spinster” era, it makes her Jane a fully realized person, though the story itself isn’t entirely remarkable. The less said about Jennifer Jones in Love is a Many-Splendored Thing the better. Eighty percent of the film insists on reminding us that the very Caucasian actress is “Eurasian,” from stereotypical dialogue, deeply racist depictions of the truly Asian performers and the movie’s decision to provide depth solely to the Asian characters played by white actors. But beyond this is the other 20 percent, and to be honest, it doesn’t offer much to write home about. The leads are devoid of chemistry, blankly reciting the lines on the page with zero passion. And then there’s The Rose Tattoo… Led by a gargantuan performance from Anna Magnani, it feels illicit and dark at points in ways that don’t seem possible for 1955. Magnani’s Serafina is all pain in the eyes and body, exuding such a naturalistic performance with peaks and valleys. And though Burt Lancaster is not her match, he at least provides a fresh mirror partway through the movie to bounce her own acting decisions off of. Rounding out the category is Eleanor Parker playing another troubled singer (hey, she’s stealing your thing, Susan!) — Interrupted Melody is fairly corny throughout, and Parker gives it her best, but the dubbing is distracting, and the storyline is too over-the-top to enjoy in any ironically schmaltzy way.
Report Card
Susan Hayward (I’ll Cry Tomorrow) – C
Katharine Hepburn (Summertime) – B+
Jennifer Jones (Love is a Many-Splendored Thing) – F
Anna Magnani (The Rose Tattoo) – A
Eleanor Parker (Interrupted Melody) – B-
My Choice: Anna Magnani
1956
The Winner: Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia)
State of the Category: Gutsy, bold and messy are all words I’d use to describe Carroll Baker in Baby Doll. It’s no surprise that this Southern-fried drama drew a whole lot of attention in the white-picket-fence 50s. Nevertheless, she keeps things remarkably interesting, fully commits to this outlandish character and steals the show start to finish — an impressive feat for what is essentially her film debut. The recent revelations around the Anastasia saga have somewhat complicated the hindsight view of this movie, which insinuates Bergman’s character is the princess herself. But even taking it as fantasy, Bergman is unfortunately staid and a bit boring in the characterization, played much more effectively in animated form 40 years later. And here we are again… we mine the spinster trope again with Katharine, and the absurdity of the self-assured, independent characterization of our leading lady that’s consistently labeled sad, pathetic and lonely by every male in her family… and most of the townspeople. I struggled to suspend my disbelief that Cheekbones Kate could be cast in such a light, particularly when she carried with her the usual panache of a “brassy dame” of the era. As such, the performance felt wholly out of place in what’s meant to be rural Kansas. There’s a whole lot of delicious actressing in The Bad Seed — unfortunately, Nancy Kelly plays her straight-man character very by the book and one-note throughout. This is the supporting women’s movie start to finish, and I’d sadly rank Kelly as fourth-best in show. Finally we have Deborah Kerr’s most remembered performance (outside of perhaps a certain Affair), and while it has a little more to write home about, this is Yul’s movie, and Kerr can’t keep up. (And let’s not even get started on the MANY problematic casting issues that are hard to look past…)
Report Card
Carroll Baker (Baby Doll) – B+
Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia) – C+
Katharine Hepburn (The Rainmaker) – B-
Nancy Kelly (The Bad Seed) – B
Deborah Kerr (The King and I) – B-
My Choice: Carroll Baker
1957
The Winner: Joanne Woodward (The Three Faces of Eve)
State of the Category: Though Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison veered into more bombastic territory when we weren’t just dealing with the two leads’ own character studies, it offered just enough newness to give it a fresher-than-expected feeling. Kerr was effective for the task at hand but didn’t bring quite the complexity and magnetism that her co-star does. Wild is the Wind is another prime example of Magnani’s abilities at being utterly watchable, totally original and a magnet for any viewer’s eyes. Natural, authentic and vibrant. Hm, Raintree County… at nearly three hours of strangely formatted performative white savior-hood held up next to romances involving deeply racist southern belles that we’re supposed to be invested in and… I simply can’t. Taylor doesn’t even have a brilliant performance to fall back on, as she and the rest of the cast are uniformly bland and/or acting for the back of the room. Odd, start to finish. Peyton Place is soapy and packed with what are meant to be gasp-worthy scandals, except rather than being able to attach to them a Austen-esque lens of societal expectations and partake in empathizing with each as it comes, it feels too pat, too sterilized and too schlocky. Turner is admirably stoic as the central character Constance, but her moves are all hollow and gestural, with nothing particularly remarkable in play. In The Three Faces of Eve, Woodward is rather effective in her characterizations and surprisingly doesn’t go histrionic as often as some of her contemporaries might have. But in hindsight it certainly reads as a good-not-great TV movie.
Report Card
Deborah Kerr (Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison) – B+
Anna Magnani (Wild is the Wind) – A
Elizabeth Taylor (Raintree County) – D-
Lana Turner (Peyton Place) – C-
Joanne Woodward (The Three Faces of Eve) – B+
My Choice: Anna Magnani
1958
The Winner: Susan Hayward (I Want to Live!)
State of the Category: Hayward finally snagged her Oscar, and boy does she sweat for it. I Want to Live! is as gonzo as the title suggests. She’s chewing every speck of scenery to such great lengths, it’s comically bad… so much so that it’s almost good. I was endlessly entertained with this wild creation, but not for the clear intentions. Separate Tables is a fantastic concept — and it’s packed with interesting and well-played performances from folks like Hayworth and Hiller. Kerr is… okay — not actively bad, but she’s saddled with a character that’s not even remotely interesting. Shirley MacLaine oozes charisma in every role — she has the natural warmth of a Jennifer Lawrence of her era. Some Came Running unfortunately doesn’t care about her character, painting her as a pathetic figure, and her co-stars pay her no favors. Auntie Mame is maximum camp, and, in the right mood, it’s a fantastic piece of popcorn entertainment. Rosalind Russell is cuckoo as the eponymous Auntie, and I’m largely on board. If it weren’t for the zero chemistry with her young scene partner, it’d be more pro than con. Lastly is our latest Tennessee Williams outing, and boy howdy does Taylor deliver. Her Maggie the Cat is salacious, cocky and attractive in every sense of the word. She plays magnificently opposite Newman, and it’s a master class in code-switching between the stage and the screen.
Report Card
Susan Hayward (I Want to Live!) – B-
Deborah Kerr (Separate Tables) – C+
Shirley MacLaine (Some Came Running) – B-
Rosalind Russell (Auntie Mame) – B
Elizabeth Taylor (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) – A
My Choice: Elizabeth Taylor
1959
The Winner: Simone Signoret (Room at the Top)
State of the Category: A fitting gesture to a Hollywood icon, Pillow Talk is the perfect showcase of Day’s gifts — she’s self-assured, romantic and delightfully funny, and her chemistry with Rock Hudson is unsurprisingly off the charts. The perfect example of why rom-com performances deserve their due. Hepburn lives in the silence of The Nun’s Story to magnificent effect — her sister-in-training is never boring, harbors unseen complication and takes what could feel like a dull, saintly premise and gives it intrigue in unexpected ways. Hepburn understands the assignment in Suddenly, Last Summer — she sees the wild premise and raises you an eccentric, wealthy empress of kook that serves as a great preview of what she does (superiorly, mind you) in The Lion in Winter. Signoret is heartbreaking and genuine in Room at the Top — her older woman in a lurid affair is all false hope and devastating sadness. She takes what could be a punching-bag role and instills it with sensuality and realness. Finalizing our category is a decidedly different Taylor portrayal — her institutionalized socialite in Suddenly, Last Summer tosses off obvious “I’m CRAZY!!” choices and grounds the absolutely ridiculous twists of the picture in someone whose motives you can’t track and keeps you guessing. Surprising and unique at every turn.
Report Card
Doris Day (Pillow Talk) – A-
Audrey Hepburn (The Nun’s Story) – B+
Katharine Hepburn (Suddenly, Last Summer) – B+
Simone Signoret (Room at the Top) – A-
Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer) – A-
My Choice: Elizabeth Taylor
Decade Honors/Dishonors
Best Performance: Vivien Leigh (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Best Nominated Film: All About Eve
Worst Performance: Jane Wyman (The Blue Veil)
Worst Nominated Film: The Blue Veil
Closest Race: 1959
Best Year: 1950
Worst Year: 1956
But what about you? What are your thoughts on the ladies of the 1950s?
the great big academy awards project: BEST LEAD ACTRESS in the 2010s
After years of waiting, it’s finally time to add another entry to the long-gestating Best Actress project on this here blog. If you’ve stumbled upon this by happenstance, welcome to this blast from the past! If you’ve been waiting eagerly for this and are a devoted reader of this blog, then you’re probably a blood relative. Regardless, we recently wrapped up another decade of Academy Award honorees, and after plugging a few holes in my viewing history from the decade that was, it’s time for another super-post on the nominated ladies—this time, of the 2010s. Let’s dive in, shall we?
2010
The Winner: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
State of the Category: Kicking off the decade in frankly a truly stupendous fashion, we have the rare lineup with five unabashedly outstanding performances, representing most, if not all, of the top five leading-lady turns of the preceding 365 days. In the hunt for that long-last win after 20 years of waiting, Annette Bening’s outing as one half of a rather complex couple had the natural charm and authentic depth we’ve come to expect from the undervalued actress. Her Nic is deceptively transcending an already strong piece of work from the ensemble around her by elevating what could’ve been a simple-on-paper, prickly straight-man part. And speaking of under-playing to much success, you’d be remiss in forgetting the magnetism Nicole Kidman brought to Rabbit Hole, rife with subject matter that could very easily have turned melodrama in the wrong hands. Her grief-stricken mother has layers and nuances we’ve never seen before in this stock role that Oscar often gravitates toward. Seeming almost impossible that it was this long ago that every American household didn’t know the name “Jennifer Lawrence,” her breakout indie turn in Winter’s Bone preceded her international fame and, if you’re in the right mood for it, might just be her most natural, deeply felt performance. While we’ve come to love her movie-star charisma in films like American Hustle, her Ree Dolly managed to make this future mega-watt celebrity relatable, grounding and wise beyond her years. (There’s a reason Hollywood came calling just a year later.) There’s nothing like a genre-bending gut-punch of a performance to leave a lasting impression, and Black Swan was surely that in 2010. With Portman in the prime of her Oscar heyday, her troubled ballerina was the perfect amounts of unhinged, demure and uncomfortably rattled for one wild ride of a movie. The physicality of her performance can’t be overlooked. Rounding out this stellar lineup was arguably the best of indie darling Michelle Williams’ performances. Her Cindy in Blue Valentine is at times heartbreaking and at times frustrating, but never not watchable. Electric chemistry with her co-star and a fearless level of willingness to go there makes this a win in any year.
Report Card
Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right) – A
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole) – A-
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) – A-
Natalie Portman (Black Swan) – A
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine) – A-
My Choice: Annette Bening
2011
The Winner: Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
State of the Category: While we won’t get quite so rapturous with the second lineup of this decade, there are still some little wins in the “yes” column for most all of these performances. Let’s start off with Glenn Close’s triumphant return to the Oscar fold in Albert Nobbs. While the film tends to get lost in one’s memory quickly, Close’s commitment to character is admirable. And though a somewhat limp screenplay does her no favors, she unfortunately fades in the background any time she shares the screen with co-star Janet McTeer. Viola Davis cemented her status as superstar in the one-two punch of The Help and How to Get Away With Murder. And though she’s since disavowed her participation in this movie, it’s undeniable that her Aibileen has all the hallmarks of her best work—controlled, restrained emotional arcs and eons of history behind every glance. She’s a marvel in this despite the sometimes problematic subject matter. Rooney Mara’s turn in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had a bit of a battle to wage from the start—a superior adaptation released in the very recent present certainly didn’t help matters, but her somewhat one-dimensional take on literary heroine Lisbeth Salander made for an icy end result… and we’re not talking about the Swedish weather, mind you. A marvel at imitation (and we mean that in the best, most flattering sense), Meryl swung for the fences with her Margaret Thatcher. Buried a bit under the makeup and period costuming, it’s not among my favorite Streep portrayals, but it’s an admirable and respectable third win after losing for superior performances in the past. It’s tough to get past the soft touch the screenplay has with its subject when placing it against the reality of Thatcher’s reign, but that’s no fault of our leading lady. Rounding out our top five is another nod for Ms. Williams. And while her Marilyn pales in comparison to her prior nominated roles, it was a refreshing turn of events that she evaded biopic mimicry and gave her own take on the tragic film star. Unfortunately the film itself didn’t do her any favors and had little newness to bring to the often-told tale.
Report Card
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) – B-
Viola Davis (The Help) – A-
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – C
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) – B
Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) – B
My Choice: Viola Davis
2012
The Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
State of the Category: There’s more than simply a broad age range in 2012—the Best Actress lineup in this particular year also offered a pretty astounding variety of filmmaking styles, genres and moods. Kicking things off is Jessica Chastain heading up Kathryn Bigelow’s anticipated follow-up to The Hurt Locker. And while the film itself exceeds its predecessor, it should be noted that Chastain’s performance as an amalgam of real-life people manages to give us her everywoman charm without making her Maya feel staid or ordinary. She’s cool and collected for the duration and a vital anchor to an almost impossible story. Lawrence is at the height of her charm in Silver Linings Playbook. She manages to take the sometimes unformed ideas of David O. Russell’s screenwriting and make her Tiffany mature and complicated beyond her years. While riddled with imperfections, some delightful and some less forgivable, the turn is wildly entertaining and certainly memorable. Tackling the harrowing subject of memory loss is something that needs to be done with an immense amount of grace and care. And Emmanuelle Riva manages to make her aging Anne feel honest and genuine throughout. Though the character arcs didn’t quite offer up the depth and richness we perhaps needed to fully invest in the central couple’s relationship, it’s an honorable performance nonetheless. Say what you will about child performances—but whether they’re the result of a talented director or an innately gifted youngster, you can’t get much more brilliant than Quvenzhané Wallis’s Hushpuppy. She’s at times heartbreakingly ill-equipped for the adult situations she’s faced with, and at other times she’s thrust into the position of heroine and pillar of strength. A truly remarkable nominee. Closing out the fivesome is Naomi Watts in her far-less-regrettable nominated performance (we’re talking to you, 21 Grams…) in The Impossible. While Watts is astoundingly committed in this at times gruesome, exhausting role, the true star here is the stunning filmmaking that made for a visceral big-screen experience. She’s at her best when displaying winning chemistry with onscreen son Tom Holland, who largely steals the show.
Report Card
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) – B+
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) – B+
Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) – B
Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) – A
Naomi Watts (The Impossible) – B
My Choice: Quvenzhané Wallis
2013
The Winner: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
State of the Category: If you’re looking for a pristine lineup of true acting legends in this decade, then look no further than 2013. Though we’re not getting all their best performances of the decade in some cases, it’s a star-studded quintet nonetheless. Starting things off is the somewhat controversial performance of Oscar darling Amy Adams in American Hustle. I must say that while the critical confusion over how to take her badly accented (on purpose) Sydney made this nomination a question mark before the announcement, I was charmed by her comedic approach to a sometimes too self-serious picture. A true balancing act of genres is outstandingly depicted in Cate Blanchett’s Blue Jasmine. She owns every minute of the film, delivering scene after scene of classic ACTING while never making it feel overwrought. Charming, frustrating, captivating and always excellent. The centrifugal force behind one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, Sandra Bullock’s undervalued talents were more than up to the task in Gravity. Her wayward astronaut is gut-wrenching, confident-but-authentic and a magnificent audience surrogate in this otherworldly moviegoing experience. Proving that Judi Dench is incapable of delivering a poor performance, she’s an undeniable highlight in an otherwise by-the-numbers Philomena. Though it’s a bit of “Judi playing Judi” in many stretches of the movie, she’s never not thoroughly watchable in an otherwise slight film. Rounding out the five is Meryl Streep firing on all her theatrically trained cylinders. Her cantankerous matriarch is the perfect counterbalance to co-lead Julia Roberts, though by my estimation her co-star out-performs her a surprising portion of the epic family drama. Both turns are marred, however, by a largely hit-or-miss ensemble cast.
Report Card
Amy Adams (American Hustle) – B+
Cate Blanchett (Blue Valentine) – A
Sandra Bullock (Gravity) – A
Judi Dench (Philomena) – B
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County) – A-
My Choice: Sandra Bullock
2014
The Winner: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
State of the Category: Further proving that Oscar at last had consistent interest in complex leading female narratives, 2014 offered a depth of options, whether you love them or hate them or somewhere in the middle. Starting off with a surprise but gratifying mention of Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night. The novel narrative approach to Sandra’s arc is fascinating and keeps you on your toes, and Cotillard is ever-palatable, though the repetitive nature of the writing gives her little to do beyond a few choice moments. Felicity Jones lands the most traditional of the five nominated roles here, as the long-suffering wife, but she shows glimmers of her capabilities marvelously displayed in her breakout 2011 film Like Crazy. And while she’s not mining a lot of new territory here, she’s an ideal audience surrogate in a somewhat dense biopic. Again journeying back to the subject of memory loss, Julianne Moore was able to finally grab the golden boy after years of complex actressing. And though it’s not her most magnetic or impressive performance, her Alice is deeply thought in ways the on-paper film isn’t asking of her. It’s deceptively magnetic. Speaking of deception, Rosamund Pike turns in a performance for the ages in the wonderfully disjointed and delightfully flawed Gone Girl. Her Amazing Amy is fierce, measured and titanically game-changing throughout a challenge of a film that ages beautifully. Call Reese Witherspoon a rom-com queen at your peril (though the title should be nothing to sneer at, mind you). She took what could have been a 90s Lifetime approach to a woman with vices and made her Cheryl Strayed frustrating, but root-for-able, in Wild. So knowable and such an effective placeholder for every audience member’s own personal struggles, she’s perhaps never been better in what has been a triumphant acting career.
Report Card
Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night) – B+
Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) – B
Julianne Moore (Still Alice) – A-
Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) – A
Reese Witherspoon (Wild) – A
My Choice: Rosamund Pike
2015
The Winner: Brie Larson (Room)
State of the Category: Perhaps I was speaking too soon in declaring 2010 the peak in lead actressing with Oscar this decade, as an array of stupendous selections are imminent, folks… Kicking things off in typically glorious fashion is Cate Blanchett delivering possibly her best performance in Carol. She’s glamorous, unknowable and flawed in the most precise and exacting ways. It’s a feast for the eyes and ears from start to finish. Brie Larson eschews glamour for raw emotional commitment and gives her “Ma” in Room the perfect amounts of heartbreaking brokenness and winsome mothering to keep the proceedings from veering into afterschool special territory. Throw in incredible chemistry with co-star Jacob Tremblay and a marked awareness of what’s at stake in the subject matter, and a star is truly born. Though it’s possibly the slightest of her nominated roles, Jennifer Lawrence is nevertheless always worthy of your attention in Joy. The film itself lacks some of the ensemble flavor of previous outings, and Lawrence is saddled with much of the labors, but despite seeming a bit too young to carry off the part, she’s still always entertaining. Charlotte Rampling pulls no punches in a determinedly restrained performance in 45 Years. You truly feel her even-keeled world very slowly unraveling before your eyes without an ounce of unearned prescience. Rounding out the fivesome is Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn, a loving ode to classic cinema that pairs so genuinely with modern sensibilities. Her command of the tale while working alongside older, more experienced performers proves she’s a thespian with the mettle to handle any sort of genre and both pro- and antagonists in equal measure.
Report Card
Cate Blanchett (Carol) – A
Brie Larson (Room) – A
Jennifer Lawrence (Joy) – B
Charlotte Rampling (45 Years) – A
Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) – A-
My Choice: Brie Larson
2016
The Winner: Emma Stone (La La Land)
State of the Category: You can say one thing for certain about the 2016 lineup—it certainly has levels. Some nominees swing for the fences to mixed results, while others dial it back to the point of underplaying their hands. Starting things off is Isabelle Huppert’s icy and psychologically askew video game developer in Elle. While unwrapping the deep wounds of her family’s past offers an opportunity to make her emotionally stunted character a certainly unique entry point for this type of thriller, the film ends up being a bit too predictable in the back half as it presents itself as a mystery. It saddles the performance with more heavy lifting than it can withstand. You’d be remiss in finding a more worthy true story to commit to film than the one at the center of Loving. And though Ruth Negga delivers a quiet confidence you don’t typically see from the actress who is traditionally in villain roles, there’s not quite enough “there” there for most of the picture, and the emotional center gets lost in an underwritten character. Then there’s quite possibly one of the strongest and most versatile biopic performances committed to film in the past 20 years. Natalie Portman’s Jackie is the right amount of looking and sounding the part without surrendering complexity, depth and newness to a widely known story. She’s all glamour and poise on the surface and reluctant weakness at the center. A true stand-out in this decade’s offerings. While La La Land itself certainly has its faults—i.e., a too-often reliance on films of yesteryear, singer-actors that certainly favor the latter and an unwieldy sound mix—Emma Stone elevates the material enough to merit a kudo or two. While she’s used her specific talents to much greater effect in films like Easy A and Birdman, her Mia is just flawed enough to evade being too manic-pixie-dreamgirl for the audience’s palate. But not often enough to make it a home run. Finally, we have somewhat of a gimme nomination in Meryl Streep’s Florence Foster Jenkins. And though this notice will certainly be one of the least remembered of her dozens from which to choose, she’s typically charming, effective and above the fray in the films flaws. But it’s certainly not an unexpected performance so much as a pleasant one.
Report Card
Isabelle Huppert (Elle) – B+
Ruth Negga (Loving) – B-
Natalie Portman (Jackie) – A
Emma Stone (La La Land) – B
Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins) – B
My Choice: Natalie Portman
2017
The Winner: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
State of the Category: Eschewing genre bias has been one trend of the 2010s that has been the most gratifying—and though the performances selected aren’t always the gold-standard of said filmmaking styles, it’s nice to see it nonetheless. Hence our first performer’s entry being a happy quirk of the decade, landing a period sci-fi romance in our leading actress category. Sally Hawkins was thoroughly robbed of a nomination for 2008’s Happy-Go-Lucky, so my bias is showing in being particularly happy to see her land here, despite the at times uneven and underplayed performance in The Shape of Water. The stylistic picture holds your attention to be certain, but Hawkins is a stalwart and steady straight man throughout. Frances McDormand uses every one of her unique real-life persona’s charms in Three Billboards. And though the film is unlikely to age particularly well as the years pass, she’s never not a powerful, exacting presence. This was a part she was born to play, and she doesn’t disappoint. Say what you will about the incredibly messy plotting and post-production on a movie like I, Tonya, but Margot Robbie find the humanity in this reviled figure while still keeping her flaws center stage. Best in show despite her co-star’s win for this film, Robbie continues to be an undervalued ensemble member in every picture she graces. Saoirse Ronan busts out of the period drama mold to prove once and for all she can do it all, her on-paper age be damned. Her Lady Bird is multi-generationally relatable, specific from start to finish and boasting whiz-bang chemistry with every single ensemble member. A comedic tour de force. Wrapping up the category is Meryl Streep once again proving Oscar’s obsession with her. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised (though perhaps my journalism major nerdiness is showing)—The Post is a satisfying, if a bit resolute, thriller, and Streep finds herself challenged with the type of controlled, real-world character we loved from her in the 1980s. Not her greatest by any means, but a fascinating character study scene to scene.
Report Card
Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) – B
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) – A-
Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) – B+
Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) – A
Meryl Streep (The Post) – B
My Choice: Saoirse Ronan
2018
The Winner: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
State of the Category: The race with perhaps the most convoluted narrative in recent memory (until perhaps tonight’s battle royale), a coronation of an oft-overlooked legend, of a pop diva making good or a curveball… it was all a question mark heading into Oscar night, but let’s tackle the performances at the heart of the race. Starting with Yalitza Aparicio’s Cleo in the stunning technical achievement, Roma. While an impressive opportunity to make your film debut with such a genius as Alfonso Cuaron, her central figure serves as more of a vessel than a fully formed character—potentially partially at fault are the words on the page, but her inexperience in front of camera showed itself perhaps a bit too often. Glenn Close transcended what should have been a fairly by-the-numbers relationship drama, to borrow a phrase, “with one look.” She’s the type of chameleonic performer who can make high melodrama and controlled restraint and poise look good nine times out of 10, and The Wife was no exception. Set aside the slightness of the screenwriting, and you’ll see why this was Close’s closest brush with the golden boy in decades. Olivia Colman is a performer with a seemingly endless fearlessness. Her turn in The Favourite puts that perfectly on display. Much like her turn in Tyrannosaur years prior, she’s unafraid to show the humanity of a troubled, problematic or flighty character. Such humor, such depth, such promise of more to come. Whether you love or hate her music, Lady Gaga gave it the old college try and achieved what I would consider a surprisingly well-mined performance in A Star is Born. Though the comparisons to prior iterations are inevitable and unwinnable, her Ally is perhaps more realistic and fully formed than most viewers expected from an untested actress—and, no surprise, the singing chops are astronomical. The final of our five for this year is Melissa McCarthy proving that her sky-rocket to stardom in Bridesmaids was no accident. Her Lee Israel is opposite Megan in every way. She’s damaged, insular and heartbreaking. It’s a complete 180 from what you expect from McCarthy and the exact sort of comic-turned-dramatic surprise performance you crave.
Report Card
Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) – B-
Glenn Close (The Wife) – A-
Olivia Colman (The Favourite) – A
Lady Gaga (A Star is Born) – B
Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) – A
My Choice: Olivia Colman
2019
The Winner: Renee Zellweger (Judy)
State of the Category: If you’ve made it this far, I commend you for your patience—and for your dedication as a member of my immediate family. We’ll round out the decade with one of the shakier lineups, despite featuring an array of elsewhere devilishly talented ladies. Starting off with Cynthia Erivo, a world-class theatrical singer and actress and a proven film commodity (see Bad Times at the El Royale for ample proof), her Harriet is root-for-able and certainly a box-checking take on quite possibly the American hero. But it’s unfortunately relegated to mostly surface in a screenplay that insists on being far too expansive. The character has no room to layer itself, though Erivo is its best attribute, bar none. Scarlett Johansson at last nabbed her Oscar attention in 2019—and Marriage Story feels a fitting selection as her most impressive portrayal since her breakout in 2003’s Lost in Translation. Her Nicole is emotionally faceted in a way it doesn’t need to be with a screenplay this crackling. And the theatricality of her fantastic monologuing is a perfect match to her character’s performative nature. Saoirse Ronan dips back into the period drama arena with Little Women—and though she’s expectedly perfectly placed in the world of Jo March, it’s the rare occasion where she’s outperformed by several of her supporting co-stars. A winning and unique adaptation to be sure—but Ronan’s slightest nominated performance with Oscar. On the flip side is Charlize Theron, taking what can at times be an audaciously sleazy screenplay (but perhaps appropriate for the subject matter) and elevating it with an uncompromising and uncomfortably relatable turn as Megyn Kelly. Incredible makeup work aside, Theron makes her Kelly the right amount of detestable without sacrificing her humanity. She’s no heroine, but she’s not an outright villain. Lastly we have one more of a trio of real-life subjects in Renee Zellweger’s Judy. And though she’s to be commended for setting aside the mimicry crutch and simply making her Garland her own, the obvious tonal choices and reliance on costume and hairstyling to embody the character keeps it from being an outright win. The film doesn’t care too much about giving the character depth beyond the headlines, and Zellweger doesn’t quite put in enough work to make it feel essential.
Report Card
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) – B
Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story) – A
Saoirse Ronan (Little Women) – B+
Charlize Theron (Bombshell) – B+
Renee Zellweger (Judy) – C
My Choice: Scarlett Johansson
Decade Honors/Dishonors
Best Performance: Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
Best Nominated Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild
Worst Performance: Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Worst Nominated Film: Albert Nobbs
Closest Race: 2015
Best Year: 2010
Worst Year: 2011
But what about you? What are your thoughts on the ladies of the 2010s?
the great big academy awards project: BEST LEAD ACTRESS in the 1960s
It’s been healthy time apart once again for the Great Big Academy Awards project and me. But I’m back with a vengeance. The 1960s in Best Actress have arrived. And I’ve come, seen and conquered in the meantime. So what did this decade have to offer a dedicated viewer? Foreign nominees were super-evident, particularly of the Italian and French persuasion. For every tour-de-force They Shoot Horses there was a Morgan! to really keep you on your toes. If you’re looking for a decade to jerk you around in terms of quality and consistency, you’ve met your match. Let’s talk Best Actress in the ’60s.
1960
The Winner: Elizabeth Taylor (BUtterfield 8)
State of the Category: It’s become something of a tradition in the turn of the decade year for it to be a healthy mix of ladies you’re used to seeing in the decade prior mixed in with the bright new stars. This year is no exception. Kicking things off, Greer Garson does her best mimicry as the beloved First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in Sunrise at Campobello. And while she far outshines her co-stars by and large, she’s subjected to acting through some pretty substantial flippers that severely hindered her ability to bring gravitas to her line readings. Next up is Deborah Kerr, who I admittedly was skeptical of in this hard-worn Australian farmer role she picked up in The Sundowners, having become accustomed to her often prim and proper performances earlier in her filmography. I was pleasantly surprised that she pulled off the accent work and the scrappy character quite well, despite the overlong feel of the well-intentioned epic. It’s hard to deny the iconic nature of Shirley MacLaine in The Apartment, and viewing the performance for the first time did not disappoint. In a star-making and heartbreaking turn she devastates the ample men around her to totally steal the show. While what Melina Mercouri is doing in Never on Sunday is occasionally amusing, the overall ick factor that comes with the “happy hooker” trope is especially heightened as her gleeful prostitute character is swept up and “rescued” by a john that becomes the marrying kind. She has charisma for days, but the performance is rather one-note. Finally, Elizabeth Taylor landed her first Oscar as (can’t have just one) a call girl—though this one is a bit more tragic. That tragedy is played to the rafters, though, and the overwrought melodrama in her Gloria Wandrous (doesn’t that name just reek of schmaltz?) is hard to stomach, though the writing is no help to her, as her character waffles wildly from desperate lamb to hardened broad too easily.
Report Card
Greer Garson (Sunrise at Campobello) – B-
Deborah Kerr (The Sundowners) – B+
Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment) – A
Melina Mercouri (Never on Sunday) – C+
Elizabeth Taylor (BUtterfield 8) – D
My Choice: Shirley MacLaine
1961
The Winner: Sophia Loren (Two Women)
State of the Category: A lineup doesn’t get much more genre-diverse than this. A bright romantic comedy with dark undertones, a gritty but quiet indie, an Italian tragedy, a Southern-fried morality tale and a doomed romance. Let’s start with the one everyone still talks about. Audrey Hepburn lands arguably her most iconic role in Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Looking past the troubling casting choices (*cough* Mickey Rooney), Hepburn is simply perfection as the wannabe socialite with a past who longs for something more. She’s heartbreaking when she needs to be and enviable when she needs to be. Impeccable. Piper Laurie brings an energy not often seen in a “supportive girlfriend” role. In The Hustler she has her own mind and her own end game—she’s there to reflect our male protagonist’s goals, but she’s also superior to him in enough ways to make it a relatively captivating two-hander. Sophia Loren throws herself into Two Women, and she’s quite effective as the devastated single mother dealing with the ravages of assault. But, no thanks to the script, the performance becomes one-note very quickly, and it’s hard to imagine how this was the role that pulled off the Oscar win, outside of forcing the most tears from the audience. Geraldine Page unfortunately continues to be a bit lost on me. Her pent-up minister’s daughter in Summer and Smoke comes off as sort of comically loopy at times when we’re meant to identify with her plight. It’s a classic spinster role in that she’s simply there to make the other characters feel better about their lives. Finally, Splendor in the Grass proved to have a lot of merits. Warren Beatty is incredibly watchable in his leading performance. And Barbara Loden is killer in her supporting performance. But despite a fascinating script and stellar direction, Natalie Wood is the weak link. Once her Deanie starts to descend into something resembling madness, histrionics take over completely and it’s an inscrutable sight.
Report Card
Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) – A
Piper Laurie (The Hustler) – B+
Sophia Loren (Two Women) – B
Geraldine Page (Summer and Smoke) – C-
Natalie Wood (Splendor in the Grass) – C+
My Choice: Audrey Hepburn
1962
The Winner: Anne Bancroft (The Miracle Worker)
State of the Category: There’s a lot to work with in 1962—a delicate balance between heavy-handed drama and loopy quasi-comedy. Kicking things off, winner Anne Bancroft is delivering typically strong work in The Miracle Worker. While to modern eyes the movie as a whole reads as a cable TV movie, Bancroft is the clear victor among the performances, offering the only nuance and emotional heft somewhere in the middle of the ACTING!-to-acting. spectrum. (Speaking of ACTING!) Bette Davis is undeniably watchable in the newly of-interest What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Sure, the ham factor is on 11, but Davis knows exactly what movie she’s in, completely does away with vanity and goes whole hog on her demented, house-ridden has-been. Katharine Hepburn is unsurprisingly towering as the lead in Long Day’s Journey into Night. But as is the plight of many play-to-screen adaptations, the duration felt stagnant and wildly overlong without enough payoff. Hepburn’s powerful matriarch can only sustain so long before it loses its magic by hour three. We’ve finally arrived at the Geraldine Page I’ve most appreciated. Her kooky fading movie star plays well against Paul Newman’s hunky drifter, and she legitimately holds her own in the interplay without sacrificing her Norma Desmond-lite presence with her co-stars. Finally, Lee Remick’s nod for Days of Wine and Roses might have been swept up in the excitement over the honesty the film had about alcoholism. And while the message was perhaps admirable, it’s very evident that it was an adaptation of a popular TV movie. Jack Lemmon carries most of the weight of the melodrama, and Remick misses most opportunities to truly shine, outside of the well-played ending.
Report Card
Anne Bancroft (The Miracle Worker) – B+
Bette Davis (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?) – B+
Katharine Hepburn (Long Day’s Journey into Night) – B-
Geraldine Page (Sweet Bird of Youth) – B+
Lee Remick (Days of Wine and Roses) – B-
My Choice: Bette Davis
1963
The Winner: Patricia Neal (Hud)
State of the Category: The 1960s continued to offer some tonally diverse nominees through to 1963. While getting to see the range of Leslie Caron beyond simply her airy Gigi has been a treat, The L-Shaped Room didn’t quite offer enough to stick to. Her performance as an emotional, single-and-pregnant tenant is root-worthy to be sure, but the emotional depth could have gone a lot further, particularly in the later, tough-decision-making scenes. Shirley MacLaine is the typical delight she always is in Irma la Douce, but the troubled plot (hello again, happy hooker) and oddly comical tone about some bleak themes made it a tougher (and a little overlong) watch than I expected. Patricia Neal is radiant as housekeeper Alma in the quiet but effective Hud. Though she’s borderline supporting in terms of screen time, she’s riddled with character and performance details that were clearly her doing—it made me wonder what wonders she would work in a Cassavetes picture. Next up is Rachel Roberts, whose supportive girlfriend in This Sporting Life at least had perhaps more depth than the typical “wife on the phone” relegations of these sorts of dramas. But she doesn’t have nearly the meat to work with that Richard Harris does, who knocks it out of the park with a vanity-free performance. Finally, Natalie Wood delivers an uneven romantic drama lead in Love with the Proper Stranger—I unfortunately am starting to suspect I enjoy Wood more as a “movie star” than as an “actress,” as her heavier loads tend to thud for me. I have a tough time buying her as the street-wise city girl.
Report Card
Leslie Caron (The L-Shaped Room) – B
Shirley MacLaine (Irma la Douce) – B-
Patricia Neal (Hud) – A-
Rachel Roberts (This Sporting Life) – B
Natalie Wood (Love with the Proper Stranger) – C-
My Choice: Patricia Neal
1964
The Winner: Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins)
State of the Category: Mid-way through the decade we’re finally starting to get to some truly stupendous competition to compare against. For starters, the iconic performance of Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins still totally holds up. It’s light and fluffy, but it’s also mesmerizing musical perfection. Her Mary is lovely and wholly believable despite her magical roots. Anne Bancroft continues to prove that she may be the dramatic heavy-lifter of the ’60s Best Actress nominees (see Jessica Lange in the 80s or Susan Sarandon in the 90s), but she might be even worthier. While The Pumpkin Eater doesn’t always fire on all cylinders, Bancroft brings the right neuroses to the mix for her unlucky-in-love protagonist. She delivers fantastic chemistry with her co-lead Peter Finch and makes a dreary subject—the dissolution of a marriage—watchable. Remember how all cinematic hookers need in order to feel fulfilled in life is for a john to propose? Well, it’s played for laughs once again in Marriage Italian Style, and it is unsurprisingly unsuccessful. Loren has charm to the hilt as the vivacious Filumena, but the troublesome narrative holds her back. Though it’s fantastic that the effervescent Debbie Reynolds got her sole acting nod with Oscar, it’s unfortunate it wasn’t for her number of other, more-worthy performances. Unsinkable Molly Brown is a by-the-numbers bio-musical—and while Reynolds is very watchable in this genre, she’s totally lost the central subject’s character motivations (and let’s not even touch the accent). When she’s singing and dancing, she has great moments. But the performance felt like a miss. Finally, we have Kim Stanley, playing a swindling and highly unlikable “psychic” wrapped up in a criminal scam in Seance on a Wet Afternoon. The movie is stellar and feels like it belongs in a later decade, thanks to its palpable tension, highly watchable but unlikable characters and layered central performances from Stanley and Richard Attenborough. She’s devilishly committed to the nasty part, and it’s a pleasure to watch.
Report Card
Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins) – A
Anne Bancroft (The Pumpkin Eater) – B+
Sophia Loren (Marriage Italian Style) – C
Debbie Reynolds (Unsinkable Molly Brown) – C-
Kim Stanley (Seance on a Wet Afternoon) – A
My Choice: Kim Stanley
1965
The Winner: Julie Christie (Darling)
State of the Category: Talk about a lineup with varied levels of genre-friendliness and long-term career. Let’s kick things off with Julie Andrews’ astronomical follow-up to Poppins, Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music. She’s splendidly plucky, but vulnerable at the most opportune moments. Her vocals are unmatched, and she delivers chemistry with every actor (and every setpiece). This one’s iconic for a reason. Julie Christie is attractive and self-assured in Darling, but her smug character grows tiresome very fast. I was left wondering what made the somewhat one-note performance (and the movie as a whole for that matter) so magnetic to gain so much Oscar traction. Samantha Eggar is serviceable as the subject of a creep’s obsession in The Collector (that rare horror/thriller nomination), but the victim role is solidly victim and we don’t get enough redemptive or triumphant moments for the character to care enough about her fate. Elizabeth Hartman brings effective innocence and likability to her role as a blind woman dealt an unenviable home life in A Patch of Blue. While it’s not a tour de force by any means, she’s able to pull some unexpected notes out of a melodramatic premise. Finally, Simone Signoret is placed up against a cavalcade of notable stars in the ensemble drama Ship of Fools. But she rightfully came out the Oscar nomination victor, bringing unapologetic realism to her drug-addled countess. She easily gains “Best in Show” honors, which is saying something when Vivien Leigh is in your cast..
Report Card
Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music) – A
Julie Christie (Darling) – C+
Samantha Eggar (The Collector) – C-
Elizabeth Hartman (A Patch of Blue) – B+
Simone Signoret (Ship of Fools) – A-
My Choice: Julie Andrews
1966
The Winner: Elizabeth Taylor (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
State of the Category: Unlike some previously covered decades, the 60s are proving that the imports, particularly from the UK, aren’t always the strongest choices. And this year in particular was laced with an 80% European influence to varied returns. Starting off, Anouk Aimee brings a high degree of charm and loveliness to A Man and a Woman, which admittedly has a lot of positives in its direction and editing. But she’s not quite special or memorable enough in the scheme of the movie to quite catch my fancy. Ida Kaminska is decidedly restricted in her performance as a language-barriered Jewish storeowner in The Shop on Main Street, but it’s not to her detriment. She’s completely soaked into the role to a level where I forgot it was an actress playing a part, despite the limitations of the character on paper. Lynn Redgrave nabs a fantastic showcase role in Georgy Girl as the lovable but unlucky-in-love title character. And although some of her later scene work with Alan Bates is a little pat for my taste, the first two-thirds of the film she’s delightfully refreshing when compared against many of the decade’s expected performances. Her sister fares far worse in Morgan! A Suitable Case for Treatment. Despite the film’s bizarrely convoluted premise, the fact of the matter is that Vanessa Redgrave is wasted in a throwaway part with confusing motivations. If you’re to take anything positive from the movie, it’s almost certainly the loony title performance from David Warner. Finally, you have the undeniably iconic Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, expertly played by Elizabeth Taylor in an against-type showcase. She’s loud, at times detestable and a deliciously complex central figure to an impeccably written film.
Report Card
Anouk Aimee (A Man and a Woman) – B
Ida Kaminska (The Shop on Main Street) – B+
Lynn Redgrave (Georgy Girl) – B+
Vanessa Redgrave (Morgan! A Suitable Case for Treatment) – D+
Elizabeth Taylor (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) – A
My Choice: Elizabeth Taylor
1967
The Winner: Katharine Hepburn (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?)
State of the Category: If you were looking for a lineup representative of some of the most memorable films of the 1960s, here you have it. Anne Bancroft kicks things off with the undeniably captivating Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate. Her believability as a desirable “older woman” (despite her relative youth) with much more behind the “bored housewife” facade should be taught. Comical, challenging and delightful. Faye Dunaway is villainous, sexy and worthy of antihero status in Bonnie & Clyde. She manages to go toe-to-toe with an uber-charming Warren Beatty and come out the victor. Her Bonnie is complicated without forgetting that she’s still incredibly young and naive at heart. Edith Evans provides a tough watch in The Whisperers. Her troubled, eccentric central character is upsettingly lived-in and difficult, and the series of events depicted provide her an apt platform for showcasing her well-practiced talents. While Wait Until Dark doesn’t have the emotional or escapist heft of some of Hepburn’s other outings, Audrey gets to play around in a surprisingly unnerving (the tension holds up) thriller, playing a blind woman being (it would seem) duped by a gaggle of thieves. The true star, though, is the pacing. Finally, Katharine Hepburn is borderline best in show in the unfortunately severely dated Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?, but the schmaltzy direction gives her very little to work with. And the oodles of chemistry with Spencer Tracy evident in Adam’s Rib is almost nonexistent.
Report Card
Anne Bancroft (The Graduate) – A
Faye Dunaway (Bonnie & Clyde) – A-
Edith Evans (The Whisperers) – A-
Audrey Hepburn (Wait Until Dark) – B
Katharine Hepburn (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?) – B-
My Choice: Anne Bancroft
1968
The Winner: Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) / Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl)
State of the Category: It’s the tie that continues to be a top-notch piece of Oscar trivia. But forced to pick just one of them, where will I fall? Let’s dive in. Katharine Hepburn owns the screen by sheer brute force in The Lion in Winter. Her Eleanor of Aquitane is dripping with ham to the rafters and I loved every second of it. She’s showy and aggressive and an absolute treasure to watch. Patricia Neal’s subdued and lived-in performance style didn’t work quite as well this time around. Her doting mother in The Subject Was Roses doesn’t have the character development of Hud‘s Alma and thus gets a little lost in the male-centric drama at the center. While Isadora is a stronger performance for Vanessa Redgrave than perhaps some of her other notices (i.e., Morgan! or The Bostonians) it’s still decidedly uneven and perhaps just not my cup of tea. Her depiction of the famed dancer is at times bizarre, but at least some of the character choices seem sensible for the subject of the film. Barbra Streisand is a force in Funny Girl, owning every frame with incredible comic timing, killer pipes and impossibly relatable characterization. Fanny Brice is somehow both an everywoman and a #lifegoals all at once. Rachel, Rachel finally gives Joanne Woodward something hefty to work with. Her unstable but quiet performance against an unnervingly subdued backdrop makes the film immersive—and though Estelle Parsons (god love her) wrenches you out of that feeling with her loud best friend character, it doesn’t wholly detract from Woodward.
Report Card
Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) – A
Patricia Neal (The Subject Was Roses) – B-
Vanessa Redgrave (Isadora) – C+
Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) – A
Joanne Woodward (Rachel, Rachel) – B+
My Choice: Barbra Streisand
1969
The Winner: Maggie Smith (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie)
State of the Category: The decade is wrapping up in classic fashion. Mixing the nominees between old-fashioned-feeling choices and very next-decade-feeling choices. Starting off is the former—Genevieve Bujold is the title character in Anne of the Thousand Days. It’s a fairly expected storyline that doesn’t take a lot of risks, which is a detriment to the performance. Bujold is believable as the doomed Anne Boleyn, but there isn’t a lot of range on display for such a complicated character. Jane Fonda is difficult and hardened in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and the film is the better for it. Her cynical depression-era dance marathon contestant is varied and unabashedly dark in the midst of a faux-bright setting. Liza Minnelli is unfortunately insufferable in The Sterile Cuckoo. Her clingy central character is played for laughs and “awws” but she’s too pesky to be quaint. The brilliant combination of swagger and lack of confidence in Cabaret is not matched here. (And dear god that song—was the track just on repeat?) Jean Simmons’ nod for The Happy Ending is perplexing. The film is a bit vapid despite its noblest of efforts in depicting a housewife breaking free of her home-making shackles. Simmons isn’t passionate enough in the role to inspire the same in the audience—a necessity for the film to have been successful. Finally, Maggie Smith’s role of a lifetime in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie never disappoints on repeat views. She’s poised and enviable but also conflicting and conflicted. Jean is the apple of the viewer’s eye while still eliciting a lack of envy by film’s end.
Report Card
Genevieve Bujold (Anne of the Thousand Days) – B-
Jane Fonda (They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) – A
Liza Minnelli (The Sterile Cuckoo) – D+
Jean Simmons (The Happy Ending) – D+
Maggie Smith (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) – A
My Choice: Maggie Smith
Decade Honors/Dishonors
Best Performance: Elizabeth Taylor (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
Best Nominated Film: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Worst Performance/Film: Elizabeth Taylor (BUtterfield 8)
Closest Race: (no surprise) 1968
Best Year: 1967
Worst Year: 1963
But what about you? What are your thoughts on the ladies of the 1960s?
who played it best? – EBENEZER SCROOGE
It’s been a good long while since we’ve played this game, so here’s a refresher. In this series we take a peek at an oft-depicted character in filmdom and seek to determine – who played it best? We’ve done Lizzy Bennet, Juliet Capulet and Jo March in the past, so let’s opt for a gentleman on this outing – and one of the most ubiquitous at that – Ebenezer Scrooge.
Where you stand probably depends on a lot of factors – when did you grow up, do you prefer a comical or dramatic Scrooge, etc. So are you in line with the classics (i.e., Alastair Sim or Albert Finney); the animated fare (i.e., Alan “Scrooge McDuck” Young or Jim Carrey); the definitive TV adaptations (i.e., George C. Scott or Patrick Stewart); or the truly comedic turns (i.e., Michael Caine or – in a Scrooge surrogate role – Bill Murray)?
the great big academy awards project: BEST LEAD ACTRESS in the 1970s
Hey, remember me? Yes, I’ve been gone a good long while but I’m still here devouring as many Oscar-nominated performances as I can. And at long last I’ve completed the much-anticipated (at least in my own head) Best Lead Actress of the 1970s breakdown. I’ve watched all 50 of the nominated performances and am prepared to grade them and award my own personal victors. I’ve learned a lot this decade – that romantic comedies were a staple in this category (and at times an exhausting one), that it turns out I’m a fan of Glenda Jackson’s and that the jury is still out on whether I can get on board with Ingmar Bergman or not. (Fear not, Bergmaniacs… this is just my first exposure of probably many more to come.) But enough introduction (I’m merely grandstanding because of the infrequency of these posts, really) – let’s dive in, shall we?
1970
The Winner: Glenda Jackson (Women in Love)
State of the Category: Kicking off the decade with some uncharacteristic (considering the tendencies of these 10 years) choices, we’ve got one of the weaker lineups. After being a major Testament apologist thanks to a stellar central performance from Jane Alexander in 1983’s lineup, I was disappointed to find I couldn’t truly get on board with her turn in The Great White Hope. Playing the part of the scandal-prone Caucasian girlfriend to James Earl Jones’ African-American boxer, the role was underwritten enough that character motivation was a bit foggy. She was mostly relegated to sobbing in the background in what was a showcase for Jones. Glenda Jackson’s first nod of the decade in Women in Love, however was devilish and delightful – one half of a pair of sisters pursuing two local gentlemen, it seemed on its face a standard, basic setup. But the quartet of actors are phenomenal, and Jackson has the notable feat of being best in show – she’s charming and witty and I could listen to her accent for days. Next up is the classic tearjerker Love Story – Ali McGraw’s portrayal of a plucky college student dealing with the ins and outs of love and loss is amiable at times, but clunky dialogue and tonal shifts can’t be rescued by a lovely score. Speaking of tonal shifts… Ryan’s Daughter was a bit lengthy for its thin plot. Thankfully Sarah Miles’ portrayal transcended a bit of the overwrought filmmaking. Her portrayal of a small-town Irish woman dealing with the backlash of neighborly gossip is at times lovely and lamentable but always watchable, unlike those of her co-stars. And finally, truly the most aggravating film of the 49 recognized this decade, Diary of a Mad Housewife was excruciating from start to finish. Carrie Snodgress, playing an eternally belittled and tormented “wifey” type, does what she can with the miserable material, but her arc is nonexistent and she plays it too aloof to truly feel very much for her plight, despite the masculine posturing from her co-stars being shockingly disgusting.
Report Card
Jane Alexander (The Great White Hope) – B
Glenda Jackson (Women in Love) – A
Ali McGraw (Love Story) – B-
Sarah Miles (Ryan’s Daughter) – B+
Carrie Snodgress (Diary of a Mad Housewife) – C
My Choice: Glenda Jackson
1971
The Winner: Jane Fonda (Klute)
State of the Category: Graced with a virtual who’s who of the 1970s in terms of actressing, I had high hopes for this year’s lineup that only partially delivered. Julie Christie’s daring portrayal of an opium-addicted old-west madam in McCabe and Mrs. Miller is highly watchable (big surprise there) and totally holds her own against co-star Warren Beatty. She portrays her outward confidence and internal vulnerability stunningly and with subtlety. My recollection of my first viewing of Klute was not a positive one, so I assumed that feeling would stick on review. And although it wasn’t a total redemption moment for Jane Fonda’s performance as a call girl caught up in a dangerous criminal investigation, her hard-edged terseness and manipulative sexuality played better in reality than in memory. Taking on the role of a woman involved in a love triangle with a young bisexual man and his gay doctor boyfriend, Glenda Jackson’s performance in Sunday Bloody Sunday has a great deal of depth – she expertly plays her character as secure enough to deal with her lover’s extracurriculars all while her growing fondness for him makes her question her own needs and desires. Speaking of a great Glenda Jackson performance, Mary Queen of Scots delivers a commanding, icy turn as Queen Elizabeth… too bad Vanessa Redgrave was nominated for the film instead. For really expecting to connect with Vanessa Redgrave throughout this undertaking, I’ve found myself primarily disappointed in the performances nominated for Best Actress. Her Queen Mary is disjointed in her selective boldness – she’s written and played sympathetically and as our heroine, yet you have no desire to root for her. That seems like a problem. Finally we sneak in one more historical drama – in Nicholas and Alexandra Janet Suzman takes on the role of the Russian empress and mother of Princess Anastasia. Though the lengthy film drags a bit in the middle, Suzman is easily the standout. And bringing an interesting dynamic to her relationship with Rasputin, Suzman is sometimes great, but mostly good in a stoic if unique performance.
Report Card
Julie Christie (McCabe & Mrs. Miller) – B+
Jane Fonda (Klute) – B
Glenda Jackson (Sunday Bloody Sunday) – A-
Vanessa Redgrave (Mary Queen of Scots) – C+
Janet Suzman (Nicholas & Alexandra) – B
My Choice: Glenda Jackson
1972
The Winner: Liza Minnelli (Cabaret)
State of the Category: All right, now things are starting to get good. Let’s kick things off with Oscar’s choice. In Cabaret, Liza Minnelli is charming, winning, heartbreaking and, well, that voice. All in all, she manages to brings us one of the all-time great musical performances. And she doesn’t rest on the pipes, either. Her deeply felt spoken scenes clue us in to Sally’s less-than-sunny times with sneaky effectiveness. This one legitimately lives up the hype. Next up is Diana Ross playing Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues. And I’ve got to say – I wasn’t expecting this from her. Ross is darkly sexy in her singing scenes and doesn’t fall too hard into histrionics for the standard singer-biopic “mental breakdown” scenes. The film gets a bit indulgent with the extra padding on subplots, but the central performance stays impressive almost throughout. Maggie Smith is great at comedy – we’ve all come to realize that even more so in her career resurgence. In Travels with My Aunt she’s charming and witty in her Maggie Smith way as an eccentric aunt and criminal smuggler, but the film is too inconsequential to truly let her resonate beyond a flight of fancy. Cicely Tyson brings high drama in Sounder, as one half of a sharecropping couple in the 1930s south. Her strong-willed but broken-down mother is a tower of strength with vulnerability practically exploding from Tyson’s expressive eyes. A deeply felt turn. Finally, The Emigrants, the story of a family of Swedish farmers moving to America in the mid-1800s, brings us our first nomination for Liv Ullmann, who’s oddball tics and performance choices stay interesting but perplexing throughout the duration. Max von Sydow outshines her fairly overwhelmingly as her husband.
Report Card
Liza Minnelli (Cabaret) – A
Diana Ross (Lady Sings the Blues) – B+
Maggie Smith (Travels with My Aunt) – B
Cicely Tyson (Sounder) – A
Liv Ullmann (The Emigrants) – C+
My Choice: Liza Minnelli
1973
The Winner: Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class)
State of the Category: I’m still unsure at this writing who my winner is, so I’m about to likely talk myself into it. Join me on this journey, won’t you? First off is Ellen Burstyn in arguably her most iconic role in The Exorcist. Her Chris MacNeil, mother of Satan and whatnot, is much more strong-willed than I’d remembered from previous viewings of this movie. I kind of fell in love with her salty personality playing a relatively well-known actress dealing with the supernatural, a trope and framing device I’ve never seen in other horror films. Next up is Glenda Jackson’s second Oscar-winning role, A Touch of Class, in which she tackles a divorcee engaging in a hasty fling with an accountant. The comedy at times is light on laughs – despite its loopy score telling you otherwise, but Jackson is totally game and her no-B.S. magazine editor is attractive and intimidating at once. After not getting on board with her role in Only When I Laugh, I hoped things would play out differently for Marsha Mason in the 70s. Not so with Cinderella Liberty, playing a “hooker with a heart of gold” whom a sailor falls for and becomes fill-in father for her son. The movie itself is okay, but what made me hesitant on Mason’s performance was that not once did I buy that she was a hard-edged, streetwise prostitute. She seems much more at home playing plucky, neurotic, Manhattan-based romantic leads than in this grittier role. The Way We Were is a stunning representative in the romantic comedy sub-genre, and Barbra Streisand is lovely in it. While her early-years take on Katie, relentless activist, can be a bit goofy, her interplay with Robert Redford is brilliant and highly watchable. She’s a born entertainer. Finally, Joanne Woodward does her best to elevate Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams, a melodrama about a wife and mother coming to terms with her life choices, but a “meh” story and lack of development drag down her amiable, if ineffective, performance.
Report Card
Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist) – A-
Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class) – A-
Marsha Mason (Cinderella Liberty) – C
Barbra Streisand (The Way We Were) – A-
Joanne Woodward (Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams) – C+
My Choice: Ellen Burstyn
1974
The Winner: Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore)
State of the Category: Now this is a lineup. In easily one of the stronger fivesomes of this decade, we’ll start off with the winner. Ellen Burstyn plays struggling lounge singer/waitress/single mom Alice with typical emotive heft, despite the sometimes flimsy nature of the script. She’s very watchable despite some lackluster co-stars (don’t worry – not you, you delightful spitfire Diane Ladd…), though I have to say I was ultimately underwhelmed considering the cachet this performance has historically. Diahann Carroll takes on the title role in Claudine, about a single mother struggling to get by who’s romanced by a smarmy garbage collector. The film is positioned as a comedy, but it’s Carroll’s more dramatic moments that are highlights for me. The central relationship is not one you’re predisposed to root for, necessarily, so its framing as a romantic comedy is a struggle occasionally, but Carroll is lovely. Everything about Chinatown is amazing, and Faye Dunaway is no exception. Her rich ice queen Evelyn is eerie, alluring and intensely felt. The iconic slap scene is one of the great dramatic physical performances ever for a reason. Hello there, Valerie Perrine – who knew you’d be such a highlight? As Lenny Bruce’s stripper-turned-wife Honey alongside Dustin Hoffman in Lenny Perrine is magnificent. The depth of her tumultuous Honey Bruce is a true treasure to watch, with nary a “stripper with a heart of gold” or “doting wife” trope in sight. Finally, let’s all get exhausted together watching Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence. While I’m not really on board with Peter Falk’s oddly aggressive co-starring performance, Rowlands’s central turn as a woman experiencing a psychotic break is harrowing, chock full of tics, mannerisms and oddities that would typically seem overacted but are totally on target in this classic indie.
Report Card
Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore) – B+
Diahann Carroll (Claudine) – B
Faye Dunaway (Chinatown) – A
Valerie Perrine (Lenny) – A
Gena Rowlands (A Woman Under the Influence) – A-
My Choice: Valerie Perrine
1975
The Winner: Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)
State of the Category: Hmm, well this is an odd one. In probably the strangest lineups I can recall throughout the project, we start off with Isabelle Adjani in her first nod, playing Victor Hugo’s obsessive and schizophrenic daughter in The Story of Adele H. The subject matter is endlessly fascinating, which helps Adjani’s case, and her portrayal isn’t half-bad. She holds back when she should and doesn’t let “I’m craaAAaazYYY!!!” tropes get in the way of an actual performance. For such a young performer, she kind of killed it. Tommy is one head-scratcher of a movie, despite its at least entertaining musical numbers. And Ann-Margret definitely takes the cake for best in show. There are definitely some moments in which you find yourself asking “really?!” with some of the strange, over-the-top production decisions, but Ann-Margret is gutsy and the No. 1 reason to watch the film. Despite the short screen time, Louise Fletcher totally nails the brutality and icy intimidation of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. And yes, she’s as good as you remember. She pulls off diabolical and subtle and infuriating all in one quiet shell. She’s an ultimate filmic villain. Glenda Jackson nails it once again in the Ibsen adaptation of Hedda, about a societal higher-up dealing with the dregs of a boring marriage and uninteresting friends. Her Hedda Gabler is witty and wildly entertaining while also calculating and manipulative to the core. Lastly we have Carol Kane in the quiet indie Hester Street, playing the tradition-prone wife of a westernized Jewish immigrant at the turn of the 20th Century. She’s a quiet force, really, as the soft-spoken Gitl, maintaining a poise and caution that realistically ebbs and flows as she acquaints herself with a foreign world. It’s not your typical Kane comedic performance, and I was pleasantly surprised with its relatable tone.
Report Card
Isabelle Adjani (The Story of Adele H) – B+
Ann-Margret (Tommy) – B
Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) – A
Glenda Jackson (Hedda) – A
Carol Kane (Hester Street) – A-
My Choice: Louise Fletcher
1976
The Winner: Faye Dunaway (Network)
State of the Category: Maybe I spoke too soon – this isn’t exactly your typical lineup either… Let’s start things off with Marie-Christine Barrault’s seriously low-key performance as an tragically ignored wife striking up an affair with a distant cousin in Cousin Cousine. The French film is played for laughs throughout, but it’s markedly unfunny, particularly when it comes to the sexist undertones and the kooky performances from the side characters. Barrault is best in show, but it’s really not saying much in the uneven flick. On the other end of the spectrum, Faye Dunaway’s calculating ratings-focused news producer in Network is striking and cool and, at times, frightening. Going toe to toe with the heavily invested performance of Peter Finch in the central role, Dunaway is fantastic in a contemporary to Rene Russo’s Nightcrawler role 40 years later. In Rocky, Talia Shire is… fine. Her role is super flimsy and the movie itself doesn’t seem to care much about her. It’s the epitome of the supportive girlfriend trope in sports movies, and unfortunately the actress who found great moments in The Godfather couldn’t make Adrian interesting enough to resonate. Sissy Spacek is heartbreakingly sweet and misunderstood in the classic Carrie. It’s hard to top this horror performance, from her child-like beginnings to her vengeful aftermath. You root for Carrie White all the way through her payback retribution. I’m still recovering from Face to Face. Liv Ullmann’s portrayal of a psychiatrist descending into madness is intensely exhausting. The performance is itself isn’t all bad, per se, but the screeching and sobbing are for the most part too difficult to stomach.
Report Card
Marie-Christine Barrault (Cousin Cousine) – C-
Faye Dunaway (Network) – A
Talia Shire (Rocky) – C-
Sissy Spacek (Carrie) – A-
Liv Ullmann (Face to Face) – C
My Choice: Faye Dunaway
1977
The Winner: Diane Keaton (Annie Hall)
State of the Category: All in all, not too bad in the choices department in 1977. Starting off with Ann Bancroft in The Turning Point, playing a prima ballerina of a certain age, the performance is committed and scene-stealing. Her physical commitment to the role is a tad unnerving, but she fends off the occasional sentimental plot device with presence. Jane Fonda nails the role of Lillian Hellman in Julia, bringing marked wit and poise along with sense of humor and wanton desire. She navigates the real-life character’s tempestuous affairs with expertise you’ve come to expect from Fonda. What more can be said about the comic brilliance of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall? She’s funny, intelligent, occasionally flighty and always 100% believable. There has rarely been a comedic performance that can match this perfection. Shirley MacLaine unfortunately falls victim to being overshadowed by her co-star in The Turning Point. Her portrayal of a former ballerina forced to exit the company after a pregnancy has a couple of strong moments, but the bulk of the heft is given to Bancroft. Finally, Marsha Mason gives her easily best performance as a struggling actress and single mom in The Goodbye Girl. She holds her own against Oscar-winning Richard Dreyfus and plays her character’s gumption and persistence like the pro stage actress she is.
Report Card
Ann Bancroft (The Turning Point) – B+
Jane Fonda (Julia) – A-
Diane Keaton (Annie Hall) – A
Shirley MacLaine (The Turning Point) – B
Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl) – B+
My Choice: Diane Keaton
1978
The Winner: Jane Fonda (Coming Home)
State of the Category: Finally an Ingmar picture I can get behind. Autumn Sonata follows the simple premise of a woman dealing with a visit from her larger-than-life concert pianist mother. Ingrid Bergman holds back and plays it small and subtle to her favor, using her eyes more often than a raised voice seen in other Ingmar efforts. The setup to Same Time, Next Year is at least interesting – a man and woman meet each other one weekend a year to carry on a decades-long affair, but the film is hampered by goofy scoring and ineffective aging and character development. Ellen Burstyn does her best with a flaky role, but the film plays more like a TV movie than a theatrical release. Jill Clayburgh has a fun, relatable, casual way about her in An Unmarried Woman, but unfortunately it falls victim to the sameness shared among many of the romantic comedies of the era. What sets her slightly apart is that the film asks you to root for her, and you actually do. It’s still a rather slight performance regardless. I was worried about Coming Home. The idea of Jane Fonda playing a supportive significant other to a wounded soldier seemed like it had the potential to pander. But in true Jane fashion she managed to bring a great deal of depth to a character that in other actresses’ hands may have played one-dimensional. Depicting grown children of divorce dealing with the aftermath, Interiors gives Geraldine Page something of a showcase. Unfortunately the role is borderline supporting, and her shrewish portrayal proves less memorable than those of the three women playing her daughters.
Report Card
Ingrid Bergman (Autumn Sonata) – A
Ellen Burstyn (Same Time, Next Year) – B-
Jill Clayburgh (An Unmarried Woman) – B
Jane Fonda (Coming Home) – A-
Geraldine Page (Interiors) – B-
My Choice: Ingrid Bergman
1979
The Winner: Sally Field (Norma Rae)
State of the Category: Jill Clayburgh lands nomination No. 2, this time for a slightly superior performance. In Starting Over she has a bit more edge, and, though the films have remarkably similar themes, this one seems like a star-making turn. Unfortunately her co-star, Burt Reynolds, is completely flat and really brings down the romantic chemistry factor. Sally Field gets a stunner of a role in Norma Rae – and I must say it lived up to the hype for me. It’s a Silkwood-esque moment where our heroine is nowhere near perfect and she isn’t instantly driven to put herself out there – it’s the realism that truly sells this. She’s not an obvious leader for a cause. (And that iconic scene sure does resonate.) Jane Fonda has a lot of movie-star quality in The China Syndrome. The film itself actually drags a bit – strange for a political thriller – but she buoys the operation despite a slightly underwritten character (the fluff-piece reporter who wants to go hard-hitting). Chapter Two is… fine. And that’s about all there is to it. Perhaps it can be blamed on the non-believable chemistry between stars James Caan and Marsha Mason. Mason is likable in the role, but she can’t sell the romance – as an audience member I don’t buy that these two truly feel that way. Finally, Bette Midler totally pulls a winner out of the hat for me. I didn’t know she had this in her. As a Janis Joplin-esque figure in The Rose, she goes all out – except not hammy nonsense that musical biopics tend toward. Her performance scenes are phenomenal and I buy into what makes her Mary Rose so magnetic to fans and lovers.
Report Card
Jill Clayburgh (Starting Over) – B+
Sally Field (Norma Rae) – A
Jane Fonda (The China Syndrome) – B
Marsha Mason (Chapter Two) – C
Bette Midler (The Rose) – A
My Choice: Sally Field
Decade Honors/Dishonors
Best Performance: Faye Dunaway (Network)
Best Nominated Film: Chinatown
Worst Performance/Film: Marie-Christine Barrault (Cousin Cousine)
Closest Race: 1979
Best Year: 1974
Worst Year: 1976
But what about you? What are your thoughts on the ladies of the 1970s?
best of 2014: film
Best Picture
1. Nightcrawler
2. Boyhood
3. Snowpiercer
4. Whiplash
5. Pride
6. Birdman
7. The Babadook
8. Obvious Child
9. The Lego Movie
10. The Overnighters
Best Director
1. Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
2. Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler)
3. Jennifer Kent (The Babadook)
4. Joon-ho Bong (Snowpiercer)
5. Gareth Edwards (Godzilla)
6. Gillian Robespierre (Obvious Child)
7. Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
8. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman)
9. Matthew Warchus (Pride)
10. Jesse Moss (The Overnighters)
Best Lead Actress
1. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
2. Essie Davis (The Babadook)
3. Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
4. Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
5. Jenny Slate (Obvious Child)
6. Elisabeth Moss (The One I Love)
7. Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive)
8. Melanie Lynskey (Happy Christmas)
9. Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
10. Mia Wasikowska (Tracks)
Best Lead Actor
1. Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler)
2. Michael Keaton (Birdman)
3. Miles Teller (Whiplash)
4. Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
5. Jack O’Connell (Unbroken)
6. Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
7. Domhnall Gleeson (Frank)
8. Jack O’Connell (Starred Up)
9. Bill Hader (The Skeleton Twins)
10. Mark Duplass (The One I Love)
Best Supporting Actress
1. Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer)
2. Rene Russo (Nightcrawler)
3. Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
4. Carrie Coon (Gone Girl)
5. Gaby Hoffmann (Obvious Child)
6. Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
7. Rose Byrne (Neighbors)
8. Laura Dern (Wild)
9. Imelda Staunton (Pride)
10. Rima Te Wiata (Housebound)
Best Supporting Actor
1. Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler)
2. Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
3. Michael Fassbender (Frank)
4. Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes)
5. Adam Driver (This is Where I Leave You)
6. J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
7. Edward Norton (Birdman)
8. Charlie Cox (The Theory of Everything)
9. Bill Nighy (Pride)
10. Richard Armitage (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies)
Best Original Screenplay
1. Nightcrawler
2. Birdman
3. The Lego Movie
4. Pride
5. Boyhood
6. Whiplash
7. The One I Love
8. Only Lovers Left Alive
9. Housebound
10. Selma
Best Adapted Screenplay
1. The Babadook
2. Snowpiercer
3. Obvious Child
4. The Boxtrolls
5. Edge of Tomorrow
6. Wild
7. This is Where I Leave You
8. Gone Girl
9. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
best of 2014: tv
Best Television Series
1. The Good Wife (CBS)
2. Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
3. Parks and Recreation (CBS)
4. Game of Thrones (HBO)
5. The Goldbergs (ABC)
6. Girls (HBO)
7. Transparent (Amazon)
8. Call the Midwife (PBS)
9. The Leftovers (HBO)
10. Broad City (Comedy Central)
Best Lead Actress
1. Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
2. Wendi McLendon-Covey, The Goldbergs
3. Emmy Rossum, Shameless
4. Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
5. Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
6. Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
7. Lena Dunham, Girls
8. Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
9. Alison Tolman, Fargo
10. Ilana Glazier, Broad City
Best Lead Actor
1. Martin Freeman, Fargo
2. Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
3. Sean Giambrone, The Goldbergs
4. Adam DeVine, Workaholics
5. Justin Theroux, The Leftovers
6. David Rawle, Moone Boy
7. Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
8. Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
9. Tom Mison, Sleepy Hollow
10. Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Supporting Actress
1. Sarah Lancashire, Last Tango in Halifax
2. Melissa McBride, The Walking Dead
3. Ann Dowd, The Leftovers
4. Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
5. Yael Stone, Orange is the New Black
6. Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent
7. Miranda Hart, Call the Midwife
8. Carrie Coon, The Leftovers
9. Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
10. Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Best Supporting Actor
1. Jeremy Allen White, Shameless
2. Adam Driver, Girls
3. Troy Gentile, The Goldbergs
4. Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation
5. George Blagden, Vikings
6. Raul Castillo, Looking
7. Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation
8. Ian O’Reilly, Moone Boy
9. Taran Killam, Saturday Night Live
10. Nick Kroll, The League
the great big academy awards project: BEST LEAD ACTRESS of 2009, revisited
25 more potential film-based real estate investments
I went missing. Yep, when you buy your first home you tend to be a little preoccupied. And in honor of that big move, I’m bringing back one of my personal favorite posts here on the blog. Here are 25 more film-based real estate investments (see part one here). Sure, some of them are fixer-uppers and some are somewhat haunted, but who wouldn’t want to get into this structural gloriousness? Let’s dig in…
25. The Bishop House, Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
24. Madeline Ashton’s Mansion, Death Becomes Her (1992)
23. The Addams Estate, The Addams Family (1991)
22. The Whitaker House, Far From Heaven (2002)
21. Elsa’s Castle, Frozen (2013)
20. Tottington Manor, Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
19. The Recchi House, I Am Love (2010)
18. Norma Desmond’s House, Sunset Blvd. (1950)
17. Virginia Woolf’s House, The Hours (2002)
16. Howl’s Moving Castle, Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
15. Mother Gothel’s Cottage, Tangled (2010)
14. The Inventor’s Mansion, Edward Scissorhands (1990)
13. The House in the Catalog, A Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
12. The Banks House, Father of the Bride (1991)
11. Miss Honey’s House, Matilda (1996)
10. The House in Connecticut, Baby Boom (1987)
![image_thumb[28]](https://lukecurtis.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/image_thumb28.png)
9. Jane’s House, It’s Complicated (2009)
8. The Carter Mansion, John Carter (2012)
7. Jackie’s House, Stepmom (1998)
6. The Parrish Estate, Meet Joe Black (1998)
5. The Ludlow House, Legends of the Fall (1994)
4. The Rochester House, Jane Eyre (2011)
3. The Parrish House, Jumanji (1995)
2. The Stewart House, The Others (2001)
1. The Tallis Estate, Atonement (2007)
trailer fridays: march 7, 2014
Miss the week in trailers? Check out the huge number of trailery goodness you didn’t see in the past seven days!
Journalistic Skepticism 