31 Days of Oscar Blogathon: 2 Oscar Snubs that Really Irk Me

This is my contribution to the massive 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon jointly hosted by Once Upon A Screen, Outspoken and Freckled, and Paula's Cinema Club. Check out the tributes to the big golden man in the 31 days leading up to the big event.

We Wuz Robbed!

The man who was overlooked too many times

Normally, when you are robbed of something valuable you can either call the cops or just go and grab the stolen item back for yourself. If it's a boyfriend you can bitch-slap the thief, but I digress.....

However, when you are robbed of an Oscar you must smile and applaud the thief, thereby proving yet again that your acting talents are truly superior. Criminally overlooked artists include Garbo, O'Toole, Leonardo DiCaprio, Judy Garland (forget that dumb juvenile award), Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant (not counting the special award for the perpetually overlooked).

So, while I have a list gripes and grievances a mile long, Ill just share 2 of the snubbed ones that really, really irk me.

1952: 

Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain

The utterly elegant Lina and the demon microphone

Okay, I have made my ardor for Ms. Lamont abundantly clear here, but let's be honest: Jean Hagen wuz robbed! Here's the roster for the 1952 nominees for Best Supporting Actress:

Gloria Grahame - The Bad and the Beautiful

Jean Hagen - Singin' in the Rain

Colette Marchand- Moulin Rouge

Terry Moore - Come Back Little Sheba

Thelma Ritter - With a Song in My Heart

Colette who? Terry Moore - really? Yes, we love Thlema Ritter (herself among those who were always snubbed), but, gee, we loved her in so many other things. And yes, Gloria Grahame rocked, but her performance simply did not compare to Jean's.

The lovely and Oscarless Jean Hagen

For Jean Hagen, Lina Lamont was the role of a lifetime. Her filmography is short and she spent much of her career on television. This was the big one for Jean. Her Lina is bigger than life and dumber than dirt. She is a colorful soul sister to Norma Desmond (oh, another snub I weep over) and truly a shimmering glowing star.... oh, well, you know the rest. She shudda won!!!!

1982: 

Robert Preston as Toddy in Victor/Victoria

And now to one of my all-time favorite he-mans and actors: Robert Preston. From the intense other man tho the charismatic Professor Harold Hill, Preston always filled the screen 100% with his almost too much personality. From Bs to As to a great career on the stage, Preston had acting power, manly-man power and staying power. Never quite the star until The Music Man, he always delivered and was always the professional. 

Here are the 1982 contenders for Best Supporting Actor:

Lou Gossett, Jr. - An Officer and a Gentleman

Robert Preston - Victor/Victoria

James Mason - The Verdict

John Lithgow - The World According to Garp

Charles Durning - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Toddy saves the day

I say NO CONTEST here. Preston's turn as the outrageously gay queen Toddy was made even more winning because of his ultra masculine aura. He was compassionate, wily and a little sad - and truly the heart of the film. His final scene in drag was absolutely fearless. Sorry other nominees, no disrespect, but I demand a recount! To this day this loss still makes me so mad!

How do you NOT honor this performance?

I am sure that Miss Hagen and Mr. Preston behaved like perfect good sports when their names were not called. What else could they do? So, it is up to us fans to cry foul, stamp our feet and tune in next year to see if the Academy agrees with our superior choices.

Happy viewing on March 2nd. Let's hope the 86th Academy Awards get it right!

My Oscar Disappointments

I rarely back a winner. My candidates for public office often lose, any horse I pick stops to smell the roses, and I usually have my fingers crossed for a loser at the annual Academy Awards show. Most of the time I take the Oscar loss with good grace, but there are a few losers that get under my skin. I don't know why I get so emotional sometimes, but I do!


2004
I was mad for "The Aviator" and was horribly disappointed when it lost in major categories. 

Although I admired "Million Dollar Baby," I really wanted "The Aviator" to win for Best Picture and Martin Scorsese to win for "Best Director." I was majorly disappointed when Jamie Foxx (for "Ray") beat Leonardo Di Caprio for "Best Actor." At least Cate Blanchett won for "Best Supporting Actress," but I was pretty bummed.

1968

I was totally in love with "A Lion in Winter" (okay, the crush on Peter O'Toole might have had something t do with that), and enjoyed "Oliver!" but was crestfallen to have stayed up so later to be so disappointed.


1981
"Chariots of Fire" over "Reds." I loved that movie to pieces and was quite sad that it lost "Best Picture."

This one really disappointed me. I'm pretty sure I turned off the TV when the winner was announced.

1991
"The Silence of the Lambs" over "Bugsy."

Another snub for Warren when he was at the top of his game.


1997
"Titanic" over anything. Sorry, but I really didn't like it. I recall being rather angry at the TV screen that night.


Peter O'Toole for losses for:
1962: Lawrence of Arabia
1964: Beckett
1968: The Lion in Winter
1969: Goodbye, Mr. Chips
1972: The Ruling Class (really, this was brilliant)
1980: The Stunt Man
1982: My Favorite Year
2006: Venus (furious over this one!)

Come on, the guy is beyond brilliant. The Honorary Oscar of 2003 just doesn't cut it. I fear Leonardo Di Caprio is developing into the next Peter O'Toole (snub-wise). I am praying that "The Great Gatsby" is a great hit and puts this to rest.

And my biggest disappointment for any category
Robert Preston's loss in 1982 for Best Supporting Actor in "Victor/Victoria"

This performance was brave, hysterical and just blew the others away (I thought). However, it was not to be and I was sad. 


Some Historical Boo-Boos That Bug Me (too late for these!)

"Going My Way" over "Double Indemnity." Sorry, Father O'Malley, I would have voted for sin.

Loretta Young in "The Farmer's Daughter" over Susan Hayward for "Smash Up" Susan is a power house, but she had to wait her turn.

Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard" and Bette Davis in "All About Eve" losing to Judy Holliday for "Born Yesterday." Aww, I love Judy in that role and she is a delight, but Norma Desmond and Margo Channing are on a totally different level.

"The Greatest Show on Earth" over "High Noon" and "The Quiet Man" and 2 other majorly great films left off  the list. Ugh. 
Gloria Grahame in "The Bad and the Beautiful" over Jean Hagen in "Singing in the Rain." Multiple pain here, since both films were NOT EVEN NOMINATED (see above: won by that circus flick). Both ladies are great in great films, but Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont is unforgettable.
and, my biggest peeve:

 No Oscar for Garbo!


Nominees I Have My Fingers Crossed For This Year

I haven't seen everything, so my picks are totally biased and could not be defended in a court of law or even on Judge Judy.

Best Picture
I am completely torn between "The Artist" and "Hugo." Either one would be okay by me.

Best Actor
I'm pulling for Jean Dujardin - the images of Fairbanks and Gilbert and even Gene Kelly that kept floating in the back of my brain while watching him makes it a very special performance for me.


Best Actress

Glenn Close was just amazing in "Albert Nobbs," so I am rooting for her. 


Best Screenplay

Here I am totally rooting for Woody Allen for "Midnight in Paris." The story was charming and original and the film was completely entertaining. Woody still has the right stuff and I'd love to see him honored (even though we know he won't be there).

Best Director

Rooting here for Martin Scorsese for "Hugo." The film is a beautiful achievement.


Well, I'll have my popcorn and will be prepared to stay up past midnight for the annual bash. I hope I'm not too disappointed this year!


Here are earlier reviews of some nominated films:
Click Here for "The Artist"
Click Here for "Hugo"
Click Here for "Midnight in Paris"

And The Oscar Goes To... Some Criminally Overlooked Categories

My popcorn and Dom Perignon are at the ready and my tiara is on straight! As I settle in for a long night of red carpets, longer speeches, happy winners and not-so-happy losers, I sneak a little nap and dream of categories that were missed...

LADIES FIRST
Best performance by an actress in a bad wig
Bette Davis - Beyond the Forest

"What a Dump"? What a fright wig. 

Bette's performance in this film is a bit over the top, but I think the wig might have been too tight. She is forgiven.

Barbara Stanwyck - Double Indemnity

Note to self: "must not let Walter close
enough to run his fingers through my fake hair."

The one and only false note in an otherwise perfect film.

Judy Garland  - Meet Me in St. Louis

"How can I ignore this thing on my head?"

When Judy flicks her hair over her shoulder in "The Trolley Song" she almost breaks her wrist.

AND THE WINNER IS: 
BARBARA STANWYCK
Barbara acts her way right through that wig and almost makes us forget how fake it looks. She makes us believe that it smells like the soap she bought in Ensenada, not 20 Mule Team Borax.

Best Performance by an actress with an unworthy co-star
Vivien Leigh with Leslie Howard in Gone With The Wind

"Oh Ashley, I think I need glasses. I prefer you to Clark Gable?"

Vivien Leigh is a storm of passion and emotion in this film. Her scenes with Leslie Howard make her look like she is beating her head against a wooden plank screaming "give me something to work with here!"

Judy Garland  with Tom Drake in Meet Me in St. Louis

"Maybe we should have moved to New York.
I hear the boys next door are more animated there!"

That Judy could convey such sweet longing for this pile of rocks cements her status as a great actress.

Joan Fontaine with Laurence Olivier in Rebecca

"I think there is a leftover cold fish in your
hand, Maxim, from when you drowned Rebecca!"

Olivier never looked as though he liked her - much less loved her. This probably made Joan's performance even better. It was left to Mrs. Danvers to provide the passion.

AND THE WINNER IS: 
VIVIEN LEIGH
The fact that millions continue to love this film despite the wooden-headed Mr. Wikes/ wooden-acting Mr. Howard is a testament to the genius of Vivien Leigh in this role.


AND NOW FOR THE MEN
Best performance by an actor with an unworthy co-star
James Cagney with Jean Harlow - The Public Enemy

"Don't look so sad, Jean. You'll grow up
 to be a good actress some day."

She looks right, but at this point in her career, she stunk. Apparently, Louise Brooks was considered for the part. If only...

James Cagney with Joan Leslie - Yankee Doodle Dandy

Come on, Warner Brothers, this man
deserves a stellar leading lady!

He's so "mature", she's so young. He's so extraordinary, she's so ordinary.

Laurence Olivier with Merle Oberon in Wuthering Heights

"If she pops her eyes just once more, I'm going to
throw her off Peniston Crag!"

He's so great and powerful and she's so awful.

AND THE WINNER IS:
JAMES CAGNEY 
For both The Public Enemy and Yankee Doodle Dandy. If ever a great actor got saddled with a bunch of mediocre leading ladies, it was Cagney. He was dynamic and could be sexy, but, aside from Joan Blondell, Ann Sheridan, Doris Day and a few others, he was rarely paired with a worthy sparring partner.


Best performance by an actor with a bad mustache
James Cagney - Torrid Zone

Somebody call pest control - there is a caterpillar crawling on Jimmy's upper lip!

Humphrey Bogart - Virginia City

Bogey is smiling, but it must be because he is dreaming

of choking the head of make-up. Yuk!

Gene Kelly - The Three Musketeers

No, this does not make Mr. Kelly look French.

AND THE WINNER IS:
HUMPHREY BOGART
That Bogey could have smiled at all with that on his lip proves he was a great actor.

 The show is starting and I must awaken from my reverie. Good luck to all nominees - hey it's an honor just to be nominated, right?