As a follow up to the 'Streep at 60' posts I thought I'd leave an open discussion thread for each Streep nomination's competition through the years. Her first came for 1978's The Deer Hunter (my take on her role). The nominees were:
Dyan Cannon, Heaven Can Wait
Penelope Milford, Coming Home
Maggie Smith, California Suite
Maureen Stapleton, Interiors
Meryl Streep, The Deer Hunter
The only nomination I've never understood from that shortlist is Milford's in Coming Home (a film I otherwise love). The Golden Globes differed slightly, skipping Smith and Milford to honor Carol Burnett in A Wedding and Mona Washbourne in Stevie. I know there was never a chance that Stockard Channing's classic rendition of "Rizzo" in Grease was going to be shortlisted but it's such a film stealing enduring delight I like to pretend that she was.
My vote would go to Maureen Stapleton, who served Woody Allen's Interiors perfectly, breathing unruly uncouth life into the staid emotional terrain. Shealso won the StinkyLulu Smackdown for 1978 a couple years back. But in truth none of these films are anything like "fresh" in my memory. What's your take on that '78 Oscars... how would you rearrange the nominees?
41 comments:
Anonymous
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I totally agree with you.Maureen Stapleton was perfect in Interiors. And can we talk about the movie? Wonderful filmed and with such complex and profund characters. I know that was a copy of the Ingmar Bergman movies, but Woody did it soo well.
I lurve Maggie Smith, so I would never admit that Stapleton would have deserved the Oscar even more than she did. But you're probably right.
Most of my favorite 1978 performances weren't even nominated for the Oscar though, and all the glorious non-nominees are from 'Death from the Nile', which in a way feels much more like a scene stealing competition rather than an actual film, with Angela Lansbury emerging as the winner. I probably would have handed out Noms to Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith (even more enjoyable here than in 'California Suite), Bette Davis and Mia Farrow for 'Nile', letting Stapleton join them as the fifth nominiee.
I can't really say something ontopic here because among the nominated performances I've only seen Meryl's. I just wanted to say that I think it's pretty cool that you selected a negative comment as comment du jour.
I agree that Death on The Nile deserved at least nominations for Angela Lansbury and Bette Davis. Also Stockard Channing. Not sure if Meryl should have been nominated for this, honestly.
Maureen Stapleton for Interiors (winner along with Geraldine Page in leading), Maggie Smith for California Suite, Lansbury for Death on the Nile, Stockard Channing for Grease and Meryl for The Deer Hunter is my current list. I didn't care much for Mia Farrow in Death on the Nile. I don't really like her in anything before she started working with Woody. Then again I haven't seen Rosemary's Baby yet.
Among the movies of that year I've just watched The Deer Hunter so I don't know who actually deserved the Oscar or even the nomination. I can just say that I liked Meryl in that movie... but I'm also glad that her first Oscar was for Kramer where she was absolutely superb! BTW, I like the idea to open a post for every Meryl's Oscar nom... I guess we'll have a lot to talk about further on...
I love Stapleton, Smith, and Cannon from this year. Stapleton would've gotten my vote for INTERIORS as well.
In 1978, I loved DAYS OF HEAVEN, GREASE, and COMING HOME.
Jon Voight would get my vote for Best Actor that year for COMING HOME. He was sooo wonderfully wounded yet filled with strength in the role.
I loved Jane Fonda in it as well, but Ingrid Bergman should've won Best Actress for AUTUMN SONATA. Possibly her best work in a career filled with brilliant performances. Give me NOTORIOUS or CASABLANCA any day.
Joe, if you didn't saw Rosemary's Baby you sincerely can't talk about Mia Farrow. And off course Meryl deserved that nomination: a young and beautiful actress, with her first role in a big and wonderful movie, with such great actors around here, how the Academy could miss that? Impossible.
Out of the five nominated I've only seen Streep's performance.(shameful, I know) Milford I'll always remember as that clueless teacher from "Heathers" but the Stapleton, Smith and Cannon performances all sound intriguing. But my own made-up ballot would be:
Stockard Channing - Grease Lena Horne - The Wiz Irene Miracle - Midnight Express P.J. Soles - Halloween Meryl Streep - The Deer Hunter
Obviously Lena's a bit of a filler nominee; I've never understood why an Honorary Oscar hasn't been awarded her. In my version Stockard would be an Oscar winner with Ms. Miracle pulling in second.
wayne b OMG. Milford was the hippie teacher in HEATHERS. Now I feel so bad for not liking her COMING HOME performance. hee. I love Heathers and all things about it so much.
joe shetina see ROSEMARY'S BABY immediately! it's mindblowingly good. one of the best movies of its decade, easy.
Nathaniel, when ypu get to Kramer Vs Kramer in the Streep at 60 series, can you share the post with Manhattan?
Her wonderful little performance in Allen's masterpiece is surely a sizeable part of the reason she won the Oscar that year. She was nominated for Manhattan rather than Kramer at the BAFTAs. And her NBR, NSFC and LA wins that year cited both Kramer and Manhattan (and The Seduction of Joe Tynan).
I saw Manhattan on the big screen last night and, oh gosh, Meryl is just so beautiful in her introductory scene as she walks down the street in close-up. That hair!
amir you've predicted it. they are sharing a post. Partially because I can't find my copy of Manhattan *BOO* which is one of my ten favorite movies of all time.
I saw Manhattan a long time ago. And just like you, Nathaniel, I can't find my copy. By the way, wich are you top 10 movies of all time? You don't have to answer now lol.
Milford in "COMING HOME" ranks as the worst performance to be nominated for an oscar. Bland, mannered, forgettable.... Streep, Smith and Stapleton are wonderful though... So was Uta Hagen in "Boys from Brazil" and Channing in "Grease".....
Stapleton & Page (in Lead Actress) were robbed. Interiors and Halloween should also have been Best Picture nominees.... Not a "Coming Home" fan though... Much prefer "Deer Hunter".
amir it's my fav Woody too with PURPLE ROSE a fairly close second. It used to be a distant 4th but it gets better every time I see it. now it's way up there in my (imaginary) all time lists.
Since I have time to kill I'll probably watch Rosemary's Baby now. Got to get around to doing my own Oscar picks. I've only done a few recent years so far.
I loved Stapleton in "Interiors" and she would've gotten my vote for Sup. Actress that year. If only for the way she inhabits those tacky, colroful clothes and fills them with dignity. She's one of Allen's most human creations and one that's never mentioned as often as it should. As for lead actress I'd gone with Ingrid Bergman too, with Geraldine Page following in a very close second. Or what the hell, just give them both Oscars!
2.Stephane Audran "Violette" 3.Stockard Channing "Grease" 4.Maggie Smith "California Suite" and "Death on the Nile" 5.Angela Lansbury "Death on the Nile"
Love Maggie Smith in California Suite. Love Jane Fonda, too, same movie. Would've voted for Smith.
Leading... Isabelle Huppert delivers on of her best performances in Violette, but that was foreign. I think that, if she was American, show would have won 4 Oscars. How could they deny Violette, A Story of Women, The Piano Teacher and La Ceremonie? (ok, they could)
Here's one more vote for including Channing among the nominees. I think she was by far the best thing in that (beloved by many) movie. Simply wonderful. And Carol Burnett was great in A Wedding. I'd love to have seen a nomination for her.
However, as much as I love Lansbury, and as much fun as I find Death on the Nile to be, I think the notion of nominating her for Death on the Nile is kind of odd. That said, it's not like the Academy's choices that year were flawless.
@ cal: I'm not too sure about those four Oscars for Isabelle Huppert. After all, she won only one of her 13 César nominations (and how she could lose for 'La pianiste', I will never understand, despite having seen Emmanuelle Devos' winning performance).
ryan -- what little i saw of Christopher Walken he seemed "alive" in a way i don't remember him feeeling in the other performances I've seen (not that they weren't swell) so i am definitely interested to see the rest o' the perf.
MrW i think the traction problem with Huppert and La Pianiste for wins or nominations is that the film is so entirely brutal. Like it or not there are swaths of voters in all awards groups that probably can't handle that movie ;)
scott i haven't seen A Wedding either. Eeek. I thought i was doing ok with the late 70s but apparently not. argh. there's always more to see.
Maggie Smith all the way for me! Loved her in "California Suite." I've seen all except Dyan Cannon, and from those remaining four, it was pretty much Maggie Smith and everyone else. It's always been one of those cool Oscar footnotes to me that she was playing an Oscar loser (though in reality already an Oscar winner) that ends up winning an Oscar for playing an Oscar loser. Pretty awesome in a meta sort of way.
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41 comments:
I totally agree with you.Maureen Stapleton was perfect in Interiors. And can we talk about the movie? Wonderful filmed and with such complex and profund characters. I know that was a copy of the Ingmar Bergman movies, but Woody did it soo well.
I lurve Maggie Smith, so I would never admit that Stapleton would have deserved the Oscar even more than she did. But you're probably right.
Most of my favorite 1978 performances weren't even nominated for the Oscar though, and all the glorious non-nominees are from 'Death from the Nile', which in a way feels much more like a scene stealing competition rather than an actual film, with Angela Lansbury emerging as the winner. I probably would have handed out Noms to Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith (even more enjoyable here than in 'California Suite), Bette Davis and Mia Farrow for 'Nile', letting Stapleton join them as the fifth nominiee.
OT
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play lesbian lovers in the upcoming Cholodenko movie entitled "The Kids are all right". Lensing starts june 29.
That's orgasm for you, Nat.
I can't really say something ontopic here because among the nominated performances I've only seen Meryl's.
I just wanted to say that I think it's pretty cool that you selected a negative comment as comment du jour.
I agree that Death on The Nile deserved at least nominations for Angela Lansbury and Bette Davis. Also Stockard Channing. Not sure if Meryl should have been nominated for this, honestly.
Maureen Stapleton for Interiors (winner along with Geraldine Page in leading), Maggie Smith for California Suite, Lansbury for Death on the Nile, Stockard Channing for Grease and Meryl for The Deer Hunter is my current list. I didn't care much for Mia Farrow in Death on the Nile. I don't really like her in anything before she started working with Woody. Then again I haven't seen Rosemary's Baby yet.
Among the movies of that year I've just watched The Deer Hunter so I don't know who actually deserved the Oscar or even the nomination.
I can just say that I liked Meryl in that movie... but I'm also glad that her first Oscar was for Kramer where she was absolutely superb!
BTW, I like the idea to open a post for every Meryl's Oscar nom... I guess we'll have a lot to talk about further on...
I love Stapleton, Smith, and Cannon from this year. Stapleton would've gotten my vote for INTERIORS as well.
In 1978, I loved DAYS OF HEAVEN, GREASE, and COMING HOME.
Jon Voight would get my vote for Best Actor that year for COMING HOME. He was sooo wonderfully wounded yet filled with strength in the role.
I loved Jane Fonda in it as well, but Ingrid Bergman should've won Best Actress for AUTUMN SONATA. Possibly her best work in a career filled with brilliant performances. Give me NOTORIOUS or CASABLANCA any day.
Joe, if you didn't saw Rosemary's Baby you sincerely can't talk about Mia Farrow.
And off course Meryl deserved that nomination: a young and beautiful actress, with her first role in a big and wonderful movie, with such great actors around here, how the Academy could miss that? Impossible.
I love Mia Farrow, and from what I've heard she's very good in Rosemary's Baby, but Death on the Nile was not her best work.
Out of the five nominated I've only seen Streep's performance.(shameful, I know) Milford I'll always remember as that clueless teacher from "Heathers" but the Stapleton, Smith and Cannon performances all sound intriguing. But my own made-up ballot would be:
Stockard Channing - Grease
Lena Horne - The Wiz
Irene Miracle - Midnight Express
P.J. Soles - Halloween
Meryl Streep - The Deer Hunter
Obviously Lena's a bit of a filler nominee; I've never understood why an Honorary Oscar hasn't been awarded her. In my version Stockard would be an Oscar winner with Ms. Miracle pulling in second.
wayne b OMG. Milford was the hippie teacher in HEATHERS. Now I feel so bad for not liking her COMING HOME performance. hee. I love Heathers and all things about it so much.
joe shetina see ROSEMARY'S BABY immediately! it's mindblowingly good. one of the best movies of its decade, easy.
Nathaniel, when ypu get to Kramer Vs Kramer in the Streep at 60 series, can you share the post with Manhattan?
Her wonderful little performance in Allen's masterpiece is surely a sizeable part of the reason she won the Oscar that year. She was nominated for Manhattan rather than Kramer at the BAFTAs. And her NBR, NSFC and LA wins that year cited both Kramer and Manhattan (and The Seduction of Joe Tynan).
I saw Manhattan on the big screen last night and, oh gosh, Meryl is just so beautiful in her introductory scene as she walks down the street in close-up. That hair!
amir you've predicted it. they are sharing a post. Partially because I can't find my copy of Manhattan *BOO* which is one of my ten favorite movies of all time.
Woohooooo!... Really looking forward to reading your thoughts on this/those one/s.
Yep, my favourite Woody Allen (of about the woeful* 12 I've seen). And in my top 10 of all time too.
*That is my Woody Allen tally that's woeful, not his masterful films.
I saw Manhattan a long time ago. And just like you, Nathaniel, I can't find my copy.
By the way, wich are you top 10 movies of all time? You don't have to answer now lol.
Milford in "COMING HOME" ranks as the worst performance to be nominated for an oscar. Bland, mannered, forgettable.... Streep, Smith and Stapleton are wonderful though... So was Uta Hagen in "Boys from Brazil" and Channing in "Grease".....
Stapleton & Page (in Lead Actress) were robbed. Interiors and Halloween should also have been Best Picture nominees.... Not a "Coming Home" fan though... Much prefer "Deer Hunter".
- Sean C.
BTW, love the new "hands-framing-face" photo and banner.
amir it's my fav Woody too with PURPLE ROSE a fairly close second. It used to be a distant 4th but it gets better every time I see it. now it's way up there in my (imaginary) all time lists.
Since I have time to kill I'll probably watch Rosemary's Baby now. Got to get around to doing my own Oscar picks. I've only done a few recent years so far.
I also love Purple Rose. But my favorites from Woody are probably Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters. This one have fantastic performances.
I loved Stapleton in "Interiors" and she would've gotten my vote for Sup. Actress that year.
If only for the way she inhabits those tacky, colroful clothes and fills them with dignity. She's one of Allen's most human creations and one that's never mentioned as often as it should.
As for lead actress I'd gone with Ingrid Bergman too, with Geraldine Page following in a very close second.
Or what the hell, just give them both Oscars!
1.Maureen Stapleton "Interiors"
2.Stephane Audran "Violette"
3.Stockard Channing "Grease"
4.Maggie Smith "California Suite" and "Death on the Nile"
5.Angela Lansbury "Death on the Nile"
Why is everyone chosing Stockardd Channing now?? I dont think she was that good, for an oscar nom? no way!
She was waaaay better than Streep, Cannon and Milford... maybe not so good for a win, but she was worthy of a nomination.
i am doing 1978 and mine would be
carol burnett a wedding
meryl streep the deer hunter
mona washbourne stevie
jane fonda coming home* winner
maureen stapletin interiors
Love Maggie Smith in California Suite. Love Jane Fonda, too, same movie. Would've voted for Smith.
Leading... Isabelle Huppert delivers on of her best performances in Violette, but that was foreign. I think that, if she was American, show would have won 4 Oscars. How could they deny Violette, A Story of Women, The Piano Teacher and La Ceremonie? (ok, they could)
hey nat wo'd be your lead actresses in 78!!!
cal, they'd give it to Huppert for The Story of a Woman.
But you're right. Huppert's formidable record is jawdropping. She was terrific in Violette.
In terms of supporting, it's Smith vs Stapleton. I prefer The Deer Hunter to Coming Home (and Midnight Express/An Unmarried Woman to both).
I have never seen Violette or Stevie so it's interesting to hear them mentioned fondly.
what are they about?
Here's one more vote for including Channing among the nominees. I think she was by far the best thing in that (beloved by many) movie. Simply wonderful. And Carol Burnett was great in A Wedding. I'd love to have seen a nomination for her.
However, as much as I love Lansbury, and as much fun as I find Death on the Nile to be, I think the notion of nominating her for Death on the Nile is kind of odd. That said, it's not like the Academy's choices that year were flawless.
@ cal: I'm not too sure about those four Oscars for Isabelle Huppert. After all, she won only one of her 13 César nominations (and how she could lose for 'La pianiste', I will never understand, despite having seen Emmanuelle Devos' winning performance).
despite my feelings on walken and de niro totally owning 'deer hunter', streep still deserved it that year.
nat would you like a copy of stevie i have one if you interested.
mrripley -- i would yes. e-mail me
ryan -- what little i saw of Christopher Walken he seemed "alive" in a way i don't remember him feeeling in the other performances I've seen (not that they weren't swell) so i am definitely interested to see the rest o' the perf.
MrW i think the traction problem with Huppert and La Pianiste for wins or nominations is that the film is so entirely brutal. Like it or not there are swaths of voters in all awards groups that probably can't handle that movie ;)
scott i haven't seen A Wedding either. Eeek. I thought i was doing ok with the late 70s but apparently not. argh. there's always more to see.
nat my e mail is down but as soon as it is up n running i'll contact you,it is a usa video so it will play if you have video facilities.
My nominees, winner:
Carol Burnett … A Wedding
Stockard Channing ... Grease
Diane Keaton ... Interiors
Maggie Smith ... California Suite
Maureen Stapleton ... Interiors *
Maggie Smith all the way for me! Loved her in "California Suite." I've seen all except Dyan Cannon, and from those remaining four, it was pretty much Maggie Smith and everyone else. It's always been one of those cool Oscar footnotes to me that she was playing an Oscar loser (though in reality already an Oscar winner) that ends up winning an Oscar for playing an Oscar loser. Pretty awesome in a meta sort of way.
What is all of this "A Wedding" talk about with Carol Burnett? Off to imdb . . . never heard of this film in my life.
anon 11:33 it's a robert altman film but one of his less famed titles.
Penelop Milford ... call me when the shuttle lands ... haha ... didn't realize she was an Oscar nominee.
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