César Freak-Out: Foster, Deneuve, OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 1:45PM Here's a little treat for y'all from infrequent TFE contributor Julien who gave us a few Cannes tidbits last summer. This is the opening speech from the César Awards (The French Oscars as previously discussed). It's not subtitled but it's still tres drole to hear Jodie Foster's perfect French intoning the names of two of the greatest movie stars of all time in the audience: Catherine Deneuve and two time Best Actress Olivia de Havilland who gets a standing ovation!
Merde that's exciting.
You can see de Havilland at :30 and again at the big moment happens around 1:18ish when Jodie calls her out and she's totally surprised by it. Olivia de Havilland, our "Melanie", our Heiress, our Maid Marian is 94 years old and still going to Awards shows! She's been living in France since her retirement in the 1950s. The Oscars should be so lucky to have her. Although even if they did, they probably wouldn't honor her properly like this. (At least they hauled Kirk Douglas out last night for the best moment of the show.)
Here's the video. Merci Julien
Reader Comments (12)
Thank you so much, Nathaniel (and Julien :)), for writing about the César-awards! As Deneuve is my favourite actress, I was glued to the screen Friday night hoping that after being absent from the ceremony for 12 years she would finally appear and perhaps take home the "trophy" for her amazing performance in "Potiche". Unfortunately, she didn't win, which was a great disappointment, but was there, which I was really happy about.
As for Jodie Foster, she was class personified, and I'm still recovering from the shock that she speaks flawless French with next to no accent. The advantages of childhood language education, apparently. I also loved that spontaneous standing ovation for Olivia de Havilland. The French have since been complaining about the "glacial" attitude and the unresponsiveness of the audience, but this moment seemed warm and responsive enough to me. :)
I think if someone could get Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine together to present Best Picture it would be a MAJOR moment for the show and for both of the actresses. Isn't there someone who has the clout and ability to get those two together? Bill Clinton? Martin Scorcese?
Why can't we have moments like this at the Academy Awards?? I would give anything to see Olivia de Havilland giving out any prize, or even just sit in the audience and get a standing ovation. But no, we can't do that, the young generation wouldn't watch the telecast !
Speaking about Césars awards. Annie Girardot, one of the greatest French actress ever died today at 79. She won 3 Césars during her amazing career.
Thanks to YOU mate, for making awards season so much more fun than it has any right to be.
Geez, everyone seems to be in their 90s these days. Can we get Betty White, Kirk Douglas, Eli Wallach, Joan Fontaine, and Olivia De Havilland in the next "Ocean's 11" movie?
Wow, this is absolutely beautiful and exquisite compared to the last night's 'show'. Europeans really know how to honor and celebrate.
I'm pretty sure Olivia DID get a standing ovation when she introduced past Oscar winners at the 2002 Academy Awards.
Gosh, people are so forgetful. Olivia de Havilland *did* get honored with a standing ovation at the 75th Academy Awards. And not only that, she was also *on stage* presenting 59 other Oscar veterans. That was a much bigger moment than her role at the César Awards, IMO.
Here are the clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehzUsJILark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKVe2ym1aEA
Wow.. "Jeudi" Foster is a total class act, even in French.
I love it, when Jodie Foster mentioned Catherine Deneuve, and she proudly smiled.
Yes, people do have short memories. Olivia not only introduced 59 previous Oscar winners at the Academy Awards show a few years ago, she also was given an Academy tribute that was sold-out the first day tickets were available. She appeared on stage to talk about her career and there was a week long run of her most famous films. When THE HEIRESS was shown, she made another "talk" appearance on stage with memories of making the film.
She's still a first class act and a true Hollywood legend. Even though GWTW's Melanie is one of her favorite roles, she was stunning in films like TO EACH HIS OWN, THE DARK MIRROR, THE SNAKE PIT, THE HEIRESS, MY COUSIN RACHEL and HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE.