What was your 'Sophie's Choice Oscar Moment'?
Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 1:38PM Kyle here. We’re rapidly barreling into the holiday movie season—aka, the time when we plebeians can catch up with all the fare deemed Award Worthy. I’m sure you’re aware, just how amazing our lineup of actress contenders is this year, as Murtada recently talked about. How difficult it’s going to be to be a fan this winter! Which is to say is there anything more painful than those moments when we’re torn between competing loyalties? Or between loyalty and taste?
My most painful instance of this came in 2000, when Hilary Swank and Annette Bening duked it out for Best Actress. I loved Boys Don't Cry. It was such an important film—even its nomination was important, given its low-budget indie status—and Swank was utterly heartbreaking. But then there was Bening in American Beauty, tap dancing on that high wire. Her Carolyn Burnham is broad and deep, tenderly tragic and yowlingly funny at the same time. Bening not only achieves this difficult balance, but shows us that it’s indispensable to this character’s, this type of person’s, reality.
So, what was your most painful Sophie’s Choice Oscar moment?
Reader Comments (58)
My pick would definitely be 1982 Best Actress which no one dares touch because Meryl was so iconic in Sophie's Choice but Jessica Lange was absolutely stunning in Frances even winning a consolation Oscar in the same year for Tootsie because everyone felt so bad she would lose to Meryl. Plus you had great work from Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria and it is a year more people need to take seriously even if the winner was tremendously deserved.
And what do you guys think about THE TIE? Hepburn or Streisand?
No Sophie's Choice there. The Oscar goes to...1969 Cannes Best Actress winner Vanessa Redgrave in Isadora.
1980 Best Actress. Burstyn, Hawn, Moore, Rowlands and Spacek. One of the best lineups in Oscar history. If another name other than Sissy's was called, I wouldn't have been disappointed.
1987 Best Actress. Definitely a Cher vs Glenn showdown for me. I would have been over the moon if Alex Forrest got the last laugh.
1939 Best Actress Vivien Leigh v. Greta Garbo
1941 Best Actor Cary Grant v. Walter Huston
1941 Best Supporting Actor James Gleason v. Charles Coburn v. Sydney Greenstreet
1944 Best Actress Ingrid Bergman v. Barbara Stanwyck
1950 Best Actress Gloria Swanson v. Bette Davis
1975 Best Actor Jack Nicholson v. Al Pacino
1976 Best Actress Liv Ullmann v. Sissy Spacek v. Faye Dunaway
1980 Best Actor Robert Duvall v. Peter O'Toole
2009 Best Actress Carey Mulligan v. Meryl Streep
2011 Best Actress Viola Davis v. Meryl Streep
2007 Best Actress was a big one for me. Do you go showy perfection with Cotillard or understated perfection with Christie? I think Oscar got it right (and Cotillard has basically made good on all the roles that the Oscar garnered her since).
Even 2012 Best Actress was tough, too, but I'd split it between Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain, though really, that whole category was full of a variety of great performances.
Looking back through Wikipedia I was more struck with "how would I rearrange the wins" kind of postulating. Like giving Meryl BA for Devil Wears Prada so Viola could win for The Help. Nicole Kidman BA for Moulin Rouge so Julianne Moore could win for Far From Heaven, that sort of thing.
There Will Be Blood vs No Country for Old Men
Still my 2 favorite movies of the 21st century
I think the hardest Oscar choice ever for Best Actress has to be 1982, with Jessica Lange going up against Meryl Streep. I would have given it to Lange. You also have Julie Andrews, so wonderful, and Diane Keaton, un-nominated for Shoot the Moon.
1977--As much as I love that Diane Keaton won for Annie Hall, sweet Jesus Lord, was Marsha Mason good in The Goodbye Girl. These two years, along with 1939, are my favorite Best Actress lineups ever.
1984--It's hard to argue with F. Murray Abraham's win for Amadeus, but I so wanted Albert Finney to get it for Under the Volcano. Such chilling brilliance, and the fact that Finney remains Oscar-less is criminal.
2000--Burstyn vs. Roberts. I endorse AMPAS' decision, but this is really the epitome of an impossible choice. Two very different performances and films, and both actresses completely perfect in them.
1. Ian McKellen in "Gods and Monsters" and Edward Norton in "American History X"
2. Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal" and Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada"
3. Margaret Avery in "The Color Purple" and Oprah Winfrey in "The Color Purple"
4. Bette Davis in "All About Eve" and Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard"