Showbiz History: Duplicity, The King and I, and the 1951 Oscars
Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 9:42AM 5 random things that happened on this day, March 20th, in showbiz history...
1949 The 20th Academy Awards are held honoring the films of 1947. The anti-semitism journalism drama Gentleman's Agreement takes Best Picture with Miracle on 34th Street probably a distant second. We had so much fun discussing this year last summer and we highly recommend you watch Crossfire (which lost all five of its nominations) because it's excellent...
1952 The 24th annual Academy Awards are held honoring the films of 1951. A Place in the Sun and An American in Paris are neck and neck all night (each winning 6 statues) but the musical takes Best Picture. A Streetcar Named Desire, which had led with the most nomations won 3 of the 4 acting Oscars... though obviously it should have taken all of them since it remains the weirdest thing that Marlon Brando's iconic performance was the only one of the quartet that lost! The Best Picture nominees were:
- An American in Paris
- Decision Before Dawn
- A Place in the Sun
- Quo Vadis
- A Streetcar Named Desire
That was quite a race -- Who would you have voted for? I had the pleasure of discussing that battle on "And the Runner Up Is..." last year.
1954 Original Broadway musical The King and I closes after its smash hit three year run (three years was a long run for Broadway back then). The movie version is just two years round the corner and both its star Yul Brynner and its costume designer Irene Sharaff will follow up their Tony wins with Oscars.
1982 Joan Jett's classic single "I Love Rock N Roll" hits #1. It'll stay there for 7 weeks.
2009 The forgotten Julia Roberts & Clive Owen romantic-comedyish movie Duplicity opens. We remember it being pretty damn good! Here was our capsule at the time:
Remember that awesomely hostile sexual chemistry Clive Owen and Julia Roberts had in Closer? It's back in full force only this time twisted slightly to service comedic spy games. They really are a sensational screen couple (and relatively close in age: take note Hollywood. This helps). I'm already eager for a third date with them. Although a second date with this movie might be helpful because it's so damn confusing. Also quite fun.
Today's Birthday Suit
Happy 50th today to out underrated actor Murray Bartlett of Looking and Tales of the City fame who is aging so unfairly beautifully. He's been playing Americans for so long that we forgot he was Australian!
Other showbiz birthdays today: Oscar winning perfection Holly Hunter (The Piano, Broadcast News), David Thewliss (Naked, I'm thinking of ending things), Theresa Russell (Insignificance, Black Widow), Currently nominated Writer / Director Ramin Bahrani (99 Homes, White Tiger), Michael Cassidy (Batman v Superman, Zoom), Freema Agyeman (Sense8, Doctor Who), cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Far from the Madding Crowd, Fences), Xavier Dolan (Mommy, I Killed My Mother), Ruby Rose (Orange is the New Black), Vanessa Bell Calloway (Lakeview Terrace, Saints and Sinners), Oscar winning writer/director Spike Lee (Malcolm X, BlacKkKlansman), William Hurt (Kiss of the Spider-Woman, Broadcast News), Michael Rapaport (Beautiful Girls, Atypical), Poland's Jakub Gierszal (Spoor, Dracula Untold), Bianca Lawson (Save the Last Dance, Rogue), Amy Aquino (Working Girl, White Oleander), Natalie Gumede (Titans, Doctor Who), Leila George (Mortan Engines, Animal Kingdom), Jane March (The Lover, Color of Night), and Director Joanna Hogg (Souvenir, Archipelago).
And late greats like another gay actor, Cannes winning and BAFTA and Oscar nominated Sir Michael Redgrave (pictured left) of The Lady Vanishes, The Browning Version, and The Innocents fame who the world owes in perpetuity for bringing us Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave and by extension Natasha Richardson, Joely Richardson, Jemma Redgrave, and Carlo Gabriel Nero. As well as: writer/actor/director Carl Reiner (Oceans 11, The Jerk, The Dick Van Dyke Show), 7 time Emmy nominee Hal Linden (Barney Miller), Oscar nominee Jack Kruschen (The Apartment), Wendell Corey (Rear Window), and Mister Rogers himself, Fred Rogers.
Reader Comments (17)
Re: the 1951 Best Picture race, I'm not that satisfied with either An American in Paris or A Place on the Sun. The former is a bit too inconsequential; the latter is a bit too gloomy (even granted its dramatic storyline). I've got Decision Before Dawn on DVD and I'm looking forward to watching it. I hear it's very good. It only got two nominations - Best Picture and Best Film Editing - which is very odd, but it suggests that it might be a hidden gem!
I like Crossfire too. Terrific (and nominated performances) from Gloria Graham and Robert Ryan.
Vote splitting is real I think. When you have two solid contenders that people can't decide on, or possibly where you have two solid camps who won't vote for the other, it allows that third utterly different thing to win. It happened here with A Place In The Sun and A Streetcar Named Desire. Both excellent black and white serious movies. To this day I'm not sure which is better, so naturally the colorful completely different movie came through and won in the end.
The same thing happened just the year before, but not really between Anne Baxter and Bette Davis in All About Eve, but rather between Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson. Even now who can really decide which performance is better? Enter Judy.
My actual vote would have gone to the unnominated Ace in the Hole for BP but out of the nominees I would choose A Place in the Sun.
So many better choices than Gentleman's Agreement. It's heart is in the right place but it's far too preachy. As much as I love Miracle on 34th Street the winner should have been Crossfire since Out of the Past wasn't nominated.
The wonderful character actor Edgar Buchanan was also born on this day.
love Duplicity. deserves a rewatch. it is very cool.
DUPLICITY was my first job on a film set... it was a great shoot and I wish more people knew the movie! Agreed that the two of them should work together more / again!
What is wrong with being inconsequential? If a movie is really fun and we'll made why not win bp? Not every bp winner needs a message. All that said, no a fan of An American, and go with Streetcar.
PT: I'm not saying every BP needs a message. Goodness no. By "inconsequential" I mean it's a bit "so what"ish. And that's not a quality that deserves a Best Picture Oscar.
Just to clarify, if a movie is "really fun and well made", I wouldn't call it inconsequential. An American in Paris is fairly well-made. I just don't think it's much fun (except whenever Oscar Levant is in it).
I'm all in for An American in Paris
"And Late Greats" Hal Linden is still alive - turns 90 today!
Duplicity is a really great film. I've always been shocked by its box-office returns and by the lack of love. I think it's fun, well made, and the two leads are incredible. It should've been up for the top Globe, along with Clive.
I miss Julia Roberts making films that are fun and smarter than most. She excels so much at it.
I LOVE Duplicity! Julia is at her most confidently sexual in that movie and it's a side I wish she'd explore more because it was a joy to watch. Clive Owen is a really great screen partner for her, I like them together more than when she's with George Clooney (still enjoyable).
- A Place in the Sun, obviously. ;-)
- Duplicity is terrific, one of my five favorite Roberts performances (the others being My Best Friend's Wedding, Notting Hill, Homecoming and Ben Is Back).
- Hal Linden lives!
- A PLACE IN THE SUN
My vote for 1951 Best Picture is "A Streetcar Named Desire" - also Marlon Brando should have one for Best Actor. Murray Bartlett, with his features and mustache has a distinctive 1970s look - he's a beautiful man, doing great American accents in those films. The Redgraves, wonderful acting dynasty, recently saw Michael Redgrave in opening scene with Deborah Kerr in the excellent "The Innocents", portraying the globe-trotting uncle with no time for his niece and nephew, superb in his only scene.
Katharine Hepburn said the right actors win Oscars but for the wrong roles. If Mr. Brando won for Streetcar, then he would have three and Humphrey Bogart, who won that year, would have none. I’d rather live in a world where Bogie has a much deserved prize.
"A Place in the Sun" is in my All Time Top 10, so no hesitation there.
Murray Bartlett should be a Major Shirtless! Star! So damn gorgeous!
Murray Bartlett is a major hottie, good actor too - love him.