Nice job, Fritz! I agree with several people in your top ten. For myself, I think my top 10 would be:
1. Jane Darwell, "The Grapes of Wrath" 2. Hattie McDaniel, "Gone With the Wind" 3. Eva Marie Saint, "On the Waterfront" 4. Sandy Dennis, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" 5. Lila Kedrova, "Zorba the Greek" 6. Maggie Smith, "California Suite" 7. Cloris Leachman, "The Last Picture Show" 8. Katina Paxinou, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" 9. Anne Baxter, "The Razor's Edge" 10. Kim Hunter, "A Streetcar Named Desire"
Originally posted by tonorlo: Nice job, Fritz! I agree with several people in your top ten. For myself, I think my top 10 would be:
1. Jane Darwell, "The Grapes of Wrath" 2. Hattie McDaniel, "Gone With the Wind" 3. Eva Marie Saint, "On the Waterfront" 4. Sandy Dennis, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" 5. Lila Kedrova, "Zorba the Greek" 6. Maggie Smith, "California Suite" 7. Cloris Leachman, "The Last Picture Show" 8. Katina Paxinou, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" 9. Anne Baxter, "The Razor's Edge" 10. Kim Hunter, "A Streetcar Named Desire"
Very nice list and Jane surely is a deserving choice for number 1. But no Linda or Patty?
Posts: 7448 | Location: Good Ol' Germany | Registered: March 27, 2005
Linda and Patty would probably fall in the teens somewhere for me...both did fantastic work, although admittedly I fall into the camp that would have honored Angela Lansbury in 1962. But no one else has ever played Helen Keller as well as Patty Duke.
By the way, Fritz, your analysis for Lila Kedrova was RIGHT ON THE MONEY. Nice to see someone else around here who appreciates this gorgeous (and to use your word) heartbreaking performance.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: tonorlo,
Ok.. My very first top twenty Supporting Actress winners list. I went through all the winners and magiacally ended up with twenty.
Here we go:
20. Linda Hunt 'The Year of Living Dangerously' 19. Rachel Weisz 'The Constant Gardener' 18. Mercedes McCambridge 'All the King's Men' 17. Mercedes Ruehl 'The Fisher King' 16. Juliette Binoche 'The English Patient' 15. Catherine Zeta Jones 'Chicago' 14. Kim Hunter 'A Streetcar Named Desire' 13. Eva Marie Saint 'On the Waterfrontt' 12. Beatrice Straight 'Network' 11. Anjelica Huston 'Prizzi's Honor'
10. Vanessa Redgrave 'Julia' 9. Anne Baxter 'The Razor's Edge' 8. Sandy Dennis 'Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf?' 7. Dianne Wiest 'Bullets Over Broadway' 6. Cloris Leachman 'The Last Picture Show' 5. Peggy Ashcroft 'A Passage to India' 4. Lila Kedrova 'Zorba the Greek' 3. Marcia Gay Harden 'Pollock' 2. Jane Darwell 'The Grapes of Wrath' 1. Maggie Smith 'California Suite'
I wanted to represent comedy, as it is harder to make people laugh than to cry. I tried to include as many comedic performances as I could, but I've always known who was going to be number one.
The movie is awful, yes I know, but if you have not seen Maggie Smith in 'California Suite' you are not fit to make your own top ten list!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: dannyboy,
Originally posted by dannyboy: Ok.. My very first top twenty Supporting Actress winners list. I went through all the winners and magiacally ended up with twenty.
Here we go:
20. Linda Hunt 'The Year of Living Dangerously' 19. Rachel Weisz 'The Constant Gardener' 18. Mercedes McCambridge 'All the King's Men' 17. Mercedes Ruehl 'The Fisher King' 16. Juliette Binoche 'The English Patient' 15. Catherine Zeta Jones 'Chicago' 14. Kim Hunter 'A Streetcar Named Desire' 13. Eva Marie Saint 'On the Waterfrontt' 12. Beatrice Straight 'Network' 11. Anjelica Huston 'Prizzi's Honor'
10. Vanessa Redgrave 'Julia' 9. Anne Baxter 'The Razor's Edge' 8. Sandy Dennis 'Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf?' 7. Dianne Wiest 'Bullets Over Broadway' 6. Cloris Leachman 'The Last Picture Show' 5. Peggy Ashcroft 'A Passage to India' 4. Lila Kedrova 'Zorba the Greek' 3. Marcia Gay Harden 'Pollock' 2. Jane Darwell 'The Grapes of Wrath' 1. Maggie Smith 'California Suite'
I wanted to represent comedy, as it is harder to make people laugh than to cry. I tried to include as many comedic performances as I could, but I've always known who was going to be number one.
The movie is awful, yes I know, but if you have not seen Maggie Smith in 'California Suite' you are not fit to make your own top ten list!
Great list (even if we disagree on some points)! Maggie is surely a great choice for number 1 and I wish I would have had place for her in my Top10, but she just didn't make it. But I have Josephine Hull in my Top10 to represent comedy.
Posts: 7448 | Location: Good Ol' Germany | Registered: March 27, 2005
Congratulations. This is one of the most informative threads at GD! good list. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
FYC EMMY VOTERS!!!
Please consider the following performances:
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) Julia Louis Dreyfus (New Adventures of Old Christine) Steve Carell (The Office) Hugh Laurie (House) Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Posts: 8834 | Location: Manila | Registered: August 19, 2006
Fantastic job. Excellent, detailed and thoughtful analysis. I read each one (though respectfully disagreed with many) of the summaries.
Here is my Top 10 of most deserving in this category (in no particular order):
Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden Olympia Dukakis in Moonstruck Eileen Heckart in Butterlies Are Free Claire Trevor in Key Largo Maggie Smith in California Suite Rita Moreno in West Side Story Cloris Leachman in The Last Picture Show Beatrice Straight in Network Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker
**I would like to add a special mention to Jan Sterling in The High and the Mighty. Her performance is brief but very powerful and moving. Her "Oscar scene" is only about 4 minutes, but it packs a punch even today. Too bad she didn't win for this stellar performance.
Following is my list of whom I feel did not deserve to be awarded with an Oscar for that particular performance:
Ingrid Bergman in Murder on the Orient Express Helen Hayes in Airport Lee Grant in Shampoo Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower Jessica Lange in Tootsie
Posts: 95 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: January 29, 2003
Originally posted by Shmarkus: Fantastic job. Excellent, detailed and thoughtful analysis. I read each one (though respectfully disagreed with many) of the summaries.
Here is my Top 10 of most deserving in this category (in no particular order):
Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden Olympia Dukakis in Moonstruck Eileen Heckart in Butterlies Are Free Claire Trevor in Key Largo Maggie Smith in California Suite Rita Moreno in West Side Story Cloris Leachman in The Last Picture Show Beatrice Straight in Network Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker
**I would like to add a special mention to Jan Sterling in The High and the Mighty. Her performance is brief but very powerful and moving. Her "Oscar scene" is only about 4 minutes, but it packs a punch even today. Too bad she didn't win for this stellar performance.
Following is my list of whom I feel did not deserve to be awarded with an Oscar for that particular performance:
Ingrid Bergman in Murder on the Orient Express Helen Hayes in Airport Lee Grant in Shampoo Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower Jessica Lange in Tootsie
Thanks for your post! Very intersting lists from you! Could you maybe explain to me what you like so much about Jo Van Fleet? I would love to hear why somebody would like this performance so much.
Posts: 7448 | Location: Good Ol' Germany | Registered: March 27, 2005
Originally posted by Shmarkus: Fantastic job. Excellent, detailed and thoughtful analysis. I read each one (though respectfully disagreed with many) of the summaries.
Here is my Top 10 of most deserving in this category (in no particular order):
Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden Olympia Dukakis in Moonstruck Eileen Heckart in Butterlies Are Free Claire Trevor in Key Largo Maggie Smith in California Suite Rita Moreno in West Side Story Cloris Leachman in The Last Picture Show Beatrice Straight in Network Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker
**I would like to add a special mention to Jan Sterling in The High and the Mighty. Her performance is brief but very powerful and moving. Her "Oscar scene" is only about 4 minutes, but it packs a punch even today. Too bad she didn't win for this stellar performance.
Following is my list of whom I feel did not deserve to be awarded with an Oscar for that particular performance:
Ingrid Bergman in Murder on the Orient Express Helen Hayes in Airport Lee Grant in Shampoo Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower Jessica Lange in Tootsie
Thanks for your post! Very intersting lists from you! Could you maybe explain to me what you like so much about Jo Van Fleet? I would love to hear why somebody would like this performance so much.
I have been fascinated by this performance for years. Your analysis, which reflects others I have read, suggests that Van Fleet is perhaps too nuanced, too "Actor's Studio" in the film. For me, I feel she superbly conveys the character's long-held bitterness; her tough veneer a result of feeling the need to protect herself after being emotionally abandoned by her husband. I don't see her as a villain; rather she is a tough, but fair woman. For me, this is an example of an Academy Award-winning performance.
Posts: 95 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: January 29, 2003
I just saw Claire Trevor's performance - I wouldn't say its one of the best wins in the category, but if it was part of a better film and if it was extended it just might have been. Still, it's a diamond of a performance in a stale clot of a production - and I agree, Lauren Bacall's performance was one of the most wooden I've ever seen.
Originally posted by Egg Fu: and I agree, Lauren Bacall's performance was one of the most wooden I've ever seen.
Thank you! Seriously, what is wrong with her in that movie (or in every movie, actually)? In all her scenes opposite Edward G. Robinson she looks like a robot
Posts: 7448 | Location: Good Ol' Germany | Registered: March 27, 2005
I lol'd when she "attacked" Edward G. Robinson. He was hamming it up noxiously but at least he was somewhat charismatic compared to the turgid screen presence of his castmates (save for Claire Trevor - I agree, her singing scene is fantastic but she is SO under-utilized in the rest of the film; sometimes a performance is used effectively as a tease, but there are other times where it is obvious that the filmmakers made a HUGE mistake in not including a character more. This time it was the latter.)
and Jane surely is a deserving choice for number 1.
