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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWhich Best Actor/Best Actress Oscar (TM) of the past fifty years was the least deserving?
So a few days ago, I posed the question of what film was the Worst Best Picture winner of the past 50 years.
So now I pose a more complicated question: Which Best Actor/Best Actress Oscar (TM) of the past fifty years was the least deserving?
This is a tricky question. The Actor/Actress awards are political (in the sense of industry politics). Some years, the wrong actor wins. Some years, the wrong actor wins to make up for a previous year. Some years the wrong actor wins what is essentially an award for a lifetime body of work.
An example from outside the timeframe: Elizabeth Taylor was nominated for three consecutive years and lost three times. The first year, she lost to Joanne Woodward for Three Faces of Eve (no one else had a chance); however in the subsequent year, when Taylor played Maggie in Cat on Hot Tin Roof, she lost to Susan Hayward in I Want to Live; the next year, both Taylor and Katherine Hepburn were nominated in the same film - Suddenly, Last Summer. Both went on to lose to Simone Signoret for Room at the Top. So, in 1960 Taylor finally wins for Butterfield 8 - not a great film, but she was good in it -- just probably not as good as Shirley MacLaine in The Apartment.
I'm not going to do survey form this time, because it's be like doing calculus. I'll give you two from 1967-2017 that I think are good examples. John Wayne for True Grit: I like Duke Wayne, but this was essentially a lifetime achievement award. The other would be Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, which was essentially a make-up award for her not winning in 2006 (The Devil Wears Prada), 2008 (Doubt) and 2009 (Julie & Julia)
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)She's a competent enough actress, and the Piano was a decent film, but I can't imagine why she won best supporting actress for her role in it.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)It's frequently awarded to longtime actors, but is also awarded to kids that captivated audiences.
The most bitterly argued supporting actress was the award to Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously. If you don't know the story, Hunt was called upon to fill the role of a male dwarf actor who died unexpectedly. The performance was amazing. However, Cher also gave an incredible performance in Silkwood. Film fans still argue over that one.
John Fante
(3,479 posts)In "Silence of the Lambs".
Best SUPPORTING Actor.
chelsea0011
(10,115 posts)she was nominated along with Winslet in "Titantic", Christie in "Afterglow", Dench in "Mrs. Brown", and Bonham Carter in "The Wings of the Dove". I didn't like the movie much and I think Nicholson also won the award that year. So, I guess what do I know.
pressbox69
(2,252 posts)one of his dullest performances. IMHO.
Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)That was pretty much Jack playing an asshole for two hours...didnt speak to me. Went back over the list from that year and maybe Matt Damon should have won for Good Will Hunting, the other nominees that year were kinda blah as well.
Lunabell
(6,133 posts)She is a horrible actress.
Freethinker65
(10,093 posts)Squinch
(51,075 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Was actually thinking something by Meryl Streep ...but she has only won 3 out if 20 times nominated. Most overrated actress next to Julia Roberts
Orrex
(63,261 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)In one scene in "You've Got Mail" when Meg Ryan's character dismisses, insults Hanks' character, toward the end when she says "you are nothing but a suit", Hanks says nothing, no dialogue, but somehow expresses the emotion and facial and body language of every man who has ever been in that situation, striking out.
Meg Ryan is brilliant as well. And I mean she is one of the very very best ALSO!
Tom Hanks has not given a poor or even average performance that I know of.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)him in Big
Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)If you are not experienced in acting you might not appreciate it the way actors do.
Scenes where the character is overly loud and obnoxious or angry etc, are much easier to do than scenes like this one. I am not a great actor at all but I do have some experience in it.
Which reminds me, time to watch some clips of this guy
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Am an analyst so my brain goes at it from a different direction. Not as much how he acted but that his action...walking away seemed incongruent. She was pretty much trashing him throughout the conversation and he was slinging it back. Then all of a sudden he walks away when she escalates. I know... beating a dead horse. My beef is probably more with the directing or script than the acting
Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)words, before he leaves.
Little stuff like that which is way harder to do than giving speeches, especially loud angry ones.
Anyway, go here and post a favorite scene of yours
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181035786
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)He's not a man's man in the sense of Gable, Flynn, Wayne, etc. But he's a guy's guy. I remember him in early roles like Bachelor Party, on through Volunteers (my 2nd favorite Hanks film), Joe vs. The Volcano (my favorite), and onward to the films like Philadelphia & Forrest Gump.
He has played a wide range of modern (WW II - present) American male roles well and convincingly. I'm not sure I could see him doing a pre-WW I period piece work. One of the reasons Cast Away works so well is that many of us can see ourselves in the role of office-dweller suddenly thrust into an endless battle for survival.
The funny thing about You've Got Mail is that it was not as well-received as Sleepless In Seattle at the time of its release, and many saw it as an extended ad for AOL. As time as passed, Joe Fox may have grown to be his best known and most beloved role.
I know many people aren't particularly fans of Julia Roberts, but a Hanks movie I enjoy that was overlooked was Larry Crowne. The tale of the displaced big box store worker who goes to community college to start over.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)Hanks is one of the greatest actors who ever lived, period and one of the top 2 or 3 American actors of all time.
What he can do , range , etc., remarkable.
underpants
(182,993 posts)He didn't have a voice worked out before he got to the set. Talking to the kid gave him what he needed.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Not of this world.imho
Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)(Im being totally snarky...Ive waited a long time touse that gif, lol!)
CatMor
(6,212 posts)Phentex
(16,334 posts)I never saw her as an amazing actress in any way until she did August: Osage County where she had to actually act.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Mystic pizza...very believable. After that and maybe pretty woman...a whole slew of crap.
Iris
(15,678 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)wide-eyed persona with a mile-wide smile and giggle. Trouble is, it didn't translate to drama - where they tried to cast her. And, unfortunately, as life is, doesn't last with age.
Iris
(15,678 posts)She is ok in comedies. That's about it.
pressbox69
(2,252 posts)Glenda Jackson in A Touch Of Class. A meh performance in a meh film.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Streisand was more deserving for The Way We Were, but she'd recently won; Ellyn Burstyn was pretty solid in The Exorcist. The thing is I suspect most of the runners up from the prior year would have won in '74.
In 1973:
Liza Minnelli Cabaret as Sally Bowles (Winner)
Diana Ross Lady Sings the Blues as Billie Holiday
Maggie Smith Travels with My Aunt as Augusta Bertram
Cicely Tyson Sounder as Rebecca Morgan
Liv Ullmann The Emigrants as Kristina Nilsson
Say what you will about Diana Ross, but she delivered an incredible performance as Billie Holiday, and Cicely Tyson was incredible in Sounder.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,233 posts)She survived a near fatal bout of pneumonia in early 1961 and had a tracheotomy scar as a result.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Of course, that logic never worked in Peter O'Toole's favor.
Orrex
(63,261 posts)An utterly conventional performance in a mediocre film.
Upthevibe
(8,102 posts)was a travesty!!
Orrex
(63,261 posts)Setting aside her ridiculous Goop craziness, I don't hate her the way much of DU does, and IMO she's turned in some fine performances. Shakespeare in Love shouldn't have won her the prize, though.
Having said that, I didn't really care for Elizabeth, either. Cate Blanchett is always fantastic, though!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Gwyneth is so mediocre in everything. Cate was robbed.
Upthevibe
(8,102 posts)of that...
LisaM
(27,848 posts)Cate Blanchett tried, but that movie was more fictitious than "Shakespeare in Love".
Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)Hanks: Castaway
Ed Harris: Pollock
Geoffrey Rush: Quills
Javier Bardem: Before night falls
I personally thought Harris was exceptional as JP, Hanks was Hanks in Castaway, Rush and Bardem were also great in their roles. My personal preference would be Harris, but I think Id be happier with anyone on that list over Crowe.
Orrex
(63,261 posts)Terrific film, and terrific performances all around. Much as I enjoyed (the first half of) Castaway, Harris would have gotten my vote that year.
uriel1972
(4,261 posts)Both the performance and the movie were atrocious.
Bucky
(54,088 posts)Fonda never winning an Oscar is an injustice. He finally got an Oscar on his deathbed, but it was in spirit a lifetime achievement award, effectively robbing either Warren Beatty (Reds) or Paul Newman (Absense of Malice) of deserved trophies.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Much as Newman's award for The Color of Money was a make-up award for Absence of Malice, The Verdict, and a host of other films.
Floyd R. Turbo
(26,697 posts)Hoffman was robbed!
First Speaker
(4,858 posts)...his last film, and for my money, by far his best performance. He was actually acting in that film, not playing "John Wayne". He showed a tenderness, vulnerability, and a surprising intelligence as a dying gunfighter...
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)MountainMama
(237 posts)If anyone says Wayne couldn't act, I point them to that movie and "The Searchers." His politics notwithstanding, the man could act.
"The Shootist" is an amazing movie and Lauren Bacall was lovely.
"Bond! That's a crackerjack name for a woman!"
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Of course, Burton and O'Toole were robbed many, many times at the Oscars.
Floyd R. Turbo
(26,697 posts)Midwestern Democrat
(806 posts)Here were his Best Actor nominations:
1954 - "The Robe" - Burton's not that great in this (was the weakest nominee) and the movie itself is a POS
1965 - "Becket" - a strong year (Peter Sellers in "Dr. Strangelove", Peter O'Toole in "Becket", and Anthony Quinn in "Zorba the Greek" ), but just like Yul Brynner in "The King and I", the Academy could not resist giving Rex Harrison the award for a beloved stage performance in "My Fair Lady"
1966 - "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" - Lee Marvin winning for "Cat Balou" was a disgrace, but Rod Steiger deserved the award this year for "The Pawnbroker"
1967 - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - Paul Schofield was really good in "A Man for All Seasons"
1970 - "Anne of the Thousand Days" - an OK costume drama; John Wayne got the "Lifetime Achievement" Oscar, but Dustin Hoffman deserved the award this year for "Midnight Cowboy"
1978 - "Equus" - a weak year for Best Actor and I don't really like this film - it would not have been a bad thing for Burton to get a "Lifetime Achievement" Oscar for this role.
Peter O'Toole on the other hand, did get legitimately robbed at least twice (blatantly so in 1969):
1963 - "Lawrence of Arabia" - was robbed this year - it was the best performance nominated.
1965 - "Becket" - see above for Burton for this year
1969 - "The Lion in Winter" - he was blatantly robbed this year; Cliff Robertson's performance in "Charly" was quickly forgotten
1970 - "Goodbye Mr Chips" - see above for Burton for this year
1973 - "The Ruling Class" - no one was beating Marlon Brando for "The Godfather"
1981 - "The Stunt Man" - De Niro deserved his win for "Raging Bull"
1983 - "My Favorite Year" - very strong year - Ben Kingsley for "Ghandi"; Paul Newman for "The Verdict"; Dustin Hoffman for "Tootsie"; Jack Lemmon for "Missing"
2007 - "Venus" - didn't see this film nor the film Forrest Whitaker won for, so really can't comment
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)RE: Forrest Whitaker - He gave a masterful performance as Idi Amin.
RE: 1963 - Peck was really strong in TKAM. I agree O'Toole was more deserving; I'm not sure it rises to the level of robbery.
RE: 1969 - I like Robertson in "Charley", but 1969 does rise to the level of robbery.
RE: 1983 - Nobody was beating Ben Kingsley. That said, the other performances in 1983 would have won Best Actor for any of those four in most other years. As much as I love O'Toole in MFY, I'd have given the Oscar (TM) to Newman for The Verdict
Glorfindel
(9,742 posts)I loved the movie; thought it was hilarious. I also love Richard Dreyfuss, but his acting in "The Goodbye Girl" was just slapstick and gay-bashing. A terrible decision on the part of the Academy.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Woody Allen for Annie Hall - it's really the same role he plays in every film
Richard Burton for Equus - I sometimes think it's held against you if you played the same role on stage. Realistically, it would have been a great year to recognize his body of work.
Marcello Mastroianni for A Special Day - I think he was rounding out the field.
John Travolta for Saturday Night Fever - In retrospect, he might have been the best pick.
Not nominated - Mark Hamill - Star Wars
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)It solely for remembering all the lines. Loved the movie too. One on my bingeworthy list. Daughter was great
underpants
(182,993 posts)They gave him a lifetime achievement award basically. Bland movie with Pacino really playing himself.
He didn't even say Hooah! correctly.
He beat out
Clint Eastwood in "Unforgiven"
Stephen Rea in "The Crying Game"
Denzel as Malcom X -- incredible performance
and Robert Downey Jr as Chaplin -- a jaw dropping performance. One of the best portrayals I've ever seen.
Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)It is easily in my top ten of movies, but I agree with your assessment. Gun to my head, Id probably say Denzel as Malcom X but man is Downeys performance underrated in Chaplin. Stephen Reas Performance is great as well. Finally, I like Unforgiven, but lets be honest, if Pacino is gonna get knocked for playing himself in SoaW the same could be said for Eastwood in Unforgiven
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Downey as Chaplin was a shocker. By 1993, we knew Denzel could act - that was a given. Downey had mostly been known for comedy roles -- no one saw that performance coming, and it.was.amazing. One of those two should have taken home the hardware.
red dog 1
(27,903 posts)That year, either Melanie Griffith (Working Girl) or Sigourney Weaver (Gorillas in the Mist) should have gotten the Oscar, imo.
(Jodie Foster did deserve the Oscar she got for Silence of the Lambs in 1991)
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)I will say that was a tough year. Very competitive.
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)Blind Side
Not that it was a bad movie, or that her performance was lousy. It's just that it wasn't particularly extraordinary.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)Maybe Im biased because I didnt care for the movie, but I dont think that was Best Actress worthy. For my money, Portman should have won for Jackie. That performance was absolutely haunting in its raw emotion. I thought she brought an element of authenticity and respect to the role and her dedication to capturing the personal side of Jackie is just amazingly gut wrenching.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)From what I saw, Portman absolutely nailed it.
Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)Portman worked extremely hard to nail the public accent that Jackie gave in interviews and movies, as well as her actual at home voice. The emotion she was able to capture in that film was just gut wrenching. I still cant fathom how she didnt win Best Actress.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,233 posts)So that may have worked against her. I liked her very much in Closer and V for Vendetta too, as well as The Professional.
madaboutharry
(40,245 posts)I thought she should have won.
Midwestern Democrat
(806 posts)He beat Albert Finney in "Murder on the Orient Express", Dustin Hoffman in "Lenny", Jack Nicholson in "Chinatown", and Al Pacino in the "The Godfather Part II". I'm guessing that Nicholson, Pacino, and Hoffman must have split the vote pretty evenly and that's what allowed Carney to slip through.
Yavin4
(35,453 posts)I didn't see your post.
Tikki
(14,560 posts)Tikki
Yavin4
(35,453 posts)He beat out: Jack Nicholson who was nominated for "Chinatown", Al Pacino, "Godfather II", Dustin Hoffman, "Lenny Bruce", and Albert Finney for "Murder on the Orient Express".
The only logical explanation is that those performances all canceled each other out and Carney won.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)Carney will likely never get a chance like this.
Agreed - a baffling pick.
Bradshaw3
(7,542 posts)But the fact that Paul Giamatti wasn't even nominated for Sideways was a joke. Add in that Jude Law was for Cold Mountain - doing one of the worst Southern accents I've ever heard - added to the diss.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Are so right ! Giamatti was flawless. He played down and out so brilliantly you literally want to grab him and shake some fun into him. When he and Church go to retrieve the wallet ...one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen.
Bradshaw3
(7,542 posts)"Me? Yes, just walk in and say my friend was the one balling your wife .. so sorry."
Good description of Giamatti's performance. He was great in American Splendor (probably should have won for that) and John Adams. Never seems to get his due.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)To play the deep down friend mixed with the I do not approve of what you do so realistically. Think we all have friends like that..the charming ne'er do well. I happen to also love Church too..think he's enormously underated. He's on HBO show Divorce...now.
On thing I do not like giamatti in now is think HBO ...he's fbi or something? Bad show imho
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)Colin Firth, especially.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,795 posts)There have been many incredible performances in Biopics. Ben Kingsley as Gandhi; James Whitmore as Harry Truman; Natalie Portman as Jackie K-O; Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln.
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)The actor is judged by how accurately they present the subject's persona. It's the dramatic equivalent of the comedic impersonation.
I don't think this is necessarily the actor's fault, either. The biopic genre is generally derivative, boring, and unchallenging. The plots are simple, the beats identical, and the characters one-dimensional.
Also, I would not categorize Lincoln as a biopic. The movie was not about Lincoln or Lincoln's life. Rather, the film was about a single event, which I feel sets apart from and places it well above the average biopic. I remember Lincoln pretty well, but I couldn't recite to you a single line Colin Firth delivered in The King's Speech.
Response to Algernon Moncrieff (Original post)
red dog 1 This message was self-deleted by its author.
red dog 1
(27,903 posts)Either Jack Lemmon (Some Like It Hot) or Jimmy Stewart (Anatomy of a Murder) would have been a better choice that year.