Here are the five nominees: (Winner in Bold)
Biggest Snub:
Diane Keaton – The Godfather (1972)
My Overall Thoughts:
This is a year where two of the 5 nominees do amazing jobs with their roles and the other three are quite good, but not in the same class.
My Rankings:
Supporting Actress
5. Susan Tyrrell
4. Jeannie Berlin
3. Geraldine Page
2. Shelley Winters
1. Eileen Heckart
Movies
5. Fat City – The message here about life’s ups and downs is clear, but the deliberately slow pace isn’t for me. Great acting by all of the cast and it was nice to see Coach doing a different kind of role.
4. Pete ’n’ Tillie – Enjoyable and interesting romantic comedy that works largely due to the performances of Matthau and Burnett. They have amazing chemistry here despite the fact that their characters are so very different from one another. the story is presented in a very charming way that lets each of the characters grow on us. The dialogue is superbly written and are delivered so well by these classic comedians that sometimes one doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the things we are being told. Page is also great as the woman who fixes them up and we get to see what kind of friendship she truly has with each of the characters along the way. She was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance here. Love the way that the story takes us places which are so hard to predict beforehand.
3. The Heartbreak Kid – Great premise that works on numerous levels. Grodin is superb in the leading role and makes us truly believe his character’s dilemma throughout. The idea presented is pretty appalling yet the way that the story flows along with the great dialogue makes the viewer care less and still root for the idea to find a conceivable way to succeed. The rest of the cast is also great because they all feel like very realistic characters going through genuine feelings that most people can relate to at some point or another.
2. Butterflies are Free – Really enjoyable film about the ideas of finding one’s place in the world while also seeking to be free of the protection of others. Albert is amazing in the lead role and is helped by Hawn who is perfectly cast as his very free-thinking new neighbor who wants to teach him about life and the ways of the real world. Heckart is superb as His over protecting mother who does all she can to keep her son safe in an uncertain world. The dialogue is superbly written and does wonders to help develop the characters and the situations that they now find themselves in. Heckart deservingly was nominated for and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role here.
1. The Poseidon Adventure – Extremely fun disaster flick that gets so much right. Great cast that includes so many Oscar winners and nominees. Like a good disaster film we constantly get hit by new and innovative dilemmas for the characters which keeps things thrilling the whole way through. The internal conflicts between the diverse characters works really well and gives us dissenting voices on what is the correct way to survival. Not perfect, yet done really well.
Do I agree with the Oscar winner? – Most Definitely! EH is great in her small yet significant role and is truly the best of the crop here even if the rest are also quite good.
Let me know what you think about these films and my rankings!
MovieRob 