re: Did the Academy get it right? 1968 Best Picture Winner

quote:

---

The book I mentioned details the countdown to the nominations being announced.

---

Checking it out.

quote:

---

However, Twentieth Century Fox conducted a press campaign -- ads in trade papers, luncheons for the press, parties for Academy voters -- that resulted in Doolittle getting the last nomination (and became the model for future award campaigns)

---

Further proof they can't be taken seriously.

I gotta admit...even though Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is an acting masterpiece imo...

There are a few flaws. Poitier is kind of like "The Perfect black man", the father is the most liberal white man in San Francisco (ok maybe not to that extreme, but you get the idea) The daughter is so naive, although hot, ditzy that you'd wonder why he would want a woman like this?

However, I think for 1967...they had to portray it like that to even get a movie like that made. There couldnt be any flaws exposed about Poitier (although I did like the scene where he was ready to flirt with the "beautiful young black woman" that worked at the house. Still its wonderfully acted.

I also like the compare/contrast of the black man in 1967 with that movie and In the Heat of the Night.....at least in terms of cinema. See how ones treated in San Francisco and the other treated in Mississippi.

quote:

---

Retroactively, I would give it to The Graduate.

---

Agreed.

quote:

---

but also had Quiz Show and Four Weddings and a Funeral - I'm not knocking either film, but almost 20 years later, they really stand out as not belonging in the same conversation at the other 3.

---

Wow I wouldn't go that far.

Quiz Show is excellent. And Four Weddings is still a classic romantic comedy. They certainly belong in the conversation.

Gump, Shawshank and PF just have a lot of trendy appeal behind them, and certainly deserve top honor that year, but the other two still belong.

quote:

---

Quiz Show is excellent.

---

Meh. Turturro was excellent (he always is - Lebowski, Miller's Crossing, Rounders - I can't say I've ever seen him phone it in.) It's a pretty good movie overall, but I can't say it's in the same league with Gump, Shawshank or Pulp Fiction. I've seen Shawshank and Pulp Fiction a combined total of at least 80 times. I once watched Pulp Fiction twice in one day. Gump is not as rewatchable (for me), but I've seen it a half dozen times.

Quiz Show as someone said, one and done.

1)2001
2)Planet of the Apes
3)The Graduate

quote:

---

I think that is a great study on the treatment of African Americans generally over the past 40 years - in GWCTD? we have an idealized, flawless person of color (almost the Hollywood stock character of "The Magic Negro"), who causes a change in people's perception of interracial dating (a very emotionally charged issue at the time).

Now, with ITHOTH, same actor, superficially similar situation. No true idealization - I think Tibbs was played as a straight up, complete character - and he earned respect, despite all of the obstacles of the racist, Jim Crow (or at least vestigal) South - "They call me MR. TIBBS!"

You don't get better by having softballs pitched to you for 40 years - you get better working against guys who brush you back, throw spitballs, knucklers and get a generous strike zone from the ump. It ain't fair, but it makes you a better batter.

(That's all I'm saying...)

---

Good points. I do think an interesting follow up to GWCTD would have been to see how they faired after marriage. The challenges, children, etc. It would have interesting to see how Mr. Prentiss would have handled those type of situations. Then again, I always liked how Poitier played this character...if you noticed his smirk throughout the film....its kind of like he was trolling the family and others (not to say he's not sincere, but it seemed he truly had no fear of the situation.) We really dont see "the edge" come out of him until he confronts his father. But I think he would be built to deal with those rough situations. Remember we only see the character for a day.

Kafka.....get in on this convo!

Crazy talk. Quiz Show is a great movie and a very interesting story.

My only problem with the movie is Fleischman from Northern Exposure.

It was the 1968 Academy Awards, but all these films were produced and released in 1967.

And I feel the nominees should have included
'Cool Hand Luke' as well.
I would have given 'The Graduate' Best Picture,
followed by Cool Hand Luke, Bonnie and Clyde, In Cold Blood, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, In The Heat Of The Night, The Dirty Dozen, Reflections In A Golden Eye, The Jungle Book and Dr. Doolittle.


1994 was another great year in film, with Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, and Pulp Fiction.

quote:

---

Crazy talk. Quiz Show is a great movie and a very interesting story.

---

I said I wasn't trying to slight it - seriously, I watched it one time, it was a fine movie. It is not in the same league as Shawshank, Gump or Pulp Fiction. All of us agreeing it was a fine, fine movie won't make it as good as these three films.