MovieChat Forums > Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966) Discussion > Vanessa Redgrave's Oscar nomination?

Vanessa Redgrave's Oscar nomination?

posted 14 years ago by miriamwebster
13 replies | jump to latest

Why??? Was it a post-Julie Christie Oscar win nod to all things mod and British? A slow year for actresses? Warner Bros.' campaign to launch her as international star in their upcoming Camelot? Not a bad performance but a not particularly notable one either, in an unremarkable role.

I tend to favor the "slow year" theory--how else to explain baffling Best Actress nominations for A Man And A Woman and The Shop On Main Street (an admirable acting job but for a largely unknown thespian in a Czech art house movie???). Would never have happened in a year with stronger Hollywood competition--of five nominees, winner Elizabeth Taylor was only bankable name with any track record.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] IForgotMyMantra 13 years ago

I think it was a generous nomination. Not only was there Camelot, but she was very hip after Blow Up in the same year as Morgan.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] ahab19 13 years ago

"Was it a post-Julie Christie Oscar win nod to all things mod and British? A slow year for actresses?"

Three of the nominees that year were British and the other two were for foreign language performances.

If there were any notable American performances that were overlooked, I can't think of any.

Kramer: ...he was very impressed with what I do.
Elaine: What you do? You don't do anything!

[–] ahab19 12 years ago

They need to release this on DVD already.

Kramer: ...he was very impressed with what I do.
Elaine: What you do? You don't do anything!

[–] ibbi 12 years ago

It's certainly an odd one. Not that notable, no, and almost certainly supporting I would say. I think a lot of factors play into it, in addition to the ones you've named, there's the fact that she was the daughter of a globally known and respected, Oscar nominated actor.

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http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb74/iyb/dacrew.jpg

[–] Jack_Rabbit_Slims91 11 years ago

Bizarre nom to say the least. She essentially does nothing in the film and was probably supporting.

Silver Linings Playbook / O. Russell / Jackman / Lawrence / Waltz / Hunt

[–] MrEdnablackadder 11 years ago

What's even more baffling to me is that she also won the Best Actress award at Cannes Film Festival. All of this while her outstanding co-star David Warner, who was the movie, was constantly getting ignored. Vanessa is one of my favourite actresses, but this was more of a supporting role and her work wasn't on the same level as David's. But you know, she was called Redgrave and was well-known because of her stage work and already a star even if she had started to do movies the same year. One year before they were already fighting to have her for "Life at the Top" and just one year later she received a CBE (was there ever another actor who got one when he/she was a mere 30?)

1966 reminds me a lot of 2012 as an Oscar year. American cinema had hardly offered any interesting role to its female stars, so they looked for talent in Europe. Very few American actresses come to mind that year. There is Jane Fonda in "The Chase", who was good, but not that good and probably supporting. There is Tuesday Weld in the quite forgettable "Lord Love a Duck". Fine work, not exactly award stuff. Moving the subject on British actresses, there was Julie Christie in "Fahrenheit" 451. I think she was very deserving and could be considered a lead since she played a double role.

Ida Kaminska should have won IMO. But it was one of those miraculous, ultra-awesome noms that never translate into wins (Melina Mercouri, Fernanda Montenegro, Emmanuelle Riva etc.).

Anouk Aimée did nothing but look charming in the unsufferable "Un homme et une femme". If they wanted to go French, they could have nominated Jeanne Moreau for "Mademoiselle". But Lelouch's incredibly easy and simple dud had won everyone over. This nom also makes me think of this year: strong male performances abound, so a French actress gets in, but her partner is ignored .. and it's always poor Jean-Louis Trintignant, one of the all-time great actors. At least this year the acting representative for his film was his equal, instead of someone who doesn't even possess 25% of his talent.

Lynn Redgrave was very good in "Georgy Girl", a brilliantly acted but rather dated movie. Ok, it was better than the average British comedies of the swinging 60's, but that's not saying much.

And then there was Elizabeth Taylor, the obvious winner. I'm never been a big fan of Liz, but I must admit that she gave a performance of a lifetime in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and deserved an Oscar. No real issues here.

Was there someone else? Audrey Hepburn in "How to Steal a Million"? Not exactly Oscar material. "Persona" was released in the USA one year later, so no Ullmann and Andersson to throw into the mix.

My ranking of the actual nominees:

1.Ida Kaminska
2.Elizabeth Taylor
3.Lynn Redgrave
4.Vanessa Redgrave
5.Anouk Aimée

[–] evebay39 10 years ago

Ditto on Kaminski - the standout in these noms. I'm a bit baffled by the idea that somehow she wasn't deserving for being in a 'foreign' 'art house' movie, though. Acting is as acting does - it doesn't matter where. The only other deserving nom for the year, for me, was Lynn Redgrave.

A quick glance at the eligibility list for the year I'd have thought

Anne Bancroft - 7 Women (could have taken a couple from this)
Natalie Wood - This Propery is Condemned

might be fair considerations.

[–] sirjeremy 9 years ago

When you consider that she was a relative outsider, had a supporting role, wasn't that memorable, and the film had only one other nomination, it's definitely an odd nomination. I understand her advantages, though - her momentum since winning at Cannes, her being the 'face' of the year, her name (and I think the buzz from her sister's film and performance also helped), and she was also in Blow-Up and A Man for All Seasons, but still, all that didn't seem quite enough for her to get an Oscar nomination, not over, say, Natalie Wood for This Property is Condemned. Even Virginia McKenna in Born Free would have been a better bet, on paper.

[–] don-lockwood 9 years ago

What a fluke this nomination is! Redgrave actually does something memorable with the character, giving dimension and credibility to her complicated feelings toward Morgan. And of course she would go on to have a first-rate career. But she is hardly lead and even in supporting would be an unlikely nominee given how little she has to work with.

I liked the movie enough, but I don't think David Warner was so transcendent that he had to be nominated, especially when the Lead Actor race was more competitive.

The Lead Actress nominees are, like 2012, among the weakest in the category's history. On paper they look good because they were all acclaimed foreign actresses. And all five were also nominated for Golden Globes, signifying across-the-board industry support. But really only two are fantastic. Elizabeth Taylor gives one of the greatest performances in the history of film, making up for her weak competition and her pity Oscar for BUtterfield 8. Lynn Redgrave is wonderful in Georgy Girl. Everyone else was lucky to be nominated. A Man and a Woman is one of my favorite films, and Anouk Aimee gives a subtle, layered, heartbreaking performance, but again, not much character to work with. Kaminska is like Emmanuelle Riva in Amour; hardly a lead and really just a victim role, but the few moments where she's allowed to shine are the climax of the film.

Haven't seen This Property Is Condemned, 7 Women, or The Chase, but at least Natalie Wood seems as worthy as the actual nominees. Audrey Hepburn was wonderful (as always) in How to Steal a Million. A little indie called Dutchman with Shirley Knight appears to be ahead of its time. You're a Big Boy Now had Elizabeth Hartman, a nominee from the previous year, playing against type, but maybe she's more supporting. Both Persona actresses were stunning and easily ahead of everyone here except for Taylor and arguably Lynn Redgrave. Rosalind Russell was fun as always in The Trouble with Angels, though the Academy would never have considered it. Lana Turner looks like she had a heavy role in Madame X. And McKenna did a nice job, though the actors aren't the focus of Born Free.

So my top 10 will probably shape up as follows:
Elizabeth Taylor
Lynn Redgrave
Liv Ullmann
Bibi Andersson
Anouk Aimee
Audrey Hepburn
Shirley Knight
Natalie Wood
Rosalind Russell
Lana Turner

Leaving out V. Redgrave, Kaminska, etc.

[–] solex10 8 years ago

Haven't seen This Property Is Condemned, 7 Women, or The Chase, but at least Natalie Wood seems as worthy as the actual nominees.

Wood was also good in Inside Daisy Clover, about a young women who gets discovered and becomes a movie star in 1930's Hollywood.

Kaminska is like Emmanuelle Riva in Amour; hardly a lead and really just a victim role

So is Redgrave in this role in Morgan, who seems to just be there to be stalked by her ex-husband and little else. If this movie were released today, it would be roundly condemned by bloggers online for what Redgrave's character is.

A little indie called Dutchman with Shirley Knight appears to be ahead of its time.

It wasn't ahead of its time, but in its time, and was a good performance by Knight, as well as being a (still) timely story about race and sex.

You're a Big Boy Now had Elizabeth Hartman, a nominee from the previous year, playing against type, but maybe she's more supporting.

No, she's worthy of being on the list for playing Barbara Darling, the women that Bernard Chanticleer (Peter Katsner) sees as the ideal women to get, only to realize that Karen Black's character is better and not a misandrist jerk.

Rosalind Russell was fun as always in The Trouble with Angels, though the Academy would never have considered it.

The Academy wanted to be 'with it' and hip, and nuns weren't as cool that year, which is why Redgrave was nominated, and Russell wasn't.

[–] alejandroyaryura 8 years ago

Yes, this was an odd nomination but she was not only nominated for an Oscar for this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe, BAFTA and won the best actress prize in Cannes. So, you have your answer: not only the Oscars thought she was great.