MovieChat Forums > Norma Rae (1979) Discussion > Sally Field's Oscar speech

Sally Field's Oscar speech

posted 9 years ago by intofilm
4 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this on Youtube and can't believe that in thanking dozens of people who helped make the movie, Sally Fields never mentions thanking Norma Rae and the fact this is her real life story.
I see this so often in these speeches, the actor/actress, Director, scriptwriter, etc, are so caught up in their own professional take on the film they forget that a huge reason the movie and their character were so popular was because of the person portrayed. I think it is really bad when it is an actual biography, and maybe the person whose story it was is sitting right in the audience, and is never even mentioned.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sirjeremy 9 years ago

I read that the film's writers weren't legally allowed to use Crystal Lee Sutton's name in the film, so maybe that was it. Also read that Sutton publicly expressed her dislike at part of 'her' on screen depiction so maybe Field was being loyal to her director, or being sensitive to Sutton's views.

[–] ecjones1951 8 years ago

I believe this is correct. Based on what I have read about her, Sally Field is generous professionally, and if there were no legal issues, most likely she'd have mentioned Crystal Lee Sutton.

[–] rascal67 8 years ago

Field also said that director Martin Ritt made her feel like it was her that was doing it all, when it was really him. Neither must've been paying much attention to what was going on in some scenes regarding Field's performance, because she can be plain embarrassing to watch in parts. She play acts certain feelings and emotions, because she doesn't appear to understand them herself. Watch the kitchen scene with Bridges, where she's telling him that she can be an accommodating wife and take care of her husband and family too. It's a parody!

Bette Midler should have been awarded for THE ROSE. She was real, raw, believable, uninhibited and no emotional stone was left unturned. Midler understood her self-destructive character more than Field did hers. Field is better with comedy and lighter hearted roles. She doesn't have the dramatic range of other actresses.

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