The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1961

1961

So the much anticipated ranking is:

5. Geraldine Page in Summer and Smoke

I don't think that this performance of Geraldine Page is all that special. I mean, she's plays the part properly and she has lots of great moments but altogether, she's far from brilliant. Apart from the beginning, she played Alma just like she had to and she put on very decent work that could be expected from an actress of her calibre. However, she's not as amazing as some say.

4. Piper Laurie in The Hustler

This is not a performance for the ages but Piper Laurie is very good as Sarah in The Hustler. Although sometimes she's too overshadowed by Paul Newman, her work never loses its strength and occasionally, we see truly brilliant, unforgettable scenes. Her achievement is very evenly great and therefore she deserves some praise.

3. Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass

Natalie Wood took on a very difficult role and despite some early mistake, she put on a wonderful performance as Deanie Loomis. She portrayed all the fears and the tension so realistically and exceptionally that she became a truly luminous presence on the screen. She develops the character excellently, avoiding all the traps and obviousness that could have ruined her work.

2. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

It really must be my sentimental side that came to surface while I was watching this movie but I couldn't care less. I understand why some could criticise it but for me, Audrey Hepburn's work as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's is deservedly one of the most iconic performances of all time. Not only has Audrey Hepburn created an unforgettable character, but also some marvellous acting.

1. Sophia Loren in Two Women

I know I should sum up his performance somehow but I feel that my whole review was the shortened version of how I feel about her. Nothing can come close to this wonderful emotionality, the radiant, brilliant personality of Sophia Loren (none of the Hollywood stars of her time can come close to her). This watch of the movie and my review was the ultimate test of my love for this performance and it passed. With distinction. :)

So I can proudly announce

the winner is...

Sophia Loren

in

Two Women

Easy win.

Congratulations to Fritz and Louis on the correct predictions! :) You got a prize but since you got it right only after 4 reviews you can both pick only from these 10 possibilities: 1943, 1953, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1976, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1999.

Final thoughts: BRILLIANT year! I so loved this year. All of them interesting, strong performances. Two very good ones, one really great and two legendary ones. I'm happy that I had to opportunity to do this wonderful year. I feel bad about not picking Audrey (so far, she's my best one not to win, I refuse to say loser) as that performance was worthy of an Oscar. However, no tie was possible. This award belonged to Sophia alone and the Academy somehow (what a miracle) realised that. So I've agreed with the Academy 3 years in a row. :)

Omissions: Jeanne Moreau in La Notte

About the next year: It's no secret that it will be 1992. :)

What do you think?

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

Audrey Hepburn received her fourth Oscar nomination for playing the iconic role of Holly Golightly, a carefree, bohemian young woman in Blake Edwards' classic, Breakfast at Tiffany's. I think Audrey had a fair chance of winning her second Oscar in 1961. In fact, had I been around there, I would have placed my bet on her (or Natalie Wood) as the others didn't seem to be very likely winners. Page (although she got the Golden Globe) wasn't in a big enough movie, Natalie Wood was a bit too young to win, Sophia had the foreign language factor against her and Laurie was overshadowed by her co-stars. I guess Audrey was second or third (if they really loved Natalie).

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a classic. I think if you asked some people to say the title of one of Audrey's films, 80% would answer Breakfast at Tiffany's. And for a reason. This is a truly extraordinary movie that aged well. And it's surely loved by people. When I bought the DVD exactly a week ago in Germany at least 5 people in my group screamed when they saw my copy.I asked myself the question: Do I love it that much, too? The answer is a very firm YES. Indeed Blake Edwards created a totally originally, beautifully bittersweet fairy tale that charms people and warms up their hearts and souls.

However, there's one real reason why people love this movie that much. Surprise! It's Audrey Hepburn who created one of the ten most iconic performances of all time, in my opinion. If I'm very honest to myself, many of the performances that I love know won't be remembered at all in like 100 years. But that doesn't apply to dearest Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's. This istimeless, ageless work that will captivate the soul of people for ever. Some people say that Audrey was God's special gift to the Earth, a real angel. Although that seems to be a bit sentimental and cheey thought, there are times where I really believe it. For example, when I see the first minutes of Breakfast at Tiffany's. We see a beautiful, angelic person in front of the window of Tiffany's having breakfast and looking at all the diamonds and jewelry. Again, this scene really depends on your mood. If you let yourself become a little bit sentimental, you'll be amazed by Audrey instantly. The same goes for the scene where she's singing Moon River, which is probably one of the most adorable moments in history.

Holly Golightly is a much better developed character than people actually give Audrey credit for. In fact, this is a brilliant achievement by her. I loved how Audrey added all the layers to this girl. On the outside, she seems to be a very carefree, even careless bohemian girl who doesn't have much to worry about and she doesn't even want to. She feels good in her body, in her life. However, Audrey showed the vulnerable, insecure side of Holly and she gave her so much more depth than one would expect. I can compare the character to Liza Minnelli's Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Both are hopeful, carefree girls who are really unable to take responsibility even though they know what's right. They are terrified. While Sally has an abortion, Holly just throws her cat out of the cab. They act because of fear and devastation and not because they are bad in any way. Sally's hoping to have a film career, Holly still wants to bo to Brazil.

The way that Holly's relationship with her brother is shown is extraordinary. There's a tiny bit lame scene where she's screaming her brother's name in her sleep. Still, Audrey saves the scene because she didn't overdo it (it was a bit on the edge, though). For Holly, Fred is a reminder of her old life and she doesn't even try to give him up despite the fact that she's more than willing to forget her old life. It's a heart-breaking moment when she's faced with that. We see her old husband and for some minutes Holly becomes Lula Mae, the 14-year-old trying to get rid of her poverty. She finally says goodbye to her old life at the bus station and it's probably the most beautiful scene of Audrey that I've ever seen. I thought nothing of hers could top the beauty of The Nun's Story but, in fact, this one is quite close to that.

One of the biggest criticsm that Audrey usually receives that she only plays herself and relies exclusively on her charm to win the audience's sympathy. Breakfast at Tiffany's, in a weird way, disproves it (or at least in this performance). We all think that we identify Holly Golightly with Audrey Hepburn. However, if we take a closer look at it, we see how wrong that thought really is. In fact, it's really the other way around. We actually think that Audrey Hepburn IS Holly Golightly. It's no wonder since we can see the picture of her in this movie in the 75% of the shops all around the world. However, it was Audrey who got into the body of Holly and transformed herself.

I must also mention how great the comedy scenes are. I love how she poses to the press when she's arrested or how lovely she is when she's really drunk (and she doesn't overdo it). But I can also talk about her wonderful chemistry with George Peppard (The A-Team, how lovely childhood memories) whose performance is a little bit lacking. They are excellent together, though. I especially loved the scene where Holly went into Paul's apartment for the first time (and slept there). Audrey really excelled there, showing the vulnerability of Holly fascinatingly once again. You know, I really wanted Holly and Paul to be happy and everything and that's why their last scene in the rain is so adorable and yes, it's a bit soappy but it was really forgivable in this case, in my opinion.

It really must be my sentimental side that came to surface while I was watching this movie but I couldn't care less. I understand why some could criticise it but for me, Audrey Hepburn's work as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's is deservedly one of the most iconic performances of all time. Not only has Audrey Hepburn created an unforgettable character, but also some marvellous acting. She's both funny and shows all the layers and feelings of this character. Beautiful.

What do you think?

The Next Year

1961

So the nominees were:

• Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's
• Piper Laurie in The Hustler
• Sophia Loren in Two Women
• Geraldine Page in Summer and Smoke
• Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass

Sophia Loren made history in 1961 by becoming the first actress to win for an entirely foreign language-speaking performance. Will she be my winner, too or will I pick one of the other incredible ladies?

What do you think? What's your ranking? What's your prediction for my ranking?

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1954

About the field: Wow, this was quite probably the most interesting line-up so far. It's far from being the best, but it was so colorful and I had much pleasure in it. Too bad that nowadays it's more about Garland vs. Kelly and they forget the other great nominees. My ranking was not as easy as I thought when I finished reviewing the ladies. There was one good, two very good, one very-very good and a timeless, amazing performance. My pick was very easy and I understand why people hate that loss. But the ranking:

5. Grace Kelly in The Country Girl

On the one hand, she's painfully miscast and in the beginning she has no weight. On the other hand, in the end her presence and effect is quite strong and is worthy of my praise. Not easy to judge it, but I myself missed her mysterious persona from her other movies, in other words, the essence of Grace Kelly.

4. Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina

This may not be Audrey Hepburn's best work, but I was utterly charmed and perfectly entertained by it despite its lack of great character development. But I laughed, I was moved, I cared about Sabrina and most of all, I had some kind of an emotional connection to her

3. Jane Wyman in Magnificent Obsession

Jane Wyman gives a satisfying, emotional and very moving performance, which however lacks depth. It might be also due to the weak points of the screenplay, but she wasn't able to be towering and truly impressive. Although everything is where is should be, the achievement is a bit too thin. Very strong work, though.

2. Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones

I must admit that I was totally charmed and mesmerized by the magnetic presence and extraordinary beauty of Ms. Dandridge, who gave a very exciting, wild, sexy and attractive performance as a very complicated woman. A great achievement by a great talent.

1. Judy Garland in A Star is Born

If you travel 1000 years in time and see which performances people still remember, Judy Garland's in A Star Is Born will be one of them. Judy Garland's acting achievement is really one of a kind, a true and eternal classic, one that cannot be forgotten or overlooked by anyone who loves movies. This might be a performance for the ages.

So I can proudly announce

that my winner is...

Judy Garland in A Star is Born

Don't be that surprised! :)

About the next year: Picking was so hard. I wanted to do two other years, but I did not get the movies after all and I was incredibly mad. So I was forced to find a year, which is interesting to me. So finally I found a fine year to do. The clues:

• Friendship forever
• #1 annoying fanclub for an actress and a nom
• (L) Tortured artists (L)

There was one right prediction from Joe, which was a bit late, but I just mention it.

So what do you think? Any observations, thoughts, request for the next years?

Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina

Audrey Hepburn received her second Best Actress nomination for playing Sabrina Fairchild a young girl falling for a businesman in Billy Wilder's romantic comedy, Sabrina. I think that Audrey Hepburn received the least votes from the five ladies as she won the previous year, starred in a very lightweight comedy. The genre was good to her as she won for Roman Holiday, but the competition was quite weak that year. But 1954 was all about Grace Kelly and Judy Garland.

Sabrina is quite probably the most entertaining movie of the five. It has some sentimental and soappy moments, but everything is so full of the wit and quick humor of Billy Wilder, that I quite easily overlooked these flaws and I really enjoyed this delightful experience. That directing nomination was not very worthy (come on, George Cukor got nothing for A Star Is Born). The acting is quite good too, but not very towering. Humphrey Bogart gives a very strong and memorable performance despite being a bit miscast, his early scenes are simply excellent. William Holden is quite good too, but sometimes he was too over-the-top.

Oh, Audrey, dear, beautiul, amazing Audrey. She had such shining beauty and real acting talent (unfortunately directors preffered her beauty to her acting talent). If there's one real superstar, a true icon in motion picture history, then it's quite definitely Ms. Hepburn. She really had style, grace and she solved even the silliest scenes with such dignity and dedication. Nowadays she's criticized for mostly relying on her charm, but I do not blame her for that since her roles demanded that from her (just look at The Nun's Story how many emotions she can create).

The role of Sabrina is quite definitely neither the best nor the most memorable one in Audrey's career. The movie itself is one that you watch at Christmas on TV, when you have nothing else to do, let's face it. Audrey doesn't have big breakdowns or huge acting moments in it. It's really just an easy work solved quite properly and decently. The character seems to be very easy for Audrey, but you can never feel that she thought that it was nothing to her and did not have to care about it. You see the considerable amount of work Audrey put into this performance.

In the very first scenes, Audrey is just like a wild little angel having fun in the garden. She's often referred to as a kind of ugly duckling, but that's not really the case. Simply, Sabrina is just too young to be taken seriously. Her suicide attempt scene is just excellent and very adorable. She wants to inhale the exhaust fume of the car, but starts coughing and then she opens a window. It's so utterly loveable and charming, which is a greater achievement considering the fact that this is actually a suicide scene.

And actually, the best moments of Audrey's whole performance come at the beginning of the movie: like when she forgets to turn on the owen as she cannot concentrate because of her unhappy love life. Audrey is again just charming in those scenes.

However, the biggest flaw of her whole achievement in Sabrina comes after she returns from Paris. Sabrina's change is so sudden and fast that you really just cannot believe it. It's mostly the screenplay's fault, but Sabrina becomes a bit bitchy for a while (she tries to seduce William Holden quite hard and successfully from his bride) which disappears again quite suddenly. I felt that Audrey could have done much better with the development of Sabrina: she made her adorable and succeeded in grabbing the viewer's attention, but she never made Sabrina's changes credible.

Another thing goes against her, which is the screentime. The movie mostly focuses on Humphrey Bogart after a while and Audrey is in the background for some time. Fortunately that goes away, but then she wasn't really able to have an effect on me or make a lasting impression.

Somewhere around the end, she has a very quiet crying scene, when she cooks at Humphrey Bogart's office. I don't know why, but I was just so moved by her. Although that scene wasn't very pushy and came very subtly, it really had an effect on me and I just felt some warmth in my heart. It was just excellent. And if I'm talking about warmth, then I must mention how great it was to hear her singing La Vie en Rose. Gosh, it was just a piece of Heaven.

So, to sum up, this may not be Audrey Hepburn's best work, but I was utterly charmed and perfectly entertained by it despite its lack of great character development. But I laughed, I was moved, I cared about Sabrina and most of all, I had some kind of an emotional connection to her. First I thought this would be a 3.5, but I said, come on and gave her more for sentimental reasons. This is such a delightful achievement.

So, the final conclusion is due tomorrow! Stay tuned, though it won't offer much surprise, I imagine.

The Next Year

Now it's time to move on and continue the fun with a very controversial and talked about year, which is talked about mostly because of two nominees. But let's see which one of them I prefer or I go with someone else.

1954

So the nominees were:

• Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones
• Judy Garland in A Star is Born
• Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina
• Grace Kelly in The Country Girl
• Jane Wyman in Magnificent Obsession

So what do you think? Who's your pick? What's your ranking? Any predictions for my ranking? I am not sure either as I have previously seen only one of them.

I've already written Grace Kelly's profile, so she will be the first, but YOU decide who the next should be.

The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1959

About the field: I can again say that I saw brilliant performances by brilliant actresses. This was the second time that my pick was 100% obvious for me as I think that she was way ahead of the competition, giving one of the best performances ever. However I saw four fantastic performances and a so-so one. I enjoyed their acting immensely and this was probably one of the most versatile years. A woman having an ugly nervous breakdown, a possessive mother, a single woman, a nun and an unhappy actress. And I must also mention that they starred in excellent movies, two of them even must-see ones. And this was also the first time that I previously saw all the movies (well, I saw The Nun's Story when I was 7 and I only remember being horrified that Audrey's hair was cut). So here's my ranking (which was the easiest to make so far besides 1998):

5. Elizabeth Taylor in Suddenly, Last Summer
This performance needed over-the-topness and Elizabeth Taylor, but I felt that it was way too much for me and sometimes she got quite annoying. I said some bad things but still it's not that bad, just a missed opportunity far from being a disaster or a tragedy. Nice work but not enough from Elizabeth Taylor.

4. Doris Day in Pillow Talk
Doris Day never lets her performance be serious, but she takes the comedy part of it more than seriously. She's always in charge of the character technically as her acting mostly technical and you can see how carefully worked on and excellently crafted her peformance realy is. One of the greatest comedy performances ever.

3. Simone Signoret in Room at the Top
Simone Signoret is one of the greatest actresses ever and in Room at the Top she was able to put on an amazing performance, which I liked much more for the first time, but it was still fantastic to watch as she gave a really strong and memorable performance. Magnificent work by an extraordinary talent.

2. Katharine Hepburn in Suddenly, Last Summer
I lined up a great deal of arguments why this is not one of Kate Hepburn's worst performances but is one of her best works ever. in which she deals with all the possible difficulties of a performance with such ease and brilliance that she nearly makes it too easy, which might be true for her, but not an ordinary performer. Gutwrenching work.

1. Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story
A revelation: Audrey Hepburn gently amazes you, her dignity and grace on screen leaves you speechless and makes you think about her for a long time. Haunting, effective work and an amazing accomplishment by a true legend at her finest and one of the greatest performances that I have ever seen in my life. A real onscreen miracle.

So I can proudly announce that my winner for 1959 is...
Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story
Truly unforgettable work by an amazing actress.

I will do another year, which I will finish until next Monday. It's going to be a bit fast, but I won't be able to write until August. But we have a year and naturally I give you clues to find out:

• Who's the First Lady of movies?
• You Rang, M'Lady?
• My, your, his, her...
• It's all about women...

I will reveal the secret tomorrow, but until then I'm waiting for your thoughts, opinions and guesses of course.

Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story

Motion picture legend Audrey Hepburn received her third Best Actress nomination for playing Gabrielle van der Mar, a young Belgian girl who decides to become a nun in order to help other people. She goes through the tough process of learning, and she helps at a mental institution before going to the Congo, where her life is changed forever. This is probably the most respected and appreciated performance of the legendary actress and at the time she also won many awards from critics. This is the type of performance for which stars could win at the time, but I guess the "she's already won" thing got in the way of Hepburn.

The Nun's Story is a moving, credible and in short excellent movie, which shows the life and sacrifices of nuns with dignity and respect. It's by no means a standard religious drama, so a non-religious person can also identify with the subject and in my opinion it's a great achievement. The movie features several Academy Award winning and nominated actors (although most of them were not nominated at the time), who give excellent and memorable supporting performances. I must give special mention to Dame Edith Evans, who was most definitely worthy of the Oscar nomination (and the win too in that weak year if you ask me). But it's also nice to see Beatrice Straight, Peter Finch (both won for Network 17 years later) and Peggy Ashcroft.

They all pale in comparision with Audrey Hepburn, who gives her ever-best performance in this movie. This role was tailor-made for her and I actually cannot really imagine anyone playing this role, as Hepburn is more Hepburn in this movie than ever, despite the fact that this is her most dramatic performance. Until right now I was one of those, who thought that Audrey Hepburn is mostly loved and appreciated because of her charm, but The Nun's Story was like a revelation to me: yes, Audrey Hepburn had enourmous talent, a one-of-a-kind screen presence and a nearly angelic personality. This role had to come in her way, it was destiny.

We can see even in the first scenes what we will get from her. Her whole performance is in that scene: she's quiet, doesn't say much with words, she expresses her feelings with her face and yes, her beauty. It's almost unbearable to see her say goodbye to her previous life as her actions and reactions are so heartbreakingly real, her doubts and insecurities are so well presented even in the beginning.

Her changes during the learning process are extremely impressive and again prove Hepburn's immense talent. Again we see the doubts of this inexperienced girl, who tries to overcome her weakness in order to sacrifice her whole life to God. She wants to make this commitment, but we also feel how inconfident she really is.

When she prepares for her trip to the Congo, her subtle excitement and enthusiasm we feel is almost unspeakable. Even then she has to deal with a moral dilemma and again she's full of doubt and inconfidence. At the mental asylum we get to know a new face of this girl: young, inconfident, unprepared and scared. Her true fear, when a scizophrenic woman attacks her is almost again unbearably real. She shows the human side of this character and we also see how much she has to learn to become a good nun.

Probably the most dangerous part of her role comes with the Congo part, where her character works as a nurse with the doctor played by Peter Finch. We don't get the standard nun performance, with the lovely and yet strict personality. We actually realize the hardships of this lifestyle. They also have doubts and fears like all of us, after all they are also people. This seems very harsh, but the human side of nuns is rarely shown in movies. And the scenes where she tries to defeat her attraction towards the doctor is an excellent proof. She fears from the consequences and cannot get close to any man. In a scene where she's praying she says that the more she tries to be perfect the more imperfect she becomes, that's probably the most brilliantly acted moments in the motion picture history (but praying scenes can alsways have a great effect on the audience.

Although Hepburn does well with the technical part, her performance completely relies on emotions while acting. She has an effect on you which cannot be got across, you can only feel her brilliance with your soul. This sounds quite corny I know, but it cannot be more true about Audrey in this movie. She gently amazes you, her dignity and grace on screen leaves you speechless and makes you think about her for a long time. Haunting, effective work and an amazing accomplishment by a true legend at her finest.






If you'd like to see The Nun's Story click here. Also to see Suddenly, Last Summer click here. So what do you think? Tell me in your comments (also your predictions).

The Next Year

After a bit of rest after our previous, less talked about, but rich year, here's the next one, which is not ferquently mentioned either. But I can't help loving these years. When it's mentioned they mostly talk about the snub of Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot. Nevertheless, we have five world-famous superstars starring in classic movies. Yes, it's 1959 (Fritz guessed correctly).

Again we should try watching the movies together (and except for Pillow Talk), I can help you with that in case you haven't seen them. So let's enjoy the performances and the movies together.

So the nominees were:

• Doris Day in Pillow Talk
  
• Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story
• Katharine Hepburn in Suddenly Last Summer
• Simone Signoret in Room at the Top*
• Elizabeth Taylor in Suddenly Last Summer

I am also waiting for your fearless predictions, but that's just natural. :)