The Oscars at Christmas

For the past two months we have taken a glimpse at specific years in Oscar’s History, looking at the movies and the actors that brought them to life. For the month of December we are going to take a differant approach and not focus on a specific year, but a specific genre, Christmas Themed films and roles. This should be challenging and hopefully entertaining as well.

As I research and re-watch some of my favorite Christmas Themed films and performances, I will only deal with those that were deemed Oscar worthy by the Academy, or those I felt were Oscar worthy and were overlooked. So join us for the month of December as we look at The Oscars at Christmas!

Oscar Overview 1960

As already mentioned as we reviewed the winners and losers at the Academy’s 33rd Annual Awards, there were a lot of omissions in 1960. Some films that we would think would have been Oscar contenders for Best Picture were not even nominated for that category, such as Psycho and Spartacus. Directors that should have been nominated but didn’t, like the great Alfred Hitchcock. Actors that should have won but didn’t, such as Greer Garson or Deborah Kerr.

Very often the Academy doesn’t get it right, but then again who are we as critics, film buffs and hobbyists to say what is or isn’t an Academy caliber film or role. 1960 was not one of the best years for the Academy or for that matter Hollywood in general.

I always like to take a look at what could have been, so here is my take on who and what should have taken home the statuette in 1960;

Psycho should have been nominated for Best Picture. Would it have won? Probably not. My choice for Best Picture would have been Elmer Gantry or Exodus. Also Anthony Perkins should have garnered a nomination, and if so he would have won for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Norman Bates in Psycho. Was Janet Leigh’s supporting performance a winning one? Not really, but Greer Garson in a leading role was. And what about Jean Simmons? Burt Lancaster deservedly won for his role in Elmer Gantry, but Ralph Bellamy would have gave him a run for his money if nominated. Here is how my 1960 Oscars would have looked;

Picture: Elmer Gantry
Director: Alfred Hitchcock for Psycho
Actor: Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry
Actress: Greer Garson in Sunrise at Campobello
Supp. Actor: Sal Mineo in Exodus
Supp. Actress: Eva Marie Saint in Exodus

But then, what do I know.

The Apartment ~ Best Picture 1960

Nominated 10 times and winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (co-written by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond), Best B/W Art Direction/Set Decoration, and Best Film Editing, Billy Wilder’s The Apartment has been said to be his best work.

The story of an up and coming young men played by Jack Lemmon, who secretly lends out his apartment to other company executives for adulterous sexual affairs and liaisons. This is fine until he realizes that the young elevator girl, played by Shirley MacLaine, whom he has feelings for is being taken for trysts by his married boss (Fred MacMurray) to his apartment.

This movie was a glimpse at what had happened to corporate America during the 1960’s when a lowly but ambitious accountant prostitutes his own standards and moral integrity and allows himself to be exploited just so that he can get ahead. Powerful and engaging performances by Lemmon, MacLaine and Fred MacMurray (one of the omitted of 1960) as well as Ray Walston and Edie Adams.

The Apartment, today is still a moving and entertaining film, even if somewhat out-dated. It is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Movies of all time. Was it the Best Picture of 1960? Many will dispute that. Was it the Best Picture out of the nominees? There is no question there.

The Sundowners ~ Best Picture Nominee 1960

After his previous successes with From Here to Eternity, High Noon and Oklahoma, Director Fred Zinnemann again brought a powerful hit with the Sundowners. Starring Robert Mitchum (who was not nominated) and Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov gave outstanding performances in a tight woven drama, that today has not garnered a following.

The story of an Irish sheep-herding family in Australia during the 1920s, a wife determined to keep her husband stable and set, and the husband that dreams to have it all. Nominated for 5 Academy Awards, it came home empty handed.

Sons & Lovers ~ Best Picture Nominee 1960

Sons & Lovers was adapted from the autobiographical book by D.H. Lawrence. A dramatic look at family, love and how that love can destroy us, and damage us. One of the most powerful character driven dramas of it’s time, Sons& Lovers was a great vehicle for it’s stars Trevor Howard and Wendy Hiller, both nominated for acting awards.

A young Dean Stockwell plays their youngest son, Paul. He was also very good in this film, but overlooked by the Academy. The cinematography was superb and won the Award that year for Freddie Francis. A good movie, with powerful performances is many times overlooked.

The Alamo ~ Best Picture Nominee 1960

Touted as the most American film ever made, John Wayne’s “supposedly” directorial debut, The Alamo, became more of an Oscar campaign than any other movie prior. Both Wayne who starred as Davy Crockett, and Chill Wills campaigned relentlessly for the movie and Chill for his supporting actor nomination. Wayne tirelessly campaigned for the film, suggesting with ads that it would be unpatriotic not to vote for the film – “the most expensive picture ever made on American soil”

Rumor has it that Wayne’s friend, John Ford actually directed most of the movie, and due to the heavy campaigning out of the seven nominations, the Alamo only brought home one award…for sound.

Elmer Gantry ~ Best Picture Nominee 1960

Listed as one of the 100 greatest films of all time, Elmer Gantry is an entertaining, powerful melodrama with memorable performances by Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Arthur Kennedy and Shirley Jones. It is the controversial telling of Sinclair Lewis’ novel regarding the charismatically engaging, but scandalous Midwestern salesman turned preacher in the 1920s.

Burt Lancaster comes on the screen with an obvious penchant for smooth talking, and the need for drink, but when he meets traveling revivalist female preacher, Jean Simmons, he falls for her, and soon decides to become an Evangelist.

They become loved and idolized, while Elmer continues to indulge in his past sins, and a jealous former lover wants revenge for being jilted.

One of the Best films of 1960, over the years it has become even more loved and revered. Winner of 5 Academy Award nominations and 3 Wins including Best Actor for Burt Lancaster and Supporting Actress Shirley Jones.

Best Actor Nominees and Winner 1960

1960 gave us many great movies and a slew of great performances by male actors. Spencer Tracy was nominated for a 7th time with his portrayal as a “Clarence Darrow-style” trial lawyer named Henry Drummond opposite prosecutor Matthew Harrison Brady (unnominated Fredric March as Biblical literalistic William Jennings Bryan) in director Stanley Kramer’s fictionalized dramatization of the 1925 Tennessee Scopes Trial, Inherit the Wind.

Lawrence Olivier, one of the greatest actors of all time, gave us an award winning performance as seedy vaudevillian performer in The Entertainer, his sixth nomination.

Trevor Howard, a powerful character actor became a leading star in Sons & Lovers as an alcoholic coal-mining father Walter Morel. This would be his first and only nomination.

Jack Lemmon gave what some call his greatest film performance ever as lonely, ambitious and young New York insurance clerk C. C. Baxter who loans out his Manhattan apartment for romantic trysts for his company’s executive supervisors while falling in love with the elevator girl (Shirley MacLaine).

But it would be the powerful and brilliant performance of Burt Lancaster, as the starring role of the bible thumping preacher with skeletons in closet and life in the moving Elmer Gantry.

Some of the other nominations in 1960 were questionable, but in the Best Actor category each one was deserved.

Elizabeth Taylor ~ Best Actress 1960

With roles like that of Maggie the Cat, and in films like National Velvet, Giant, Suddenly Last Summer and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, no one can deny that Elizabeth Taylor is not one of the greatest, most beautiful and most enduring actresses of our time, or any time. However, her fourth consecutive nomination in BUtterfield 8, some say was not an Academy Award winning performance. Instead it was awarded to her due to being nominated four years in a row, or due to a recent bout of pneumonia that almost left her dead, or possibly due to her recent loss of her husband.

As a part-time model and wanton, fast-living, disturbed call-girl Gloria Wandrous caught in a doomed romance with a wealthy married man (Laurence Harvey) and her love for her disapproving friend (Eddie Fisher) Elizabeth seemed edgy throughout the film. Almost like it was a forced performance, and not up to her prior performances.

She soon became a hated actress from her fans for stealing Eddie Fisher from his wife Debbie Reynolds and their family as Elizabeth and Eddie soon developed a romance which led to his divorce and their marriage.

Elizabeth would go on to win another Best Actress award in 1967 for her role in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and would also be awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993.

Deborah Kerr ~ Best Actress Nominee 1960

Probably best known for her scene with Burt Lancaster on the beach, and her role of Anna in the King and I, Deborah Kerr was already a well known name and star when she received this, her 6th and last nomination. A most deserving portrayal, like the other nominated actresses of 1960 she was overlooked due to Elizabeth Taylor’s sympathy win.

Deborah would go on and continue to act until her retirement in 1969. She was finally given a well deserved honorary Oscar in 1993 “In appreciation for a full career’s worth of elegant and beautifully crafted performances.”