1944 - Wilson

For my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving! For everyone else, have a good Thursday. As I write this, Kat and I are about to head off with an Australian friend to another Australian couple's place to celebrate the entirely non-Australian holiday. But there's a large turkey involved, so how can we pass it up.

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Eve, I watched a somewhat forgotten Best Picture nominee, namely...

Wilson

Director:

Henry King

Screenplay:

Lamar Trotti

Starring:

Alexander Knox, Charles Coburn, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Thomas Mitchell

Academy Awards:

10 nominations

5 wins, including Best Original Screenplay

Not a prequel to Cast Away, Wilson is a concise exploration of the political career of Woodrow Wilson from his days as President of Princeton University through his post as Governor of New Jersey to his election as the 28th President of the United States. Along the way, he must deal with the question of America's involvement in the Great War while simultaneously coping with the loss of his wife. When up for re-election, he balances the possibility of a second marriage with the possibility of a second term.

Unless you are a political historian, there is little doubt that this biopic will teach you a great deal about Woodrow Wilson. Whether or not these facts are accurate, I have no idea. But the script sure seemed delicately researched. For instance, did you know that it was Wilson who was behind the act assuring an eight-hour work day? Or that Wilson was instrumental in setting up the League of Nations? Or that Wilson's re-election campaign slogan was "He kept us out of the war"? There are also several speeches throughout the film that, I imagine, are probably ripped directly from the actual speeches Wilson delivered.

All of this information unfortunately makes the film seem a little like a detailed dramatisation in a historical documentary. As fascinating as it is to know about Wilson's political achievements, the film sometimes struggles to be emotionally engaging. However, when the story concentrates on his personal life, it becomes more satisfying, especially as his personal life becomes entwined in his political life. The most compelling sequence occurs when his marriage to Edith Galt just over a year after his first wife's death puts his re-election in jeopardy.

Two favourites of mine who prominently featured during the 1939 Best Picture race, Thomas Mitchell and Geraldine Fitzgerald, are both impressive in their roles. And Alexander Knox (pictured) is perfectly cast in the title role, portraying Woodrow with both strength and wit. I wonder, though, exactly how flawless the man was. If this film is anything to go by, Wilson was the most honest and morally righteous man that ever existed. Perhaps that can be attributed to the fact that this was the pet project of producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who appeared to have a bit of a thing for President Wilson. It's also interesting to note that, despite ten Oscar nominations and five wins, plus a fair amount of critical praise, Wilson was quite the box office disaster. Which might also explain why it has never received a DVD release.

Wilson's final speech is made all the more poignant considering the film was released during the thick of World War II, and, in fact, the words are still potently appropriate today. With stoic intensity, he freely imparts his optimism for a world without war. If only...

1944 - Gaslight

Without a washing machine in the building, Kat and I are forced to look elsewhere for our laundry needs. The easiest option is to take advantage of our local laundromat's highly convenient wash'n'fold service. Perfect for lazy husbands everywhere. You simply drop off your clothes in the morning and, just like magic, they are clean smelling and neatly folded when you pick them up in the evening. Now and then, I'll use the self-service washing machines to save a bit of money. Since the machines only take quarters, there is a handy change machine in one corner of the room. Pop in a dollar bill and out pop four quarters ... or so you would expect. Recently, upon operating this simple piece of machinery, I was mildly elated to receive five quarters for my one dollar investment. Ah, for the little wins...

Yesterday, I embarked on the 1944 Best Picture journey by watching...

Gaslight

Director:

George Cukor

Screenplay:

John Van Druten, Walter Reisch and John L. Balderston

(based on the play by Patrick Hamilton)

Starring:

Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty, Angela Lansbury

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

2 wins, including Best Actress

Renowned opera singer Alice Alquist has just been murdered in the home she shared with her niece, Paula. Understandably devastated, Paula leaves London for Italy, where, ten years later, she meets Gregory Anton. The two soon fall in love and marry, and he persuades her to move back in to her aunt's house. Once there, however, Paula is haunted by the memory of that fateful night. Strange occurrences abound as Paula misplaces objects, hears footsteps at night and witnesses the gas lamps in the bedroom dim inexplicably. Her doubt in her own sanity is reinforced by her sinister husband, who grows increasingly impatient with her, eventually shutting her off from the outside world.

The mood of this film is divine. The mystery. The suspense. The shadows. The fog... Ah, the fog. There's something about a scene of a finely dressed gentleman, cane at his side, strolling through the fog past a gas lit lamppost in the dead of night. It made me feel nostalgic for the 1940s, which is somewhat absurd considering I wasn't born until three decades later. But it just feels so classic Hollywood, despite the fact that it is set in England and the play on which it is based was written by an Englishman.

There is, unfortunately, one major flaw with this film - it's just so bleedingly obvious that Gregory is behind all the mysteriousness. Right from the outset, we are spoon-fed his evil nature as Charles Boyer, playing the mischievous husband, delivers glassy stares by the bucket load. There was a short period in which I wondered to myself, "What is he up to?" but it didn't last long and, soon, I was mildly disappointed in Ingrid Bergman's Paula for falling for his transparent trickery.

Luckily, being one step ahead of the plot doesn't substantially affect one's enjoyment of the film. The atmosphere created by the Oscar-nominated cinematography and Oscar-winning art direction is pure joy. Bergman won the film's other Oscar for her role as the crazy but sane Paula. Also, a fresh-faced Angela Lansbury makes her film debut as the Antons' maid. And an impressive debut it is.

Best Picture of 1984

One more collection of nominees out of the way and, as I've come to expect from this project, not a dud among them. However, this decision proved to be a little easier than recent verdicts, for which my tired brain is grateful.

The nominees for Best Picture of 1984 are:

• Amadeus
• The Killing Fields
• A Passage to India
• Places in the Heart
• A Soldier's Story

Contrary to the diversity of some of the previous years I've examined, these five films can almost be similarly categorised ... well, perhaps with a little manipulation. Each deals at some level with the dastardly deeds to which human beings can subject one another. Racism features prominently in four of the pictures, the fifth being a more personal account of hatred. Consequently, 1984 was a powerful year for the Best Picture award.

To be completely ruthless, A Soldier's Story left the smallest impact on me, which is more a credit to the other four films than a criticism of the Norman Jewison picture, for it is undoubtedly a poignant film. Nonetheless, it will be the first casualty of my selection. Next to go is A Passage to India which, although gripping in its latter half, suffered slightly from a slow start.

The final three all seem capable of claiming my top honour. But one of the trio was clearly the primary tickler of my fancy. So, I'll say goodbye to The Killing Fields and Places in the Heart, through no faults of their own. Both are extremely moving films. Coincidentally, the only non-racism themed picture is the sole survivor. Although, perhaps it is Amadeus' intimacy that touched me most. Whatever the reason, I now officially declare Amadeus to be my favourite 1984 Best Picture nominee, thereby agreeing once more with the Academy's decision.

Best Picture of 1984
Academy's choice: Amadeus	Matt's choice: Amadeus

Your choice:

Vote for your own favourite using the poll above. Some very fascinating results from previous verdicts. At last count, the 2001 race is almost a five-way tie. And Gone With the Wind has perhaps unsurprisingly swept all but one vote from the 1939 election. The next round of nominees belongs to 1944, containing a host of classic Hollywood fare...

And the nominees for Best Picture of 1944 are:

• Double Indemnity
• Gaslight
• Going My Way
• Since You Went Away
• Wilson

See you again soon...

1984 - A Soldier's Story

As I write this, the sun is almost below the horizon and it's only a quarter past four in the afternoon. Having lived my whole life, save the last six months, in Sydney, I'm used to daylight until at least well after five, even in the dead of winter. Here in New York City, however, I'm beginning to think, come January, it'll be dark by noon. I've never quite understood why Daylight Savings time isn't simply employed the whole year round. I mean, if it's okay to screw around with the time zones for the summer, why not for the rest of the year as well? In fact, why don't we just adjust the time zones themselves? Then we could dispense with Daylight Savings altogether... One day, I'll change the world.

Just before the city was drawn into darkness, I viewed the final entry in the 1984 Best Picture race...

A Soldier's Story

Director:

Norman Jewison

Screenplay:

Charles Fuller

(based on his play "A Soldier's Play")

Starring:

Howard Rollins, Jr., Adolph Caesar, Art Evans, David Alan Grier, Denzel Washington

Academy Awards:

3 nominations

0 wins

Louisiana, 1944. A black sergeant has been killed and black army lawyer Capt. Davenport is sent to uncover the truth. Being the first black officer that most of the white soldiers have ever encountered, Davenport is a little less than welcome, given only three days to bring the murderer to justice. As he interviews the victim's troops, a picture is painted of an unpopular and despicable man with a long list of enemies. But Davenport's job is made all the more difficult by the lack of cooperation from the local chain of command.

A Soldier's Story is a somewhat formulaic film that almost seems more suitable for television. It has a very episodic nature about it. Think JAG. There are suspects and motives and the pertinent information is revealed gradually until the murder is solved. Now that I think about it, though, I'm not quite sure why that style of storytelling should be exclusive to the broadcast industry. Perhaps it's simply because that's what we're accustomed to.

On the other hand, I highly regard A Few Good Men, which is built with a similar structure. So, I guess it's more to do with how cleverly that whodunit formula is employed. A Soldier's Story just seemed a tad straightforward. Which is not to say it is predictable or badly written. I don't claim to have known from the beginning who the culprit was nor do I think it was a boring film. I suppose it just didn't grab me in the same way that other films of the genre have.

Just like the other Best Picture nominees from 1984, this film is heavily steeped in gravely important themes. The racial tensions are certainly well depicted, despite the pat ending. It definitely holds its own amongst its competition as far as that is concerned.

Denzel Washington (pictured) is fiercely impressive in his first major screen role as one of the Privates with a personal vendetta against his Sergeant. Adolph Caesar, who portrays the murdered man in various flashbacks, is perhaps playing a caricature, but it may just seem like that because of his cartoon-sounding voice. And Howard Rollins, Jr. is powerful as the attorney with an uphill battle. On the whole, not a standout film, in my opinion, but a worthy contender, nonetheless.

So, that concludes the nominees from 1984. Next up is the verdict...

1984 - The Killing Fields

One of the many benefits of living in New York City is that you can discover a new eatery every night (if you were so inclined) without ever having to dine at the same place twice. And there are restaurants specialising in just about everything. Yesterday, after a quick Google search for a place to eat near the location of our later plans that evening, Kat and I dined at S'MAC, a quaint little establishment whose menu consists entirely of variations of macaroni and cheese. Artery clogging, I'm sure, but delicious nonetheless.

Before that culinary delight, I watched another nominee from 1984's Best Picture line-up...

The Killing Fields

Director:

Roland Joffé

Screenplay:

Bruce Robinson

(based on the New York Times Magazine article 'The Death and Life of Dith Pran' by Sydney Schanberg)

Starring:

Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands, Craig T. Nelson

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

3 wins, including Best Supporting Actor

The Killing Fields relates the true story of New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg as he covers the effects of the Vietnam War on neighbouring Cambodia. By his side is Dith Pran, his interpreter, guide, co-reporter and friend all rolled into one. As the situation in the war-torn country progressively deteriorates and Pran's life becomes more and more endangered, Schanberg and his other journo buddies desperately attempt to keep him safe in the midst of their evacuation.

As you can probably tell by that brief description, this is one hell of a serious film, made all the more sombre when considering its basis on reality. It takes a short while to become engaged with the story but once you're hooked, it's like a roller-coaster ride ... that is, if the roller-coaster was continually screaming further and further downwards. Every time you think there's rising track ahead, it seems to just sink deeper into the ground. Not that the film is completely depressing. I mean, it is, but not completely. There's plenty of hope and friendship and moments of courage. But the tension as Pran's dire circumstances become direr consistently deliver genuine "What's going to happen now?" moments. All the way to the end.

The Oscar-winning cinematography is simultaneously gorgeous and gritty. Mike Oldfield's score is a strange blend of electronica and choral music, but it somehow works. And the decision not to include subtitles for any of the foreign language dialogue cleverly adds to the tension. Plus, when you consider that Haing S. Ngor, who portrayed Pran, essentially suffered through the same experience in his own life, it makes for a truly harrowing film. His moving performance earned him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Not bad for a guy who had never acted before.

A pre-Law and Order Sam Waterston provides humanity to Schanberg, the journalist with integrity. John Malkovich is at his outbursting best as Schanberg's photographer. The token Aussie reporter on the scene is played by the King of Australian television, Graham Kennedy. It was especially gratifying to hear him use some Strine. The word "bung" is not a word I've heard since leaving Down Under, and I didn't realise how much I missed it.