William Holden was an Oscar-winning performer who starred in dozens of movies, remaining active until his untimely death in 1981. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born on April 17, 1918, Holden made his film debut with a starring role in the boxing drama “Golden Boy” (1939) when he was just 21 years old. Though his career lagged for the next decade, he came roaring back with Billy Wilder‘s Hollywood noir “Sunset Boulevard” (1950), playing a struggling screenwriter who becomes involved with a fading, delusional silent film star (Gloria Swanson). The role brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He joined the winner’s circle just three years later with a Best Actor victory for Wilder’s “Stalag 17” (1953), which cast him as a cynical American Pow who’s suspected of being a German informant during WWII.
Born on April 17, 1918, Holden made his film debut with a starring role in the boxing drama “Golden Boy” (1939) when he was just 21 years old. Though his career lagged for the next decade, he came roaring back with Billy Wilder‘s Hollywood noir “Sunset Boulevard” (1950), playing a struggling screenwriter who becomes involved with a fading, delusional silent film star (Gloria Swanson). The role brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He joined the winner’s circle just three years later with a Best Actor victory for Wilder’s “Stalag 17” (1953), which cast him as a cynical American Pow who’s suspected of being a German informant during WWII.
- 4/13/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Lashana Lynch became the first woman to own the 007 title in the 2021 James Bond tentpole “No Time to Die,” but it turns out a plan to make James Bond a woman was actually pitched over 60 years prior. In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s confirmed that producer Gregory Ratoff floated the idea of casting Susan Hayward in a film adaptation of Fleming’s first Bond novel “Casino Royale.”
Shakespeare writes in the biography (via IndieWire): “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly...
Shakespeare writes in the biography (via IndieWire): “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly...
- 4/8/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Yes, a female James Bond has been over a half-century in the making.
Before Lashana Lynch briefly donned the 007 title in “No Time to Die,” the film adaptation of “Dr. No,” a woman was in talks to lead the franchise 50 years prior.
In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s revealed that original “Casino Royale” producer Gregory Ratoff had imagined a woman in the titular lead role. In fact, Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward was in Ratoff’s mind to take the part.
Prior to “Casino Royale,” the two Bond films had floundered with “Thunderball” and “Casino Royale” receiving poor reviews, hence the proposed gender-swap.
Shakespeare writes in the biography, “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities,...
Before Lashana Lynch briefly donned the 007 title in “No Time to Die,” the film adaptation of “Dr. No,” a woman was in talks to lead the franchise 50 years prior.
In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s revealed that original “Casino Royale” producer Gregory Ratoff had imagined a woman in the titular lead role. In fact, Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward was in Ratoff’s mind to take the part.
Prior to “Casino Royale,” the two Bond films had floundered with “Thunderball” and “Casino Royale” receiving poor reviews, hence the proposed gender-swap.
Shakespeare writes in the biography, “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities,...
- 4/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Academy Awards is that platform where films of every language get much-needed recognition. Hollywood has a long history in terms of cult classics and critically acclaimed films, including Titanic and Avatar. The majority of them have proved themselves deserving enough to get an Oscar.
There are directors, such as Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan, whose works are specifically known for different reasons. A bunch of those masterminds created something unique and amazing in their career but they were never considered worthy of an accolade at the Academy Awards. While the reasons remain unknown, here are 7 movies that could not make it to the list of winners at the prestigious award ceremony.
Suggested“Guess she don’t want an Oscar”: Sydney Sweeney Sidelines Christopher Nolan for Her Dream Director But That Might Not Win Her Any Academy Awards 1. The Shawshank Redemption Morgan Freeman in a still from The Shawshank Redemption...
There are directors, such as Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan, whose works are specifically known for different reasons. A bunch of those masterminds created something unique and amazing in their career but they were never considered worthy of an accolade at the Academy Awards. While the reasons remain unknown, here are 7 movies that could not make it to the list of winners at the prestigious award ceremony.
Suggested“Guess she don’t want an Oscar”: Sydney Sweeney Sidelines Christopher Nolan for Her Dream Director But That Might Not Win Her Any Academy Awards 1. The Shawshank Redemption Morgan Freeman in a still from The Shawshank Redemption...
- 4/2/2024
- by Anupal
- FandomWire
Since the inception of the Academy Awards, the U.S.-based organization behind them has always strived to honor worldwide film achievements. Their extensive roster of competitive acting winners alone consists of artists from 30 unique countries, three of which first gained representation during the 2020s. The last full decade’s worth of triumphant performers hail from eight countries, while 42.1% of the individual actors nominated during that time originate from outside of America.
The academy’s history of recognizing acting talent on a global scale dates all the way back to the inaugural Oscars ceremony in 1929, when Swiss-born Emil Jannings (who was of German and American parentage) won Best Actor for his work in both “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh.” Over the next three years, the Best Actress prize was exclusively awarded to Canadians: Mary Pickford (“Coquette”), Norma Shearer (“The Divorcee”), and Marie Dressler (“Min and Bill...
The academy’s history of recognizing acting talent on a global scale dates all the way back to the inaugural Oscars ceremony in 1929, when Swiss-born Emil Jannings (who was of German and American parentage) won Best Actor for his work in both “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh.” Over the next three years, the Best Actress prize was exclusively awarded to Canadians: Mary Pickford (“Coquette”), Norma Shearer (“The Divorcee”), and Marie Dressler (“Min and Bill...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
On digital platforms like YouTube, golf is growing in popularity. As the best entertainers on the fairway build their respective subscriber counts, they are competing against one another to secure a spot with the sport’s top-tier organization. Eight creators are participating in The Q at Myrtle Beach, a qualifying tournament whose winner will earn a berth at the PGA Tour‘s Myrtle Beach Classic.
The Q features a 16-golfer field, and half of its entrants have achieved some measure of prominence by posting golf videos online. The competitors who will vie for a spot in the Classic include George Bryan IV of Bryan Bros Golf, Grant Horvat, Luke Kwon of Good Good, Peter Finch, Micah Morris, Dan Rapaport of Fore Play, Nic “Fat Perez” Stubbe of Bob Does Sports and one of hosts of BustaJack. All of the channels linked in this paragraph sport six-digit subscriber counts on YouTube.
The Q features a 16-golfer field, and half of its entrants have achieved some measure of prominence by posting golf videos online. The competitors who will vie for a spot in the Classic include George Bryan IV of Bryan Bros Golf, Grant Horvat, Luke Kwon of Good Good, Peter Finch, Micah Morris, Dan Rapaport of Fore Play, Nic “Fat Perez” Stubbe of Bob Does Sports and one of hosts of BustaJack. All of the channels linked in this paragraph sport six-digit subscriber counts on YouTube.
- 2/28/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Here are two words for those who believe Christopher Nolan can’t possibly lose the Best Director race at this year’s Academy Awards for “Oppenheimer”: Bob Fosse. And here are three more: Francis Ford Coppola.
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
- 2/8/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
In the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, 88 films have each received nominations for both Best Actor and Best Actress. Although there have been 19 cases of two or more movies doing so in a single year, there hasn’t been such an occurrence since 1996, when both lead lineups included performers from “Dead Man Walking” and “Leaving Las Vegas.” However, according to Gold Derby’s late-stage 2024 Oscar nominations predictions, that nearly three-decade gap is set to soon be closed by costar pairs from “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Maestro.”
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Alice Walker published her acclaimed novel “The Color Purple” in 1982. It sold five million copies; Walker became the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize and she also received the National Book Club Award. Three years later, Steven Spielberg directed the lauded film version which made stars out of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. It earned 11 Oscar nominations. The story revolves around a young woman who suffers abuse from her father and husband for four decades until she finds her own identity. Not exactly the stuff of a Broadway musical.
But the 2005 tuner version received strong reviews, ran 910 performances and earned ten Tony nominations, winning best actress for Lachanze. The 2015 production picked up two Tonys for best revival and actress for Cynthia Erivo. The movie musical version opened strong Christmas Day with $18 million and is a strong contender in several Oscar categories especially for Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks.
But the 2005 tuner version received strong reviews, ran 910 performances and earned ten Tony nominations, winning best actress for Lachanze. The 2015 production picked up two Tonys for best revival and actress for Cynthia Erivo. The movie musical version opened strong Christmas Day with $18 million and is a strong contender in several Oscar categories especially for Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks.
- 1/2/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The current Oscar frontrunners for Best Actor and Best Actress according to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users are Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”). However, they both face serious competition from the stars of “Maestro,” Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan. If the co-stars both win, “Maestro” would be the first film since “As Good As It Gets” to win both lead acting Oscars.
SEEBradley Cooper (‘Maestro’) makes Critics Choice Awards history
“Maestro” chronicles the decades-long relationship between conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan). Their love story spans over 30 years from the time they met at a party in 1946 and continuing through their quarter-century marriage. But winning matching Oscars isn’t easy. To date only seven films have won both lead acting awards. They are:
“It Happened One Night” (1934) – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) – Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher...
SEEBradley Cooper (‘Maestro’) makes Critics Choice Awards history
“Maestro” chronicles the decades-long relationship between conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan). Their love story spans over 30 years from the time they met at a party in 1946 and continuing through their quarter-century marriage. But winning matching Oscars isn’t easy. To date only seven films have won both lead acting awards. They are:
“It Happened One Night” (1934) – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975) – Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher...
- 12/27/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Before the 2023 Academy Awards, only “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Network” had won three Oscars for acting. The former won its hat trick in 1952 with Vivien Leigh taking home Best Actress, Karl Malden claiming Best Supporting Actor, and Kim Hunter winning Best Supporting Actress. Then, in 1976, “Network” won Best Actor for Peter Finch (posthumously), Best Actress for Faye Dunaway, and Best Supporting Actress for Beatrice Straight. Those two movies stood alone as the only pictures to win three acting Oscars until 2023 when “Everything Everywhere All at Once” produced wins for Michelle Yeoh (Best Actress), Jamie Lee Curtis (Best Supporting Actress), and Ke Huy Quan (Best Supporting Actor). These three films now have the joint-highest number of acting wins in Oscars history as no film has ever managed to reign victorious in all four acting categories.
Plenty of movies have had four nominations for acting, including “American Hustle” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Plenty of movies have had four nominations for acting, including “American Hustle” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- 12/27/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Robert De Niro has been working in Hollywood for almost six decades now, with eight Oscar nominations to his name and two wins. His most noted collaboration has been with director Martin Scorsese, with whom he has done 10 films, including their latest partnership on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which was released October 20 through Apple Original Films. In celebration of the western crime epic, let’s take a look back at De Niro’s eight Oscar nominations in 45 years; seven for acting and one for producing.
His first Oscar nomination and victory came on the heels of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic crime film “The Godfather” with the equally successful second installment “The Godfather Part II” (1974), in which De Niro plays a young Vito Corleone, played by Oscar winner Marlon Brando in the first movie. Just like Brando, De Niro triumphed at the 1975 Oscars for the character, albeit in the...
His first Oscar nomination and victory came on the heels of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic crime film “The Godfather” with the equally successful second installment “The Godfather Part II” (1974), in which De Niro plays a young Vito Corleone, played by Oscar winner Marlon Brando in the first movie. Just like Brando, De Niro triumphed at the 1975 Oscars for the character, albeit in the...
- 12/15/2023
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
Since the second Academy Awards ceremony in 1930, 73 people have received acting Oscar nominations for their debut film performances, yielding a total of 15 breakout wins. Conversely, the list of actors who have earned recognition for their final movie appearances is much smaller, featuring only 18 general and two successful examples. Those who belong to this club gained entry in a variety of ways, with some having voluntarily quit acting altogether, others having specifically stepped away from film performing, and a few having sadly not lived long enough to bask in the glory of their farewell nominations.
Since film acting retirement can never be absolutely permanent while a performer is still alive, only deceased individuals can correctly be counted as official members of this group. Although most currently living retired actors did not pick up Oscar nominations for their latest films anyway, the academy did smile upon one – Daniel Day-Lewis – on his declared way out.
Since film acting retirement can never be absolutely permanent while a performer is still alive, only deceased individuals can correctly be counted as official members of this group. Although most currently living retired actors did not pick up Oscar nominations for their latest films anyway, the academy did smile upon one – Daniel Day-Lewis – on his declared way out.
- 11/28/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
- 11/12/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
1957 was a big year for David McCallum, the respected Glasgow-born actor known for “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “The Great Escape” and his 20-year run on “NCIS” as quirky pathologist Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
From the Oct. 23, 1957, edition of weekly Variety
The actor, who died Sept. 25 at the age of 90, logged six mentions in Variety that year, starting with a review in the March 20 edition of weekly that listed him in the cast of the British “crime meller” (aka crime melodrama) “The Secret Place.” From then on, McCallum was a staple in our pages, boarding movies, TV shows and legit stages in the U.S. and U.K. He never stopped working.
Wedding announcement for David McCallum and Jill Ireland from the May 22, 1957, edition of weekly Variety
1957 was also the year McCallum married actor Jill Ireland in London, an event commemorated with a wedding announcement in the May 22, 1957, edition of weekly.
From the Oct. 23, 1957, edition of weekly Variety
The actor, who died Sept. 25 at the age of 90, logged six mentions in Variety that year, starting with a review in the March 20 edition of weekly that listed him in the cast of the British “crime meller” (aka crime melodrama) “The Secret Place.” From then on, McCallum was a staple in our pages, boarding movies, TV shows and legit stages in the U.S. and U.K. He never stopped working.
Wedding announcement for David McCallum and Jill Ireland from the May 22, 1957, edition of weekly Variety
1957 was also the year McCallum married actor Jill Ireland in London, an event commemorated with a wedding announcement in the May 22, 1957, edition of weekly.
- 9/29/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Sylvester Stallone established himself as a dramatic talent in 1976 when he wrote and starred in the boxing classic, Rocky. After seemingly coming out of nowhere, Stallone found himself receiving heaps of critical praise. In 1977, he was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role opposite the likes of Robert De Niro, and Peter Finch. Furthermore, he was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay. After the glaring success of Rocky, Sylvester Stallone transitioned into more of an action star. However, in 1997 he decided to showcase his dramatic ability in the crime drama, Cop Land. Stallone famously took a...
- 9/1/2023
- by Matthew C. F
- TVovermind.com
“Thank You Very Much” is a documentary about Andy Kaufman that does just what you want it to do. It details Kaufman’s life and career, showcasing all the stage bits he became famous for (and including rare footage of performances and offstage antics that even Kaufman fanatics have never seen). But more than that, the movie understands him. It explores the depths of what Andy Kaufman was about — though that doesn’t mean that we’re subjected to a bunch of talking heads discussing how “conceptual” and punk-the-audience weird he was, and who was the real Andy, anyway?
I mean, there’s some of that. But Alex Braverman, the director of “Thank You Very Much,” grasps the fundamental truth of Andy Kaufman: that what he was up to, in his defiant and Dada screwball way, was showbiz. It was theater. He wanted to tickle you, to make you giggle and squirm,...
I mean, there’s some of that. But Alex Braverman, the director of “Thank You Very Much,” grasps the fundamental truth of Andy Kaufman: that what he was up to, in his defiant and Dada screwball way, was showbiz. It was theater. He wanted to tickle you, to make you giggle and squirm,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
When Robert Aldrich’s 1968 Hollywood insider yarn, “The Legend of Lylah Clare” screens at the Maine International Film Festival in Waterville, Maine, it will represent much more than a simple revival of a New Hollywood-era roman à clef.
The film’s presentation on July 12 will include a discussion between actor Michael Murphy, who co-stars in the film, and former MGM publicity director Mike Kaplan, who has from the film’s earliest screenings defended both the film’s director, who Kaplan feels was “grossly maligned” by the depiction of him in Ryan Murphy’s limited series “Feud,” and the film, which monumentally tanked both critically and commercially when first released.
Kaplan recalls “I loved the script, and I loved the film. MGM had an unexceptional slate at the time. I was a big fan at the get-go.”
But as MGM’s New York City-based publicity chief, Kaplan watched helplessly as others,...
The film’s presentation on July 12 will include a discussion between actor Michael Murphy, who co-stars in the film, and former MGM publicity director Mike Kaplan, who has from the film’s earliest screenings defended both the film’s director, who Kaplan feels was “grossly maligned” by the depiction of him in Ryan Murphy’s limited series “Feud,” and the film, which monumentally tanked both critically and commercially when first released.
Kaplan recalls “I loved the script, and I loved the film. MGM had an unexceptional slate at the time. I was a big fan at the get-go.”
But as MGM’s New York City-based publicity chief, Kaplan watched helplessly as others,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
by Eric Blume
Marcello Mastroianni’s 1977 Best Actor Oscar nomination for Ettore Scola’s film A Special Day was one of the first examples of a straight actors being recognized for playing a gay role. Prior to that, we’d only had Peter Finch in Sunday Bloody Sunday and Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon, and neither of those actors had such an entrenched persona of the “macho lover” as did Mastroianni.
A Special Day gives us not just one Italian cinema icon playing against type, but two...
Marcello Mastroianni’s 1977 Best Actor Oscar nomination for Ettore Scola’s film A Special Day was one of the first examples of a straight actors being recognized for playing a gay role. Prior to that, we’d only had Peter Finch in Sunday Bloody Sunday and Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon, and neither of those actors had such an entrenched persona of the “macho lover” as did Mastroianni.
A Special Day gives us not just one Italian cinema icon playing against type, but two...
- 6/25/2023
- by EricB
- FilmExperience
Joseph L. Mankiewicz’ “Cleopatra,” which opened in New York on June 12, 1963 and in Los Angeles a week later, was not a flop. In fact, the 243-minute film was a box office champ making $26 million at the box office, $6 million more than the Cinerama epic “How the West was Won.” But being the most expensive movie of its time — the budget ended up being around $44 million which would be around $429.5 million in 2023 — it took a long time to recoup its staggering costs. The film was such a drain on Twentieth Century Fox, the studio ended up having to sell nearly 300 acres of its backlot. That acreage was transformed into Century City.
The budgets started to soar when the original production with Elizabeth Taylor, who asked for and received $1 million for her services, Peter Finch as Julius Caesar, Stephen Boyd as Marc Antony and veteran filmmaker Rouben Mamoulian as director, stopped production...
The budgets started to soar when the original production with Elizabeth Taylor, who asked for and received $1 million for her services, Peter Finch as Julius Caesar, Stephen Boyd as Marc Antony and veteran filmmaker Rouben Mamoulian as director, stopped production...
- 6/19/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Glenda Jackson, the British actress who hit the snooze bar on her acting career for a 23-year career in politics, died on Thursday, as per her representatives. During her peak years in the 1970s and 80s, she won two Oscars (and was nominated for two more) and two Emmy Awards. She was nominated for four Tony Awards, finally winning one in 2018 after a late-in-life career resurgence. She was 87 years old.
Jackson, whose father was a bricklayer and whose mother was a barmaid and domestic, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She was told by the academy’s principal that, due to her looks, she would likely only find work as a character actress, and she shouldn’t depend on getting jobs after 40.
This proved to be the opposite of true. Her big break came when experimental theater director Peter Brook cast her in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s groundbreaking adaptation of “Marat/Sade.
Jackson, whose father was a bricklayer and whose mother was a barmaid and domestic, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She was told by the academy’s principal that, due to her looks, she would likely only find work as a character actress, and she shouldn’t depend on getting jobs after 40.
This proved to be the opposite of true. Her big break came when experimental theater director Peter Brook cast her in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s groundbreaking adaptation of “Marat/Sade.
- 6/15/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
With Michelle Yeoh’s historic win at Sunday’s Academy Awards for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the genre-bending sci-fi film has achieved a feat that has only happened twice before in Oscars history and for the first time in 46 years.
Alongside supporting cast members Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, Yeoh has made “Everything Everywhere” the third film in history to win three acting Oscars.
The first film to achieve that trifecta was “A Streetcar Named Desire” in 1951, with Vivien Leigh winning Best Actress for her performance as the tragic Blanche DuBois with Kim Hunter and Karl Malden winning supporting Oscars for playing Stella Kowalski and Blanche’s potential husband Mitch, respectively.
Also Read:
Michelle Yeoh Is the First Asian Woman to Win a Best Actress Oscar
Twenty-six years later, Paddy Chayefsky and Sidney Lumet’s satire of broadcast news, “Network,” became the second film to achieve three acting wins.
Alongside supporting cast members Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, Yeoh has made “Everything Everywhere” the third film in history to win three acting Oscars.
The first film to achieve that trifecta was “A Streetcar Named Desire” in 1951, with Vivien Leigh winning Best Actress for her performance as the tragic Blanche DuBois with Kim Hunter and Karl Malden winning supporting Oscars for playing Stella Kowalski and Blanche’s potential husband Mitch, respectively.
Also Read:
Michelle Yeoh Is the First Asian Woman to Win a Best Actress Oscar
Twenty-six years later, Paddy Chayefsky and Sidney Lumet’s satire of broadcast news, “Network,” became the second film to achieve three acting wins.
- 3/13/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The SAG Awards often match the Oscars for acting pretty closely, so when “Everything Everywhere All at Once” achieved an unprecedented clean sweep of all its categories including three individual acting races, the immediate question became, can it do the same thing at the Oscars? Only two films in history have ever won three acting trophies.
See‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ or ‘Everything Everywhere’ would be 9th film to win both supporting acting Oscars
“A Streetcar Named Desire” was the first. Adapted from Tennessee Williams‘s play, the 1951 film won Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actor (Karl Malden), and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Hunter). The only award it lost was Best Actor for arguably the film’s most iconic performance by Marlon Brando. That award went instead to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
Then 1976’s “Network” pulled off the same feat, winning three awards out of a remarkable five acting nominations.
See‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ or ‘Everything Everywhere’ would be 9th film to win both supporting acting Oscars
“A Streetcar Named Desire” was the first. Adapted from Tennessee Williams‘s play, the 1951 film won Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actor (Karl Malden), and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Hunter). The only award it lost was Best Actor for arguably the film’s most iconic performance by Marlon Brando. That award went instead to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
Then 1976’s “Network” pulled off the same feat, winning three awards out of a remarkable five acting nominations.
- 3/12/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
What was the last film to have three of its stars all win Oscars? How long has it been since Steven Spielberg has won an Oscar? Who was the first posthumous nominee? These questions are answered, along with more fun facts, tidbits and trivia.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” would be just the third film to earn three Oscars in the acting categories. Michelle Yeoh is the favorite to win best actress, as is Ke Huy Quan in the supporting actor race. And Jamie Lee Curtis or Stephanie Hsu ould pull out a win as supporting actress. The first time that happened was at the 1952 ceremony when Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter won for “A Streetcar Named Desire,” followed 25 years later with Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight winning for “Network.”
Steven Spielberg has been nominated 22 times including three this year for “The Fabelmans”: best picture,...
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” would be just the third film to earn three Oscars in the acting categories. Michelle Yeoh is the favorite to win best actress, as is Ke Huy Quan in the supporting actor race. And Jamie Lee Curtis or Stephanie Hsu ould pull out a win as supporting actress. The first time that happened was at the 1952 ceremony when Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter won for “A Streetcar Named Desire,” followed 25 years later with Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight winning for “Network.”
Steven Spielberg has been nominated 22 times including three this year for “The Fabelmans”: best picture,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Having already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in “Elvis,” Austin Butler is on a solid path to triumphing on his first Oscar nomination. His film, which covers the entirety of the titular rock star’s two-decade career, boasts a talented cast that includes past Oscar winner Tom Hanks, who collected back-to-back Best Actor trophies for “Philadelphia” (1994) and “Forrest Gump” (1995). He missed out on a supporting bid for “Elvis,” but if Butler clinches the lead award, Hanks will become the 15th man to have acted in a film that won the same Oscar he previously received.
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
- 3/7/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” has had a great couple of days. The Oscar frontrunner won the top prize at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday, proving that it can conquer the preferential ballot. The next day, it pulled off a historic sweep at Screen Actors Guild Awards with a record four wins for ensemble, lead actress for Michelle Yeoh, supporting actor for Ke Huy Quan and supporting actress for Jamie Lee Curtis. The triple individual wins — also a first for a film in SAG Awards history — were unexpected as Curtis upset odds-on favorite Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”), but they just speak to the movie’s strength. They also tee it up for a never-before-seen above-the-line sweep at the Oscars: “Everything Everywhere” can be the first film to win Best Picture, Best Director, a screenplay award and three acting prizes.
The multiversal hit is the runaway...
The multiversal hit is the runaway...
- 3/2/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the most-nominated film at this year’s Oscars, won the most SAG Awards ever Sunday night with four trophies. Final Oscars voting begins on Thursday, March 2, and it’s no longer a question about whether the A24 sci-fi comedy will win best picture, but how many statuettes it will take home. Probably a lot.
Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win a SAG lead actress film award. Seeing her emotion take hold of her was heartwarming and long overdue for an actress that should have already been nominated for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) and “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018). However, her speech may not have been as boisterous or memorable as we would like, especially for someone competing with Cate Blanchett, after winning BAFTA, Critics Choice and Globes for “Tár.” However, her co-star James Hong may have brought it home for Yeoh with his rousing...
Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win a SAG lead actress film award. Seeing her emotion take hold of her was heartwarming and long overdue for an actress that should have already been nominated for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) and “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018). However, her speech may not have been as boisterous or memorable as we would like, especially for someone competing with Cate Blanchett, after winning BAFTA, Critics Choice and Globes for “Tár.” However, her co-star James Hong may have brought it home for Yeoh with his rousing...
- 2/27/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
John Wayne earned two Oscar nominations for Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo before finally taking home the win for 1969’s True Grit. His eyepatch-wearing performance as Rooster Cogburn became one of the most iconic images in Hollywood history, although there was some talk that the Oscar win was meant more as a “career award” than for the individual performance. However, that honor should have been for playing J.B. Books in The Shootist.
‘The Shootist’ actor John Wayne tackled mortality and dignity John Wayne as J.B. Books | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Shootist found Wayne playing an older gunfigther after he travels to Nevada at the turn of the 20th century. He’s diagnosed with cancer, deciding to stay in town and die with as much dignity as possible, seeking peace in his final days.
J.B. Books rents a room from a widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son,...
‘The Shootist’ actor John Wayne tackled mortality and dignity John Wayne as J.B. Books | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Shootist found Wayne playing an older gunfigther after he travels to Nevada at the turn of the 20th century. He’s diagnosed with cancer, deciding to stay in town and die with as much dignity as possible, seeking peace in his final days.
J.B. Books rents a room from a widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The 76th BAFTAs take place on Sunday, February 19 at the Royal Festival Hall with Richard E. Grant hosting. Germany’s ‘”All Quiet on the Western Front” leads with 14 nominations, followed by 10 for “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and nine for “Elvis.”
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts was founded in April 1947 as the British Film Academy by luminaries including David Lean, Carol Reed, Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Lean was named chairman of the awards that would “recognize those which had contributed outstanding creative work towards the advancement of British film.” Eleven years later, the British Film Academy merged with the Guild of Television Producers and Directors.
The first awards were handed out on May 29, 1949 at the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square to honor films released in Britain in 1947-48. Best Picture went to William Wyler’s 1946 release “The Best Years of Our Lives,...
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts was founded in April 1947 as the British Film Academy by luminaries including David Lean, Carol Reed, Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Lean was named chairman of the awards that would “recognize those which had contributed outstanding creative work towards the advancement of British film.” Eleven years later, the British Film Academy merged with the Guild of Television Producers and Directors.
The first awards were handed out on May 29, 1949 at the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square to honor films released in Britain in 1947-48. Best Picture went to William Wyler’s 1946 release “The Best Years of Our Lives,...
- 2/16/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
True Grit actor John Wayne finally earned his first Oscar, which the cast and crew of Rio Bravo wanted to celebrate. He was often criticized for his signature acting style, which came across more as playing himself than disappearing into another character. Nevertheless, he undeniably drew from a loyal fan base. Wayne had a nice surprise, along with support from his colleagues on his next set.
John Wayne won his only Oscar for ‘True Grit’ John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first officially considered himself an actor with his stunning performance as Thomas Dunson in Red River. However, he thought his performance in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon represented some of his best work. Nevertheless, Wayne didn’t earn an Oscar nomination for either of those films.
The movie star scored his first Oscar nomination for playing Sgt. John M. Stryker in Sands of Iwo Jima,...
John Wayne won his only Oscar for ‘True Grit’ John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first officially considered himself an actor with his stunning performance as Thomas Dunson in Red River. However, he thought his performance in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon represented some of his best work. Nevertheless, Wayne didn’t earn an Oscar nomination for either of those films.
The movie star scored his first Oscar nomination for playing Sgt. John M. Stryker in Sands of Iwo Jima,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The death far too young of Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, on January 12 at age 54 came as a shock. She had attended the Golden Globe Awards ceremony on January 10 along with her mother Priscilla to cheer on Austin Butler, who won the Best Film Drama Actor trophy for his portrayal of Lisa Marie’s father and Priscilla’s onetime husband in Baz Luhrmann‘s musical biopic “Elvis.” At the Globes, Butler concluded his acceptance speech with a shout-out to the two women “for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me.” Just two days later, Lisa Marie would be gone, the exact cause of death not yet determined.
Butler has been nominated for a SAG Award for Best Actor and is an overwhelming favorite to earn a bid at the Academy Awards when nominations are announced next Tuesday. At present, Butler is the third choice...
Butler has been nominated for a SAG Award for Best Actor and is an overwhelming favorite to earn a bid at the Academy Awards when nominations are announced next Tuesday. At present, Butler is the third choice...
- 1/20/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
A quarter century after winning her third film acting Golden Globe, Ingrid Bergman was honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association one last time for her performance in the TV movie “A Woman Called Golda.” This victory was historic in that it occurred five months after her death, thus making her the only actress to ever win a Golden Globe posthumously. She also remains one of only two deceased female performers ever nominated by the HFPA, but the group could soon grow by one if the recently departed Charlbi Dean (“Triangle of Sadness”) lands in the 2023 Best Film Comedy/Musical Actress lineup.
Dean passed away at the age of 32 on August 29, 2022, which happened to be the 40th anniversary of Bergman’s death. Her performance as social media influencer Yaya in “Triangle of Sadness” has been heavily praised since the film premiered in Cannes this spring, and she now ranks eighth...
Dean passed away at the age of 32 on August 29, 2022, which happened to be the 40th anniversary of Bergman’s death. Her performance as social media influencer Yaya in “Triangle of Sadness” has been heavily praised since the film premiered in Cannes this spring, and she now ranks eighth...
- 12/8/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Sylvester Stallone's early career is an underdog story to rival that of his most famous character, Rocky Balboa. The actor was virtually unknown with only a few small roles under his belt before he saw a journeyman slugger named Chuck Wepner go within 20 seconds of taking Muhammad Ali the full distance. Wepner's dogged fortitude against a much more skilled fighter gave Stallone the idea for a screenplay called "Rocky."
Not only did Stallone sell his script, but he also got to star in the movie as well. He almost went the distance at the Oscars, too. Stallone earned nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Actor, but lost out to Paddy Chayefsky and Peter Finch respectively for "Network."
From a modest budget of under 1 million, "Rocky" was a huge hit, grossing over 117 million worldwide at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). With that kind of roaring success, there was...
Not only did Stallone sell his script, but he also got to star in the movie as well. He almost went the distance at the Oscars, too. Stallone earned nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Actor, but lost out to Paddy Chayefsky and Peter Finch respectively for "Network."
From a modest budget of under 1 million, "Rocky" was a huge hit, grossing over 117 million worldwide at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). With that kind of roaring success, there was...
- 11/13/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
The Apple TV Plus limited series “Black Bird,” which streamed this summer over a period of four weeks, is the first of several projects starring Ray Liotta to be released after his May 2022 death. The late actor’s portrayal of James Keene Sr., the father of convicted drug dealer James Keene Jr. (Taron Egerton), could now net him a slew of industry awards, beginning with a Golden Globe for Best TV Movie/Limited Supporting Actor. If he is honored with this prize, he will make history as the first performer to win a posthumous Golden Globe in any supporting TV category.
This year’s Golden Globes ceremony will be the first during which four supporting TV awards will be handed out instead of the usual two. Featured players will now not only be divided by gender, but also by program type, with performances in TV movies and limited series on...
This year’s Golden Globes ceremony will be the first during which four supporting TV awards will be handed out instead of the usual two. Featured players will now not only be divided by gender, but also by program type, with performances in TV movies and limited series on...
- 11/9/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Back in the early '90s, Arnold Schwarzenegger was approached to star in a new buddy cop comedy. His previous foray into the genre, "Red Heat," was shot down by critics and left in the dust by his other film that year, "Twins," so perhaps he had a reason for caution. Nevertheless, he read the script before his suspicions were confirmed: It was absolute garbage.
Most actors would have politely turned it down at that point, but Arnie is not most actors. Instead, he used it to have a little fun at the expense of his greatest screen rival, Sylvester Stallone. First, he leaked a rumor to the press that he was really excited about the prospect of starring in the movie, then he asked for a silly amount of money to take the part.
The ploy worked perfectly. Put off by the price tag, the producers asked Stallone if...
Most actors would have politely turned it down at that point, but Arnie is not most actors. Instead, he used it to have a little fun at the expense of his greatest screen rival, Sylvester Stallone. First, he leaked a rumor to the press that he was really excited about the prospect of starring in the movie, then he asked for a silly amount of money to take the part.
The ploy worked perfectly. Put off by the price tag, the producers asked Stallone if...
- 9/22/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
After Bonnie Parker and Joan Crawford, Faye Dunaway's most famous role is arguably sociopathic TV producer Diana Christensen in "Network." The youngest of the film's leads, Diana personifies the generation "raised on TV." Her ambition to bump up the ratings of the Ubs network sees her put the mentally ill Howard Beale (Peter Finch) on TV, then arrange to have him assassinated once his ratings falter. She ruins her relationship with fellow producer Max Schumacher (William Holden) along the way.
"Network" is famous for its verbose dialogue, scripted by screenwriter/satirist seer Paddy Chayefsky. From Beale's "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" or the towering Arthur Jensen's (Ned Beatty) "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature!," many of the film's monologues have become deservedly famous. However, Dunaway apparently had the hardest time of the film's leads wrapping her brain around Chayefsky's words.
"Network" is famous for its verbose dialogue, scripted by screenwriter/satirist seer Paddy Chayefsky. From Beale's "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" or the towering Arthur Jensen's (Ned Beatty) "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature!," many of the film's monologues have become deservedly famous. However, Dunaway apparently had the hardest time of the film's leads wrapping her brain around Chayefsky's words.
- 8/12/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Robert Duvall is not a method actor. Though he has played a wide variety of characters, from the hauntingly silent Boo Radley at the heart-rending end of "To Kill a Mockingbird" to the surfing-crazed Colonel Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now," his method is anti-method. "You talk, you listen," he once said. Nevertheless, when playing the abrasive television executive Frank Hackett in Sidney Lumet's "Network," Duvall got a little carried away.
In Duvall's defense, Hackett is a despicable character. He gleefully weaponizes the fiery sermons of once-staid network news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch), and, at the end of the movie, has him...
The post Robert Duvall Went 'Over the Top' When Getting Into Character For 1976's Network appeared first on /Film.
In Duvall's defense, Hackett is a despicable character. He gleefully weaponizes the fiery sermons of once-staid network news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch), and, at the end of the movie, has him...
The post Robert Duvall Went 'Over the Top' When Getting Into Character For 1976's Network appeared first on /Film.
- 8/11/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
History was made when the 2022 Primetime Emmy nominations were announced, as Chadwick Boseman (“What If…?”) and Jessica Walter (“Archer”) became the first pair of direct competitors to be recognized posthumously. They are both up for the Best Character Voice-Over Performance prize after having passed away in August 2020 and March 2021, respectively.
Walter is now the only performer to ever receive two post-death Emmy bids, having just contended in the same category last summer. Now including Boseman, the list of departed acting Emmy nominees consists of 26 entrants, four of whom were honored with wins.
The first actor to be nominated for and win an Emmy posthumously was Alice Pearce, who was awarded the Best Comedy Supporting Actress trophy for “Bewitched” two months after her death in 1966. The other three champs, all of whom triumphed for TV movie performances, are supporting players David Burns and Diana Hyland and lead Raul Julia.
Two more...
Walter is now the only performer to ever receive two post-death Emmy bids, having just contended in the same category last summer. Now including Boseman, the list of departed acting Emmy nominees consists of 26 entrants, four of whom were honored with wins.
The first actor to be nominated for and win an Emmy posthumously was Alice Pearce, who was awarded the Best Comedy Supporting Actress trophy for “Bewitched” two months after her death in 1966. The other three champs, all of whom triumphed for TV movie performances, are supporting players David Burns and Diana Hyland and lead Raul Julia.
Two more...
- 7/14/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Peter Finch‘s legacy is primarily rooted in his 1977 Best Actor Oscar win for “Network,” which made him the first actor to be posthumously honored by the academy. However, he also made history in a different way five years earlier. His Best Actor nomination for “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in 1972 earned him the distinction of being the first man recognized in the category for playing an LGBTQ character. In the five decades since, 18 more male stars have reaped bids for gay, bisexual, and transgender roles.
A wide range of characters are included in this group, from those struggling to come to terms with their identities to others who take pride in theirs but still must overcome societal barriers. Some are shown to be career-driven and successful, while others have fallen victim to their unfortunate circumstances. The list also features several real-life figures, including world-renowned artists, political revolutionaries, and even one desperate criminal.
A wide range of characters are included in this group, from those struggling to come to terms with their identities to others who take pride in theirs but still must overcome societal barriers. Some are shown to be career-driven and successful, while others have fallen victim to their unfortunate circumstances. The list also features several real-life figures, including world-renowned artists, political revolutionaries, and even one desperate criminal.
- 6/23/2022
- by Matthew Stewart and Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Peter Finch‘s legacy is primarily rooted in his 1977 Best Actor Oscar win for “Network,” which made him the first actor to be posthumously honored by the academy. However, he also made history in a different way five years earlier. His Best Actor nomination for “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in 1972 earned him the distinction of being the first man recognized in the category for playing an LGBTQ character. In the five decades since, 18 more male stars have reaped bids for gay, bisexual, and transgender roles.
A wide range of characters are included in this group, from those struggling to come to terms with their identities to others who take pride in theirs but still must overcome societal barriers. Some are shown to be career-driven and successful, while others have fallen victim to their unfortunate circumstances. The list also features several real-life figures, including world-renowned artists, political revolutionaries, and even one desperate criminal.
A wide range of characters are included in this group, from those struggling to come to terms with their identities to others who take pride in theirs but still must overcome societal barriers. Some are shown to be career-driven and successful, while others have fallen victim to their unfortunate circumstances. The list also features several real-life figures, including world-renowned artists, political revolutionaries, and even one desperate criminal.
- 6/23/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Sidney Lumet is the Oscar-nominated director who proved incredibly prolific during his career, directing over 40 movies in 50 years, from his feature debut “12 Angry Men” (1957) through his cinematic farewell “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” (2007). But how many of those titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born on June 25, 1924, Lumet got his start as a child actor, appearing in “One Third of a Nation” (1939) when he was 15 years old. After serving during WWII, he quickly began directing Off-Broadway plays before moving into the burgeoning medium of television, where he helmed hundreds of live teleplays. While working on episodes of “Playhouse 90,” “Kraft Theater” and many more, he honed his abilities to shoot quickly and economically.
His turned to movies with “12 Angry Men,” an adaptation of Reginald Rose‘s TV drama about a lone juror (Henry Fonda) holding out during a murder trial.
Born on June 25, 1924, Lumet got his start as a child actor, appearing in “One Third of a Nation” (1939) when he was 15 years old. After serving during WWII, he quickly began directing Off-Broadway plays before moving into the burgeoning medium of television, where he helmed hundreds of live teleplays. While working on episodes of “Playhouse 90,” “Kraft Theater” and many more, he honed his abilities to shoot quickly and economically.
His turned to movies with “12 Angry Men,” an adaptation of Reginald Rose‘s TV drama about a lone juror (Henry Fonda) holding out during a murder trial.
- 6/23/2022
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Charles Finch (Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love) is as English as they come, but Hollywood runs through his veins. Having written movies, produced a few, directed three; managed movie stars and built brands, and published high-end cultural magazines, he decided “smack in the middle of Covid, in my late fifties,” that he wanted to go back to making movies.
He has set up a small film company that he calls Standalone. Finch has a relationship with Columbia Pictures and he’ll formally announce a development deal with that studio next month. The entrepreneur also has a project with Netflix.
Finch told us that he has a slate of some 15 to 20 projects. Included in his group of filmmaking collaborators are directors Josie Rourke (Mary Queen of Scots), Tom Hooper (Les Miserables), Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind), Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era), and Florian Zeller (The Father...
He has set up a small film company that he calls Standalone. Finch has a relationship with Columbia Pictures and he’ll formally announce a development deal with that studio next month. The entrepreneur also has a project with Netflix.
Finch told us that he has a slate of some 15 to 20 projects. Included in his group of filmmaking collaborators are directors Josie Rourke (Mary Queen of Scots), Tom Hooper (Les Miserables), Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind), Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era), and Florian Zeller (The Father...
- 5/25/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, creators of the new Showtime series The Man Who Fell to Earth, talk to hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante about the movies that inspired them.
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Love Actually (2003)
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Blazing Saddles (1974) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Blazing Saddles Thanksgiving
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Bad News Bears (1976) – Jessica Bendinger’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Bambi (1942)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis trailer commentary
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Boy Friend (1971) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Yellow Submarine (1968) – George Hickenlooper...
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Love Actually (2003)
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Blazing Saddles (1974) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Blazing Saddles Thanksgiving
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Bad News Bears (1976) – Jessica Bendinger’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Bambi (1942)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis trailer commentary
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Boy Friend (1971) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Yellow Submarine (1968) – George Hickenlooper...
- 5/24/2022
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Thanks to Sidney Lumet's classic 1973 film "Serpico," starring Al Pacino, the Serpico name has become shorthand for a lone honest cop struggling against a corrupt system. This trope of the individual versus the system is a recurring one in Lumet's films, with Pacino's bank robber in "Dog Day Afternoon" and Peter Finch's "mad-as-hell" newscaster in "Network" being two other prominent '70s examples.
With "Serpico," however, there was an element of danger inherent in making a movie about a real-life whistleblower within the New York City Police Department who had been shot in the face after his fellow officers failed to come to his assistance.
When...
The post Al Pacino Bit Off More Than He Could Chew Preparing For Serpico appeared first on /Film.
With "Serpico," however, there was an element of danger inherent in making a movie about a real-life whistleblower within the New York City Police Department who had been shot in the face after his fellow officers failed to come to his assistance.
When...
The post Al Pacino Bit Off More Than He Could Chew Preparing For Serpico appeared first on /Film.
- 4/4/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Now up for grabs in Region A, it’s the Robert Aldrich movie that wins over all that see it. The epitome of Men In Peril adventures, the tale of 14 random oil men marooned in the Sahara is brutal yet optimistic about human cooperation — please, the world needs more of that right now. James Stewart is at his best, stretching his hard-bitten loner persona and tapping into his flying experience. Also with an English-language-best performance from Hardy Krüger. The male group dynamics are absorbing and the suspense powerful — especially when seen cold. No spoilers here!
The Flight of the Phoenix
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1116
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 142 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date March 22, 2022 / 39.95
Starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Gabriele Tinti, Alex Montoya, Peter Bravos, William Aldrich, Barrie Chase.
Cinematography: Joseph Biroc...
The Flight of the Phoenix
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1116
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 142 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date March 22, 2022 / 39.95
Starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Gabriele Tinti, Alex Montoya, Peter Bravos, William Aldrich, Barrie Chase.
Cinematography: Joseph Biroc...
- 3/19/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Scott Shannon is the King Kong of rock and roll radio. The new feature-length documentary Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York describes how he arrived in New York to save a bottom-place radio station, and turned it into a major media force.
“Coming to you live from the top of the Empire State Building,” like every other New York station sharing the city’s antenna, Z100 was one of the eight wonders of the radio world. The DJs broadcast from the swamps of New Jersey, when the Meadowlands might as well have been Skull Island, on-air talent had to buy their own records, and the station wasn’t on rotation when musicians came to town to promote shows. Shannon and his fellow radio personalities turned it into a first-stop music shop.
Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, and Nile Rodgers, who are interviewed in the documentary, broke through because of Z100 airplay.
“Coming to you live from the top of the Empire State Building,” like every other New York station sharing the city’s antenna, Z100 was one of the eight wonders of the radio world. The DJs broadcast from the swamps of New Jersey, when the Meadowlands might as well have been Skull Island, on-air talent had to buy their own records, and the station wasn’t on rotation when musicians came to town to promote shows. Shannon and his fellow radio personalities turned it into a first-stop music shop.
Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, and Nile Rodgers, who are interviewed in the documentary, broke through because of Z100 airplay.
- 2/10/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
As the once wide-open best picture race continues to narrow, Variety staffers take a look at some of the individual scenes that made us laugh, cry and think — sometimes at the same time.
“Being the Ricardos”
(Amazon)
Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) pulls Madeline (Alia Shawkat), the only female writer on Ball’s “I Love Lucy,” out of the writers room for a little one-on-one discussion about a scene that Lucy has been trying to make funnier — or at least make logical, and therefore funny. Like Madeline, Lucy is a smart, funny, strong women in the early 1950s — a unicorn in this man’s world in which they have mastered “work-arounds.” This scene from writer-director Aaron Sorkin is an honest yet sharp and somewhat frustrating talk about the TV character, the way the character is treated on the show and what type of comedy works. The scene is brave enough to...
“Being the Ricardos”
(Amazon)
Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) pulls Madeline (Alia Shawkat), the only female writer on Ball’s “I Love Lucy,” out of the writers room for a little one-on-one discussion about a scene that Lucy has been trying to make funnier — or at least make logical, and therefore funny. Like Madeline, Lucy is a smart, funny, strong women in the early 1950s — a unicorn in this man’s world in which they have mastered “work-arounds.” This scene from writer-director Aaron Sorkin is an honest yet sharp and somewhat frustrating talk about the TV character, the way the character is treated on the show and what type of comedy works. The scene is brave enough to...
- 1/24/2022
- by Shalini Dore, Carole Horst, Andrew Barker, Malina Saval, Jazz Tangcay, Jennifer Yuma, Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Selome Hailu and Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
German actor Hardy Krüger, known for his roles in films including Barry Lyndon, Hatari! and A Bridge Too Far, died Wednesday at at his home in California. He was 93.
His death was confirmed by his literary agent, Peter Kaefferlein, who told the AP that Krüger died “suddenly and unexpectedly.”
Born on April 12, 1928, in Berlin, Krüger’s parents were Nazi party members, with the actor later in life recalling his upbringing as a supporter of Adolf Hitler. Having made his acting debut at 15, he was conscripted into the army and saw combat during the Second World War. When he refused to ambush a group of U.S. soldiers, he was sentenced to death, only to be given a late reprieve. Kruger deserted the army and hid out until the war was over. He later went on to become a member of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which campaigns against right-wing extremism.
Returning to his acting work,...
His death was confirmed by his literary agent, Peter Kaefferlein, who told the AP that Krüger died “suddenly and unexpectedly.”
Born on April 12, 1928, in Berlin, Krüger’s parents were Nazi party members, with the actor later in life recalling his upbringing as a supporter of Adolf Hitler. Having made his acting debut at 15, he was conscripted into the army and saw combat during the Second World War. When he refused to ambush a group of U.S. soldiers, he was sentenced to death, only to be given a late reprieve. Kruger deserted the army and hid out until the war was over. He later went on to become a member of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which campaigns against right-wing extremism.
Returning to his acting work,...
- 1/20/2022
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Adam McKay has followed up his award-winning films “The Big Short” and “Vice” with “Don’t Look Up,” a shamelessly direct allegory of our global climate crisis presented. This sharp socio-political satire stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as low-level astronomers who discover a deadly comet hurtling toward earth. They try in vain to warn the President of the United States (played by Meryl Streep), her foolhardy administration, and cable news talking heads (Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry) about the coming end of humanity. Others in the cast include Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande and Mark Rylance.
Despite the polarising critical response (the film sits at a sharply divided 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), it performed spectacularly well following its release onto Netflix over Christmas. In its first seven days, “Don’t Look Up” was viewed for 263 million hours worldwide (already the 3rd highest of all time). And it boasts a far more appetising 78% fresh audience score on Rt,...
Despite the polarising critical response (the film sits at a sharply divided 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), it performed spectacularly well following its release onto Netflix over Christmas. In its first seven days, “Don’t Look Up” was viewed for 263 million hours worldwide (already the 3rd highest of all time). And it boasts a far more appetising 78% fresh audience score on Rt,...
- 1/11/2022
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
There’s a moment in “Don’t Look Up” when Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dr. Mindy character channels Peter Finch’s Howard Beale from “Network” (1976). In an explosion of rage on a fictional morning TV show, he vents his frustrations about the world’s ignorance about a catastrophic comet heading towards Earth and the lack of empathy humanity has shown for one another. Then, in a poignant line, he wonders, “How do we even talk to each other? What have we done to ourselves? How do we fix it?”
The film in which DiCaprio offers up those probing questions, currently sitting at 55% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes (the audience score is considerably higher at 77%), has generated a firestorm of reactions while sitting at No. 1 on Netflix for the past several days. Some have called it this generation’s “Dr. Strangelove,” while others are flabbergasted by its insistence on cloaking political and social clashes in dark humor.
The film in which DiCaprio offers up those probing questions, currently sitting at 55% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes (the audience score is considerably higher at 77%), has generated a firestorm of reactions while sitting at No. 1 on Netflix for the past several days. Some have called it this generation’s “Dr. Strangelove,” while others are flabbergasted by its insistence on cloaking political and social clashes in dark humor.
- 12/31/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
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