# An Oscar for that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907 "2003-07-12T04:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/1 "2003-07-12T04:45:23Z")
I was watching Girl Interrupted not to long ago and thought Angelina Jolie was horrible in it. I didn’t beleive her character at all. She won Best Supporting Actress for that role. Why? Also, I have no idea how Moulon Rouge got nominated for Best Picture. I was so bored, I stopped watching it. I’ve heard these same complaints about American Beauty and A Beautiful Mind which are two movies I loved. So what movies/actors/directors have won or been nominated for oscars that you think didn’t deserve it? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/2 "2003-07-12T04:51:59Z")
Marissa Tomei. _My Cousin Vinny_ was funny, I enjoyed it, but Marissa was actually the thing I liked the least. She was annoying, and, IMO, not that good at all. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/3 "2003-07-12T05:03:50Z")
Has anyone actually counted the minutes Kim Basinger was in “LA Confidential”, and how many lines she had? My wife and I were shocked when she won. I had forgotten she was in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/4 "2003-07-12T05:08:07Z")
The least deserved Oscar ever: [Marisa Tomei](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Tomei,%20Marisa), Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for _My Cousin Vinny_. The only reason she won is that she was competing against four accomplished British actresses: Joan Plowright, _Enchanted April_ Miranda Richardson, _Fatale_ Vanessa Redgrave, _Howards End_ Judy Davis, _Husbands and Wives_ and the Academy wanted to buy American. _Vinny_, while an enjoyable little comedy, can’t hold a candle to the other films, and Tomei, in only her fourth major film role, brings nothing to her unremarkable role that a dozen other actresses couldn’t have done. Whereas each of the other four actresses, with far more experience, gave subtle, interesting performances in their respective films. Tomei’s Oscar is a travesty, pure and simple. [I see on preview that \*\*bouv\*\* has beat me to the punch. But it’s such a well deserved punch, I’m seconding it.] ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/5 "2003-07-12T05:14:39Z")
The least deserved Oscar ever: [Marisa Tomei](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Tomei,%20Marisa), Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for _My Cousin Vinny_. The only reason she won is that she was competing against four accomplished British actresses: Joan Plowright, _Enchanted April_ Miranda Richardson, _Fatale_ Vanessa Redgrave, _Howards End_ Judy Davis, _Husbands and Wives_ and the Academy wanted to buy American. _Vinny_, while an enjoyable little comedy, can’t hold a candle to the other films, and Tomei, in only her fourth major film role, brings nothing to her unremarkable role that a dozen other actresses couldn’t have done. Whereas each of the other four actresses, with far more experience, gave subtle, interesting performances in their respective films. Tomei’s Oscar is a travesty, pure and simple. [I see on preview that \*\*bouv\*\* has beaten me to the punch. But it’s such a well deserved punch, I’m seconding it.] ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/6 "2003-07-12T05:15:01Z")
The least deserved Oscar ever: [Marisa Tomei](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Tomei,%20Marisa), Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for _My Cousin Vinny_. The only reason she won is that she was competing against four accomplished British actresses: Joan Plowright, _Enchanted April_ Miranda Richardson, _Fatale_ Vanessa Redgrave, _Howards End_ Judy Davis, _Husbands and Wives_ and the Academy wanted to buy American. _Vinny_, while an enjoyable little comedy, can’t hold a candle to the other films, and Tomei, in only her fourth major film role, brings nothing to her unremarkable role that a dozen other actresses couldn’t have done. Whereas each of the other four actresses, with far more experience, gave a subtle, interesting performance in her respective film. Tomei’s Oscar is a travesty, pure and simple. [I see on preview that \*\*bouv\*\* has beaten me to the punch. But it’s such a well deserved punch, I’m seconding it.] ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/7 "2003-07-12T05:16:50Z")
Whoops. Sorry about the dupes! ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/8 "2003-07-12T05:28:46Z")
I’ve always held that supporting acting Oscars are won or lost on the power of a single pivotal scene, so if you’re nominated for an overall solid performance that never contained a moment that made the audience say “oooooooooooh” then you’re not gonna win the Oscar. Marisa Tomei won her Oscar for the foot-stamping on the porch scene. (“My biological clock is Ticking!Like!This!”) Kim Basinger won her Oscar for the slapped-in-the-face on the porch (in the rain) scene. Hmm, on second thought, maybe the key is being really emotional on a porch. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/9 "2003-07-12T05:34:49Z")
Well, I didn’t see _Fatale_ but I did see as much of the other three as I could stand before being driven from the TV in utter boredom, so maybe Marisa Tomei won because voters were able to make it through the entire movie to see the entire performance. Biggest travesty in the Best Actress category is Judy Holliday’s win for _Born Yesterday_. She was up against Anne Baxter and Bette Davis in _All About Eve_, Gloria Swanson in _Sunset Boulevard_ and Eleanor Parker in _Caged_. Not saying Judy Holliday wasn’t good in the role…OK, yes I am saying she wasn’t good in the role. Definitely fifth out of five, a dull, one-note performance. And, since the song category probably won’t get a lot of discussion, I’ll bring up a few. “Take My Breath Away” from _Top Gun_ winning over “Mean Green Mother From Outer Space” from _Little Shop of Horrors_? Please! ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/10 "2003-07-12T05:53:46Z")
_Good Will Hunting_ = Best Original Screenplay? C’mon, it was not a bad movie, but it was a cliche and sophomoric story. It made for a good human interest piece about the “young struggling artists who beat the odds” and that was good enough for the Academy. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/11 "2003-07-12T06:22:10Z")
Well, I’m an “American Beauty” detractor. I thought it was a simply awful film with some good performances in it. On the whole I found “Magnolia” a much better statement of alienation and desperation, plus the performances were better. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/12 "2003-07-12T06:27:47Z")
Never would have thought about that music oscar Otto. Good point there. And whatever song beat out Blame Canada from South Park. I was going to mention Good Will Hunting in the OP, but it slipped my mind. And I still think Keeanu Reeves should have been nominated for Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. And ONLY Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/13 "2003-07-12T06:29:11Z")
I was completely unimpressed by Helen Hunt’s performance in _As Good As It Gets_. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/14 "2003-07-12T06:34:35Z")
Why does everybody trash Tomei’s performance in that movie?!? I thought she played a _great_ role. Yeah, it’s comedic, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy than some boring, understated British chick in a movie I’ll probably never see in my life, does it??? I think people are just bitter sometimes. As for _truly_ undeserved Oscars, I nominate **Russell Crowe** for _The Gladiator_. (As well as Best Picture, Director, and everything else it won…but especially Actor.) Especially because it cost Crowe the Oscar for a truly _deserved_ performance in _A Beautiful Mind_, but nobody in the Academy wanted to award him two consecutive Oscars, because let’s face it, he’s sort of a dick. And…did nobody in the Academy watch _Cast Away_?? Tom Hanks totally deserved a 3rd Oscar for that role. I could have watched him on that island for another six hours. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/15 "2003-07-12T06:50:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by commasense \* > \*\*The least deserved Oscar ever: [Marisa Tomei](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Tomei,%20Marisa), Best Supporting Actress in 1993 for _My Cousin Vinny_. > > The only reason she won is that she was competing against four accomplished British actresses: > > Joan Plowright, _Enchanted April_ > Miranda Richardson, _Fatale_ > Vanessa Redgrave, _Howards End_ > Judy Davis, _Husbands and Wives_ > > \*\* [Judy Davis](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Davis,+Judy)(a sublime actress) is from Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/16 "2003-07-12T07:18:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KGS \* > [As for _truly_ undeserved Oscars, I nominate **Russell Crowe** for _The Gladiator_. (As well as Best Picture, Director, and everything else it won…but especially Actor.) Especially because it cost Crowe the Oscar for a truly _deserved_ performance in _A Beautiful Mind_, but nobody in the Academy wanted to award him two consecutive Oscars, because let’s face it, he’s sort of a dick. And…did nobody in the Academy watch _Cast Away_?? Tom Hanks totally deserved a 3rd Oscar for that role. I could have watched him on that island for another six hours. I completely agree! _Gladiator_ was such a disappointment to me. And I think Tom Hanks’ role in _Cast Away_ was even more Oscar-worthy than the roles for which he’s actually won. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/17 "2003-07-12T07:22:56Z")
No mention of Halle Berry yet? ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/18 "2003-07-12T07:39:42Z")
Halle Berry. Happy now? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/19 "2003-07-12T07:39:50Z")
First of all, I thought Marissa Tomei was GREAT in “My Cousin Vinny”. She delivered those lines with a great New York accent “It’s called disclosure you dickhead !!!” I thought Joel Grey’s performance in “Cabaret” was NOT Oscarworthy (Best Supporting Actor 1972). Perhaps because the other nominees were Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan from the “Godfather”, the votes may have been split between those 3 so much so that Joel Grey just barely slid into winning. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907/20 "2003-07-12T11:50:14Z")
How about Judy Dench for what, 7 lines in 'Shakespeare in Love" Speaking of SiL, Gwenyth Paltrow??? Cate Blanchette was much more deserving in “Elizabeth”. Joseph Finnes completely overlooked in both movies!!(whines NOT FAIR) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-oscar-for-that/187907.md?page=2)