# Marisa Tomei's Oscar for "My Cousin Vinny" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020 "2005-01-16T13:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/41 "2005-01-17T08:45:59Z")
I don’t know what you folks are smoking, but _My Cousin Vinnie_ was hilarious. Do people not think that comedies are “real” movies? It’s one of those movies that gets played on t.v. all the time, and that I find myself watching all the way through, over and over. I agree that Fred Gwynne makes the movie. One of my favorite lines (I don’t remember the exact wording): “The next time you’re in this courtroom, I expect you to be wearing a suit - and it better be made of some sort of…_cloth_.” And Marisa Tomei takes the simplest lines and makes them memorable, like when Vinnie chastises her for sticking out, and she sarcastically retorts: “Oh, _you_ blend.” Not a particularly memorable line, but the way she delivers it is priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/42 "2005-01-17T09:33:12Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > **continuity eror** has a point though. If you look back at the lists of Oscar winners over the years, you see a lot of cases where you go, “Huh? What the hell were they thinking?” Movies that make a big splash when they’re released don’t necessarily have a lot of staying power, while movies with staying power don’t always get noticed when they’re first released. I concur. The first one in the last decade I can remember is _The Usual Suspects_. It was more original, more entertaining, _and_ a better movie than any of those nominated for Best Picture that year, imho - I can’t imagine why it didn’t win, and worse, why it wasn’t even nominated. And I hope nobody tries to give me any cinematic analysis saying why I’m so incredibly wrong - if movies like _Shakespeare in Love_ and _American Beauty_ and _The Full Monty_ can be nominated for and/or win Best Picture…well, it’s obvious there are a ton of movies that have been passed over in favor of inferior ones (and we could have a whole debate on those, of course), but _The Usual Suspects_ definitely deserves to be on the list of said movies. > [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > “Excuse me, did you say _youts_?” Sorry, your honor…the two _yoo_thes… ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/43 "2005-01-17T09:56:42Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > I know the commitee gives Oscars for reasons other than their true purpose sometimes What committee? Nominations for the acting categories are made by fellow actors, e.g., nominees for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress are made by the actress members of the Academy. > [@Equipoise](#): > > Majority rules, even if by one vote. Plurality rules, too. We don’t know if Tomei (or any other person) won her Oscar by a majority or just a plurality of votes; the vote totals are not released. > [@Delphica](#): > > I used to live with a roommate who was a voting member in a technical category What a lot of people mistakenly call “technical” categories are actually artistic categories. Individual movies are not nominated for technical awards, and the technical awards are not given at the televised awards ceremony, but at an earlier ceremony. Categories like cinematography, editing, special effects, sound, and sound editing are _artistic_ awards, not technical awards. Technical awards are given for things like equipment (e.g., the Steadicam) and processes (e.g., Dolby noise reduction). ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/44 "2005-01-17T10:10:03Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > And Marisa Tomei takes the simplest lines and makes them memorable, like when Vinnie chastises her for sticking out, and she sarcastically retorts: “Oh, _you_ blend.” Not a particularly memorable line, but the way she delivers it is priceless. I gotta admit, her delivery is what makes that performance so memorable. Mediocre film with mediocre writing and a really silly, recycled plot. But she is a hoot. That may be why she got the little shiny gold naked guy. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/45 "2005-01-17T15:49:03Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > What a lot of people mistakenly call “technical” categories are actually artistic categories. Individual movies are not nominated for technical awards, and the technical awards are not given at the televised awards ceremony, but at an earlier ceremony. Categories like cinematography, editing, special effects, sound, and sound editing are _artistic_ awards, not technical awards. Technical awards are given for things like equipment (e.g., the Steadicam) and processes (e.g., Dolby noise reduction). Oooh, thanks for the clarification. He did work in sound editing, I was trying to convey that he wasn’t a performer. If memory serves, he would only participate in the balloting for categories in his field, and then there were a few categories that were more of a free for all. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/46 "2005-01-17T16:16:12Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Shorter than Judi Dench’s role that won her BSA for in _Shakespeare in Love_? If you sneezed, you missed it. I’m pretty sure Dame Judi had more screen time. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/47 "2005-01-17T17:38:00Z")
[Tim Dirks](http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020616/ANSWERMAN/206160307&template=printart), of the Greatest Films website, settles a bar bet once and for all: > [@](#): > > Beatrice Straight as Louise Schumacher in _Network_ (1976) appears in three scenes that equal about 7 1/2 minutes of total screen time, with eight speeches totaling 260 words. Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth in _Shakespeare in Love_ (1998) appears in four scenes that equal about 10 minutes of total screen time, with 14 speeches totalling 446 words. Verdict: The Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner with less screen time AND less dialogue is Beatrice Straight in _Network_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/48 "2005-01-17T19:03:42Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > I haven’t seen the movie yet. Is that a spoiler? No, it isn’t. I haven’t seen the movie, either, but the fact was revealed in all the reviews of it, and plot logic insists that she discovers it before the end of the movie. People are ignoring the most obvious reason: My Cousin Vinnie was the most successful of the five films who had nominees ($52M+ as opposed to $25M for Howard’s End, the most successful of the others). More voters were more likely to have seen it than any of the other films (even with the videotapes being passed around to the academy). So there were many voters who saw Tomei and none of the rest, and would have voted for her. Often, that sort of voter might choose a well-known actress and vote for her with a nod to her career (e.g., Judi Dench), but Joan Plowright was never a big Hollywood name (she was a big name in the UK, of course) and Vanessa Redgrave wasn’t going to win because of her politics (dancing with the Palestinians, remember?) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/49 "2005-01-17T19:24:48Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > People are ignoring the most obvious reason: My Cousin Vinnie was the most successful of the five films who had nominees ($52M+ as opposed to $25M for Howard’s End, the most successful of the others). More voters were more likely to have seen it than any of the other films (even with the videotapes being passed around to the academy). So there were many voters who saw Tomei and none of the rest, and would have voted for her. Often, that sort of voter might choose a well-known actress and vote for her with a nod to her career (e.g., Judi Dench), but Joan Plowright was never a big Hollywood name (she was a big name in the UK, of course) and Vanessa Redgrave wasn’t going to win because of her politics (dancing with the Palestinians, remember?) If you were talking about the general population, I’d agree with you. But we are talking about 6000 Academy members, so the likelihood that they didn’t see _Howards End_ (which won 3 Oscars and got a Pic nod) is extremely low, though I will agree with you on _Damage_ & _Enchanted April_. You’re right about Redgrave, though. For my money, Judy Davis just blew the others out of the water, but it was a difficult movie to like and an often painful performance, whilst _Vinny_ is fun and Tomei is cute and spunky and has some terrific scenes (and though I think the only-American vote can be a bit glib, I think there can be some truth to it). It’s interesting that people often complain that comedies get ignored by the Academy, but when a comedic performance wins, it’s often the “wrong” comedic performance (Judy Holliday’s win over Gloria Swanson & Bette Davis in 1950 is another good example). Tomei was helped in that she was clearly the best thing in the movie, and you’re often more of a standout if you are the best thing in an OK film as opposed to one of the many terrific things in a terrific film. Personally, I like her and the film and, though she wouldn’t have gotten my vote, I don’t think it was a bad performance (something which the Academy does have a track record of recognizing). The _Bedroom_ nod she got went a long way to restoring some of her cred, though I think the fact that she has suffered because, though she’s kept herself busy in Hollywood, she never developed a stellar “career” many people associate with an Oscar-winner. In short, it was a great milestone without being a real turning point, and the fact that it was for something as “fluffy” as a cute comedy makes it open season for some undeserved derision. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/50 "2005-01-17T19:24:49Z")
Joan Plowright might not have been a big Hollywood name, but neither were Beatrice Straight, Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Binoche (in 1997), Anna Paquin, Mia Sorvino, or Mercedes Ruehl. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/51 "2005-01-17T20:01:29Z")
**Bill H.:** > [@](#): > > My Cousin Vinny was a great movie, and Tomei was great in it. I completely agree with this. As a lawyer-type, too, I have to say that My Cousin Vinny gets a lot of legal details right that many more “weighty” films don’t even bother with. It was a well-made film all around. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/52 "2005-01-17T22:36:35Z")
**Shirley Ujest** wrote > [@](#): > > Fred Gwynne also was an intregral part in the hilarity of the movie. Yes. IMDB lists this as his last movie. I always liked him. **Gadarene** wrote > [@](#): > > As a lawyer-type, too, I have to say that My Cousin Vinny gets a lot of legal details right that many more “weighty” films don’t even bother with. Right on. Does the phrase “dead on balls accurate” count as a legal term? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/53 "2005-01-18T02:30:50Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > I just don’t see the appeal of her role in this movie like everyone else does. It wasn’t a bad performance by any means and she definitely had a better performance than Pesci or Machio but that isn’t saying much. And for everyone saying that comedy is as valid an artform as drama, I agree. I never implied otherwise… I just don’t think comedy that elicits brief chuckles at best is all that deserving. Speaking as an actor myself, I’d like to emphasize that comedy is **much, much** harder than drama. Getting angry or sad is easy. Getting angry or sad and still managing the technical execution that makes the material funny to an outside eye is extremely difficult. And if you look at Tomei’s performance, in which the script required her to be short-tempered and abrasive and bitchy and demanding and all sorts of other negative qualities, it really is a testament to the quality of her work that the character turned out to be funny instead of irritating. The success of that film can largely be credited to her, I think. So Tomei’s win surprised me, but on brief reflection, I decided it was a nice and not undeserved departure for the Academy. I thought the same thing when Kevin Kline won best supporting for Otto in _A Fish Called Wanda._ Comedy really, really, really doesn’t get the credit it deserves when the end-of-year accolades are handed out. I’m pleased, further, that there appears to be some evolution in attitudes of late (note Johnny Depp’s nomination for _Pirates of the Caribbean_, which was deserved where a win may or may not have been), but we still have a ways to go. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/54 "2005-01-18T06:03:57Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Comedy really, really, really doesn’t get the credit it deserves when the end-of-year accolades are handed out. I’m pleased, further, that there appears to be some evolution in attitudes of late (note Johnny Depp’s nomination for _Pirates of the Caribbean_, which was deserved where a win may or may not have been), but we still have a ways to go. I agree, so I too was pleased about last year’s nominations for Depp and Bill Murray. I hope they continue to give comedy some respect. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/55 "2005-01-18T06:11:31Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Speaking as an actor myself, I’d like to emphasize that comedy is **much, much** harder than drama … if you look at Tomei’s performance, in which the script required her to be short-tempered and abrasive and bitchy and demanding and all sorts of other negative qualities, it really is a testament to the quality of her work that the character turned out to be funny instead of irritating. That’s something I hadn’t considered. There were times where Pesci was really annoying me in the movie but Tomei never did. Good point. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/56 "2005-01-18T14:35:41Z")
Even if the Academy feels it can overlook Peter (Troy) O’Toole because it gave him an honorary lifetime achievement award rwecently, my theory still holdfs up. Morgan Freeman is another aging, veteran, highly respected actor who’se never won an award, and he’ll almost surely be nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his work in “Million Dollar Baby.” If so, he’s liable to win the latest “Oops” award. (More “give an award to an old guy who’s never won before” examples: John Gielgud, Sean Connery, Martin Landau & John Houseman). ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/57 "2005-01-18T16:44:20Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Peter O’Toole probably won’t win an acting award because he was given the Lifetime Achievement award last year. This excuses the Academy from ever having to give him an award for an actual movie. They didn’t give him the award last year. They planned to, and in typical O’Toole fashion, he said (paraphrasing) “No thank you, I still plan to earn one on my own.” And his performance in Troy will surely do that - Mr. singular & I turned to each other at the end of his scene as Prious with Achilles, asking for his son’s body, and said “there’s his Oscar!” Extremely deserved and _way_ overdue. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/58 "2005-01-18T16:55:50Z")
**singular1** wrote > [@](#): > > They didn’t give him the award last year. They planned to, and in typical O’Toole fashion, he said (paraphrasing) “No thank you, I still plan to earn one on my own.” He did initially turn it down, but eventually relented and showed up to accept it. [Here](http://www.realitymouse.com/otoole/pictures/oscars/) are some pictures of the event. Great actor. Lawrence is one of my favorite movies of all time. Troy on the other hand… well, let’s just be kind and say it’s not one of my favorites of all time. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/59 "2005-01-18T17:03:42Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Troy on the other hand… well, let’s just be kind and say it’s not one of my favorites of all time. It’s not one of O’Toole’s favorites either. He’s been very vocal about how little he thinks of the film, and that, his Honorary Oscar, and the underwhelming reception of a film (“Hey, at least it’s better than _Alexander_!”) that was released seemingly ages ago all doom O’Toole’s chances. He hasn’t gotten a single critic’s award nor a nomination from the BAFTA’s, the Globes, the SAG, etc. It will be a startling upset if the gets a nomination. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020/60 "2005-01-18T18:18:09Z")
Well, hell. That sucks - I personally liked Troy (don’t hurt me), and I thought his speech was beautifully done. But you’re right, there hasn’t been a peep about it anywhere, so it probably won’t happen. Kinda makes me wish he would’ve stuck to his guns. If he hadn’t gotten the Honorary, he’d be a shoo-in for the Obligatory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marisa-tomeis-oscar-for-my-cousin-vinny/285020.md?page=4)