# Was the King's Speech the greatest ever Oscar-bait?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-kings-speech-the-greatest-ever-oscar-bait/574548>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 13, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-kings-speech-the-greatest-ever-oscar-bait/574548 "2011-03-13T16:33:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-kings-speech-the-greatest-ever-oscar-bait/574548/21 "2011-03-13T23:48:12Z")

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> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> He did, though that film is probably not what most people would see as a prototypical sci-fi film.

Well, how about Frederic March for DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, then?

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**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-kings-speech-the-greatest-ever-oscar-bait/574548/22 "2011-03-14T00:11:10Z")

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There’s an argument to be made that _Shakespeare in Love_ is the greatest ever Oscar-bait. It’s got:

1. Cute British accents, which are a magnet for Oscar voters
2. The name “Shakespeare” in the title, which convinces them that it must be something high-brow and deeply important
3. Clever Shakespearian references which allow viewers to think themselves educated
4. In-jokes about the entertainment world, since after all the Oscar voters are entertainers
5. Period costumes and settings
6. A less than perfect hero who struggles against difficulties and almost magically wins at the end (when he rewrites _Romeo and Juliet_ to the form we know)
7. A romance against the odds (although one which the two lovers eventually realize must end)
8. A wise older person (Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth) who, it becomes clear, understands what’s going on better than anyone

All this is on its side. Admittedly it’s not a drama, which is usually what wins. In general, comedies, action/adventure films, thrillers, horror movies, fantasies, and science fiction films don’t win. It also doesn’t contain any mildly advanced moral messages, which is what usually wins. An Oscar winner with a message usually has to have one that’s slightly more liberal than most people’s current beliefs but not too much more liberal.

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**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-kings-speech-the-greatest-ever-oscar-bait/574548/23 "2011-03-14T02:45:48Z")

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“Chariots of Fire” apparently won because it was an Oscar bait film. (Brits; self-importance; heroes overcoming obstacles). I liked this film a lot when it first came out but it has NOT aged well.

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