Revisiting the 15th Academy Awards

In this episode we go back to the 15th Academy Awards. Mrs. Miniver won for Best Picture while Greer Garson won Best Actress for her performance in the film. James Cagney won Best Actor for Yankee Doodle Dandy. Did the Academy get it right? Click and listen! 🎥🎥🎬🎬

Thanks for listening! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Hello, and welcome to Cinema Chat with David Heath. And I am your host. And my name is coincidentally David Heath. And this is the podcast where we talk about movies from every era and just about every genre. And we do have an ongoing series. This is what we're going to be working on today, on the Academy Awards. And what we've been doing, if uh this is the first episode you've listened to, well, we are we are doing an ongoing series about the Academy Awards and actually just taking the big three awards best picture, best actor, and best actress of each year and each award show. And we are trying to decipher if the Academy made the right decision. And uh so basically, we're going to talk a little bit about each of the movies that were nominated for an Academy Award, and but and each actor and actress that were nominated for the Academy Award for that particular year. What we're doing right now is uh we are on the 15th Academy Award, and uh basically the we're we're going to lay out all the movies that were nominated, and I'm going to mention if a movie or an actor or actress was snubbed and not nominated, that maybe should have been considered uh for that particular award. It's been a lot of fun researching this uh subject. Uh it does require lots of movie watching. Uh, I am requiring myself and making commitment to my audience that I'm re-watching all the movies. Uh, there are some that I haven't never seen, uh, but uh there, but if I have seen it, then I'm re-watching it and in trying to evaluate if it deserves best picture or if that actor deserves best actor or best actress, you know, same thing. In any case, uh we are uh going to do the best picture first and then talk about best actor and best actress category. And again, I'll mention any that may I feel may have been snubbed. Okay, so here we go. Let's get started. Uh uh, let's see. Uh the 15th Academy Awards uh was held in the Coconut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on March 4th, 1943. And the rules were uh that the films had to be released in the calendar year of 1942. So January through December. And as has been the rule uh since okay, let's go over the best picture nominees and decide if the right one won. Uh let's see. Uh Mrs. Miniver was nominated for Best Picture and not just nominated, but actually won Best Picture. Uh did it deserve it? Well, what was Mrs. Miniver about? Well, it starred uh Geer Garson and Walter Pigeon, and uh the two are uh are having uh a very nice life, thank you very much. Uh unfortunately war starts, of course, World War II starts, and uh there's a lot more chaos involved uh when there's when there's war and it's uh the film depicts how war can you know really change lives, and um it really puts things in a poignant perspective. Um some of Mrs. Miniver's is pretty light and some of it's pretty heavy, uh, but there's no doubt it's uh a great film. Uh the 49th Parallel was nominated, and as was the theme here at the 15th Academy Awards, this is a war drama, and it's uh directed by Michael Powell, stars Leslie Howard, Lawrence Olivier, uh Rayan Massey, uh also Glennis Johns is in it. But uh the film, the stars of the film uh don't really do scenes together, uh, but when they're in the film, it's it's it's really good. Uh it is basically a British propaganda film, and I don't I use that term in the nicest way possible, uh, you know, but because it is definitely a raw, raw film uh uh to um you know to basically put the Allied forces into a good light, or I I should say the British forces uh in a good light. Uh but uh the film is decidedly anti-German and uh obviously anti-Nazi. Uh but uh basically it's uh about a German U-boat uh that uh sinks and and is carrying a bunch of sailors, and they have to try to figure out uh uh how to cross the border uh from Canada into America. And uh they are trying very hard not to be outed as Nazi soldiers as well. Uh it's an interesting film. Uh Lawrence Libier uh has a memorable role, and and Raymond Massey uh toward the end is just yeah, really fantastic. And of course, we've got Leslie Howard, uh who unfortunately died for the World War II cause soon after this. He was flying in a plane, and um and it was shot down. Uh so um well Leslie Howard died for the cause, uh, but he has a very memorable role, and uh again, I will say the same thing about this film I did about Mrs. Menberg. There this is mostly a heavy film, but it also has a lot of light touches to it. And in the case of Leslie Howard, it's um sometimes quite humorous. Uh his character uh is it he's got a really fun character. I really enjoy watching Leslie Howard um either pretending to be naive or just being naive. And to be honest, I'm not sure which is the answer, but uh the 49th Parallel, uh excellent film, worthy of a nomination. Uh then we have uh King's Row. And it's sort of the year for the for the uh melodrama, maybe. I don't know if you call Fortnite Parallel melodrama. Mrs. Miniver, I would. Um but in any case. King's Row stars uh Ann Sheridan, uh Robert Cummings, and Ronald Reagan, uh the the former president. Uh directed by Sam Wood. And uh oh, it also has Claude Raines, which Claude Raines is one of those actors that uh is a magnet to the Academy. They they he's like every project he's in seems to well well maybe let's put it differently. Every year he seems to be attached to a project that is nominated for something uh for the Academy Awards. And and uh there are a few others like Frederick Marsh, and uh there's several actors like that that just they're just a magnet uh for the Academy Awards. Uh but in uh this case it's all about uh kids who grow up together uh in uh and they you know somewhat grow apart. Uh and there's they have different different destinies, uh, shall we say, and and what happens to uh Ronald Reagan's character is quite devastating. And I I'm not going to spoil it for people that uh haven't seen it, I'm but I'm but I will say that about midway through the film uh it's horrifying what happens to Ronald Reagan's character. But um it is a very good film, uh, and uh notably uh it's got a very good cast. Um Betty Field also in it, Charles Coburn. Uh um little, you know, little uh little Scotty Beckett from uh Our Gang is in it too. Uh but uh definitely uh a film worth watching, definitely worth uh the Academy Award nomination that it received. Um then we have the Magnificent Ambersons. Uh the Magnificent Ambersons is directed by Orson Wells, and it it stars Joseph Cotton and uh and uh and then one of my favorites that I don't mention very often on the podcast, Dolores Costello. Um she is one of my favorite actresses, and she more than half of our films are lost. Um, but it's great that we have uh a moment here where she's in uh a film uh that's well, I can't even say this one's fully restored because the Magnificent Emerson has problems. Uh, one of the problems that it has is that it was cut uh by the studio. Uh Orson Wells wanted a you know a significantly longer version, and he was not happy or pleased one bit when the studio changed the ending and also shortened uh the film uh by almost 50 minutes. Um having said all that, it's a brilliant film that it details a family that is uh through the Gilded Age, you know, very um very wealthy. Uh, and as time goes on into the turn of the century, um, they begin to lose their wealth, lose their prestige, and um it is uh it is a sad tale uh and and to watch a family unravel in such a way. Um but unfortunately, I I don't think you can see the Orson Wells cut anywhere. Um if someone has it, I don't know about it. Um but what is here is great. Uh we have the normal uh where we have the uh it wasn't normal yet. This is Orson Wells' second production, but uh we have you know great uh cinematography, we have great editing, uh super screenplay, and marvelous acting. Um everybody in this is good. Everybody. And it's just a terrific ensemble effort. Um, but I will repeat that I I love that Dolores Costello is in this. Um you know, even though she's more uh like a you know, more more of a co-star, uh, she would be under the best supporting actress uh category. Um if she had been nominated, uh she would be. But um but Magnus and Ambersons is a magnificent movie, absolutely, and worthy of the nomination. Uh and then we go to uh The Pied Piper, which is uh another film that had uh well, I'll go back to the Magnus and Emerson one more second. Um Magnus and Amerson's not light. It's it's heavy, it's heavy, uh heavy melodrama. Uh but the Pied Piper, and yet another film that has light touches, uh very light touches, it's a really light spin uh on a heavy subject of World War II. And it not only tackles that, it tackles uh having there's a boy in it that that um is blind and and deaf and living through a war, it's absolutely mind-boggling uh to comprehend what a boy that's totally lost doesn't have parents anywhere, what that boy could be feeling. And then um also comparatively what the people uh leading him along are feeling. Uh, you know, it's got to be a sense of hopelessness for them. But uh the film uh stars Monty Woolley, who is a name you don't hear very often, um but um he's just marvelous in this movie. He plays this, you know, kind of crotchy man, uh, you know, he's more nuanced than just a grumpy old man. He's uh uh you can tell he's learned, uh, he's um got a kind heart at the bottom of his exterior, uh obviously a very kind heart at the bottom there. Uh but he's just uh a marvelous character, and I'm gonna stop saying the word marvelous, by the way. I I promise. Uh but he and he basically inherits two children. The uh the the parents of the two children say, Hey, can you please take our kids um back home with you uh because to because we don't want them to stay here because of the war, and we feel it's dangerous. And he is he objects wildly at first and then finally relents, and that's the beginning of the film. Um but then the number of children that he's he's guiding uh grows as the film goes on, and it's just it's such a uh it's a it's a really good adventure. Uh it is not a comedy, but it does have a lot of a lot of comedy in it. And um, you know, I I just that thing I this is one of those films that I saw for the first time in preparation. Um uh the film also has a uh Roddy McDowell uh as as a kid and um also Ann Baxter. Um all really, really good performances. And uh the film has um you know uh again and a little bit of propaganda to it, and uh, but I I don't say the word propaganda as as in oh that's bad. I it's not pejoratively used. I I I use it as just as what it is, you know. It's our side, you know. I uh well, unless you're listening um in the wrong country, um, you know, it's the it's the side of the the uh British mostly. But it's well shot, well constructed, uh it's lean, uh and it has just enough uh scenes to uh display a great story. And uh yeah, the Pied Piper works uh on every level and I is worthy of the nomination. Um and then we have the Pride of the Yankees, uh, which is just a absolutely great drama. Um there's um a little bit of levity in it, but actually quite a bit. You got Gary Cooper and uh Teresa Wright, Teresa Wright. Um try singing Teresa Wright fast five times. Um uh Gary Cooper plays uh Lou Gehrig and and Teresa Wright plays uh Lou uh the Lou White Lou Gehrig's uh wife. Uh going to get it I'm going to get it pulled together. Uh it's another Sam Wood um uh production. He he directed this film, and um um Groucho Marks uh probably wasn't thrilled with the movie because he didn't like Sam Wood. Um but uh anyway, uh this is a just an absolutely great performance by Gary Cooper, who uh I always say um plays these roles really well, the humble guy. Um he not he doesn't usually play the tough guy. He always plays the tough a guy that's tough um in the on the inside um but has a humble exterior. It's really interesting to see did that in Sgt. York too. Um, you know, did it in Mr. Deeds movies or in Mr. Deeds movies. Um uh but um it just really great performance by Gary Cooper. And I I also love the Bay Ruths in it, the real Babe Ruth playing Babe Ruth. Um what I The Pride of the Yankees to me, you know, one to five stars, is a five-star film. Well worthy, worthy of the of the nomination. Um I would like to have more about Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig's relationship because it was very complicated. Um, and uh I wish that there was more in this. Um Luke Gehrig played or Luke Gehrig was a humble guy, and Babe Ruth was a guy that was not so humble, uh not even close. It was the opposite of humble, actually. But um it would be nice to have a little bit there. Um, but I I I we don't have time for a three-hour film, I guess. It's really kind of what it amounts to, and I I think um it'd be pulling into a different direction or something, but um the idea is to cover you know the fact that Babe Ruth or other that Luke Gary got um sick and couldn't go on with and it got ALS, of course. That's not a spoiler, but um we do find that Babe Ruth plays Babe Ruth better uh than William Bendix would later. That's a totally different year, but uh uh if you've seen William Bendix play Babe Ruth, it's pretty bad. It's pretty, it's pretty awful. Uh but the the uh the Pride of the Yankees, I in my opinion is an excellent film. Uh it suffers a little tiny bit from that Babe Ruth part of it, and also the fact that uh being a film firmly and during made during uh the uh Hayes Code, the William Hayes Code production code, uh which dictated the the content of film. Um I I think Lou Gehrig's relationship with his wife was more complicated than the film shows, too. Um I did like his his parents a lot, and I think that the uh that was really the good comic relief in the film. Um again, we have a drama with um laced with some comedy, uh a melodrama at that, even though it's a true story. Um, but um um I I think it's a five star film. Uh I I would have loved To have had more uh with you know detailing um their relation his his relationships, um but the film doesn't really go too much into detail with that, and probably understandably so, because it would probably be something that would violate the William Hayes code. I I would like to see it, but uh we won't thus. Um uh anyway, uh see the next uh film uh nominated was uh Random Harvest. Random Harvest uh as uh the absolutely tremendous actor Ronald Coleman and Greer Garson. This is another production that was affected uh greatly by the William Hayes production code uh because it it kind of involves a little bit of of uh uh an affair and uh the the the book uh the novel that was written uh was uh much uh different in tone, and this one had to be you know kind of tread the line. This one really walked the line by a lot. Uh anyway, the uh Ronald Coleman plays a man that's get amnesia from World War I. And he ends up uh falling in love uh with uh Greer Garson and um and he's got memory issues. And uh it's a really uh it's a really really good film. And uh I think I think because of the performances of Greer Garson and Ron Coleman, I think it is worthy of the Oscar nomination. Uh the next film is The Talk of the Town, and we have another uh uh comedy with drama, or drama with comedy, however you want to put it. It's it's got both. Um, but it's uh stars uh Kerry Grant, Gene Arthur, and once again Ronald Coleman. And uh the movie uh is just bonkers. Kerry Grant plays a guy that in in the beginning um he's accused of arson and murder, and uh the cops are after him, and Ronald Coleman is uh a professor that uh that rents out the house that Greg well Greg Garson's renting out, and and and bottom lining it is uh Cary Grant walks uh walks in uh escaping from prison and goes to the house and Greg Garson has to hide him. Um and Ronald Coleman uh is the guy that's supposed to be renting out the house. Like you don't rent out a house and then to somebody and then tell that person you're gonna stay in the house for a couple days. But that's basically what Greg Garson or or what Gene Arthur does, and um um the film has some hijinks. Um, it's got a little tiny bit of screwball comedy, uh, but you know, at its core, it's it's a really good drama, and um you know it shows how these two men, Ronald Coleman's character and Cary Grant's character, you know, bond together, even though it becomes like a love triangle because they both um want the heart of Gene Arthur. And uh so the movie is a little bit of a struggle for for the two men, but yet they really like each other. They're they're buds, they really admire each other, but yet they're kind of vying for the same woman. And uh such a it's such an odd, odd, odd tone film, oddly toned film, but but I really like it, and um it may be at the bottom of the list for the Academy Award this year for the best picture, but it's really good and and the um the the acting in it is superb. Uh the timing, of course, Cary Grant had timing, impeccable timing, and Ronald Coleman had timing, impeccable timing, just you know, fabulous. Uh, really good film. It may not deserve to be as good as it is, but the performances um lifted up to a very high level. Uh let's see, uh, the next uh film that was nominated is Wake Island. Uh Wake Island uh uh it's it stars uh well it's got our buddy William Bendix. I I for the record I like William Bendix in the right roles, and I think he uh was um a good actor comedically and and dramatically, but um, but um sometimes he was placed in roles that he just wasn't gonna be able to handle. Um and uh but you know because of his his his physical appearance and his voice, um they they're uh I'm not gonna say unique, but uh they lend to just certain types of roles. And often William Bendix uh got put in a position where where it was a little bit of a stretch for him. Um but he could play tough guys, um, but um, you know, life life of Riley, the TV show, was in my um later uh was a really good TV show, and and that's probably really his best stuff that he that he did. Um but in any case, uh Wake Island is not a comedy drama, except it does have a little bit of levity from William Bendix. Uh, but it is a pure uh propaganda piece. And uh it's it's yeah, William Bendix, Robert Preston uh is in it, uh McDonald Carey. Um like sans to the Hourglass, so is Wake Island. Um uh Brian Don uh Brian Donlevy. Uh it's directed by John uh Farrow. Um and um I uh I I I like this film. There's some really good uh war scenes in it. Um and uh you know it's uh it's a I think it's a really good film. Um and I I said what did I say a minute ago about being at the bottom. Uh this really is actually at the bottom of the of the list. Um you know, if I were to I read, I think I ranked this on Letterboxd three and a half out of five. I think it's a very good film. I think it's it's got some really good merits to it. Um, but ultimately it's it's it's just pure propaganda. And and and and again, I don't say that you know in a negative way. I just don't think this really belongs on the best picture list. So that one won't will not stand. Um Yankee Doodle Dandy, uh another uh another propaganda film, basically. Uh, but it's a much different uh type of propaganda. Um basically uh Yankee Doodle Dandy uh it stars the great, great James Cagney, and also Walter Hewson um plays the the the dad and uh Joan Leslie is in it and uh it's directed by Michael Curtiz, who I uh I've talked uh to uh the you know here's a preview from the next episode, uh Dwayne uh Epstein about Michael Curtiz and you know and and how he seems to be attached to projects that are winners, really great projects. Michael Curtis is a fantastic director that um was directing films uh you know when directors had less of a role in the movie making process. Um but yeah, Michael Cortiz was able to put together just about every type of film genre, and he was able to put something um out there that you know belonged to every genre, and he's just such a great director. And um, I think it's hard really to detach him from greatness because he just absolutely nailed so many great projects. He and William Wellman, who we discussed in detail, um oh, and David Um Moyle uh recently. Uh but um but an absolutely fantastic uh uh film, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Um haven't really talked about it very much, uh, but it's it's pretty much uh a biopic uh by Joe George M. Cohan, uh who uh was a legendary performer and wrote uh all kinds of uh scores and songs uh that were extremely successful uh in the beginning of the 20th century. And uh but as the as the title of the movie proclaims, Yankee Deedle Dandy, uh it is definitively um a largely patriotic film. And uh of course it came out at the right time because uh the U.S. was just entering uh the war, and uh it just was good timing. Uh everything about it uh is good. Uh James Cagney gets a chance to uh really shine in this. Um I mean, he really gets a platform that uh he won uh because I think James Cagney always wanted to uh be a song and dance guy. And um and uh and again, a preview to our next episode, we are going to be talking with Dwayne Epstein significantly about James Cagney. It's gonna be a great conversation. I'm recording this after that. Um, but this one was gonna come out, is gonna come out before. So uh be ready for that episode with Dwayne Epstein because it's fun. Uh, but Yankee Doodle Danny, you of course uh was nominated too. Um I'm gonna tell you about a few movies that I think were absolutely fantastic and probably deserved a nomination or attention. Um Bambi, the Disney classic, uh you know, well Disney, uh, who hasn't seen that? Um uh The Glass Key, uh an absolutely terrific noir. Uh stars um um Veronica Lake with Alan Ladd and Brian Donick Levy. Um and it's just a really wonderful noir, and I I wish it would have gotten a nomination. Um and uh also another one, uh The Man Who Came to Dinner, uh another film that features Monty Woolley. Uh but it uh it stars Betty Davis, Ian Sheridan, and uh uh Jimmy Durante. And uh I think it's um I think it's a really really great screwball comedy and worthy of worthy of a look and probably worthy of a nomination, but uh alas, uh and uh also the Palm Beach story. Uh this is a another screwball comedy. Uh stars uh Claudette Colbert, uh Mary Astor, uh Joel McRae, uh, and and um uh I think it's just a really uh fun uh screwball comedy, and I think it's worthy of uh of a look. It would have been worthy of a look as uh Beck's best picture. Uh but uh probably the best of this bunch of the small bunch that has that wasn't nominated is to be or not to be, uh stars Jack Benny. And also uh Carol Lombard, and uh it's uh directed by Ernst Lubic. And if you watch this movie looking at Jack Benny, thinking, oh, I'm just uh watching uh silly comedy, um, think again. It's it's it's got some comedy in it, um, but it is dark. Um and it is uh not what you would necessarily expect from uh Jack Benny. Um and this is a film uh which of course um you know most of these films have a theme of the good guys and the bad guys, and this is another one like that, um, but it's a it's a it's it's layered really well, it's a wonderful story, and um I think I think it definitely got snubbed, and I think I think it I think it's definitively better than than most of the movies that were nominated this year um uh in 1942 or 43 for the 15th Academy Awards. But um let's go over the ones that I I and and see what uh uh now because because remember, uh part of the rules, the I make the rules, it's my podcast, so is that uh I can pick a movie that didn't get nominated as the winner. Because that's my rules. That's my podcast. Um but uh Mrs. Miniver won. Uh and uh I'm I'm going to uh say I really like 49th parallel, but it's not better than Mrs. Miniver. King's Row is really good. I don't think it's better than Mrs. Miniver. I think it suffers just a little bit uh when it comes to pacing, and uh, which is not something that Mrs. Miniver really suffers from. Uh the Magnus and Anderson, check that maybe, and we'll come back to it. Uh the Pipe Piper. Um it's really good, but it's not better than Mrs. Miniver. Uh the Pride of the Yankees. Uh uh this is one that's I struggle with a little bit because I think that uh it's probably as good as Mrs. Miniber, but ultimately I'm just gonna go ahead and say not yet. No. Uh Random Harvest uh uh and the talk of the town. Um I'm gonna say the same thing. Worthy of the nomination, not better than Mrs. Miniber. Uh let's see, and Yankee Doodle Dandy. Um wonderful production, um, joyous at times, uh sad at other times, um, but ultimately it's a feel-good movie and uh definitely worthy of the nomination. And then you've got to be or not to be, which is the one out of those that small grouping of that didn't get nominated. I I'm gonna pull that one out and say that one deserves a final look. So I think it's between Mrs. Miniver, the the magnificent Andersons, uh Yankee Jill Dandy, and to be or not to be. And I gotta be honest, Mrs. Miniver is my fourth favorite on that list. So um what is the one that I think is the best? And for two years in a row, I'm going with Orange Orson Wells and the Magnificent Anderson Ambersons. Um that film is dark, uh, it is filled with regret, sadness, um, all the all the negative emotions you can find. Um the magnificent Ambersons basically has it. Um it's shot so well. And despite the fact that we we don't have the the two and a half hour version of it, what we have is absolutely absolutely terrific. I I can't say enough good things about the magnificent ambersons. Um so like before, Citizen Kane, uh the year before Citizen Kane, we we picked that to win uh over how green was my valley, uh which was sort of an obvious choice, but um, but here I I I'm going with the magnificent Ambersons um with just a slight edge over to be or not to be, which didn't even get nominated. And um yeah, so I'm there you have it. I have uh uh the magnificent Amberson Ambersons, and I and I think that um if you have not seen that film, it is just it's gorgeous. It's um it's not a fun romp, um, but it is it is a really poignant film, and I think it's definitely worthy of the win, which it didn't win, Mrs. Miniver did win, um, which I think is an excellent film, but I don't think it surpasses the Magnificent Amersons. I don't think it surpasses to be or not to be either. Um, and I really struggle because I wanted to say to be or not to be and be somewhat controversial, but um, but the Magnificent Ambersons, I think, is just an absolutely great film. And Orson Wells, um, because they they butchered it a little bit, or even a lot, let's just say what it is. Uh, they butchered it a lot. Who knows what's in that footage? Uh, I don't know if anybody alive has seen that footage of the the the the uh two and a half hour, but I think it was destroyed, destroyed or lost. I I I'm uncertain really of the status of the full-length version of the Magnificent Ambersons. I just know I don't know anybody that has seen it or has been able to uh see it. But uh so I'm going with the Magnificent Ambersons for the best picture, and uh then we will move on to uh the best actor category, uh, which uh James Cagney for Yankee Deedle Danny. Um again, we had a chance for James Cagney to really shine, sing, dance, acts uh in a way where he's not not a gangster, but he's still an alpha dog, and I love it. Uh Ronald Coleman and Randall Harvest. Um Ronald Coleman always delivers a great performance. You can count on Ronald Coleman to be distinguished and um just fabulous. Uh Gary Cooper, we we've talked about, uh he just won the year before for Sergeant York. Uh, but here he plays Luke Gehrig and plays Luke Gehrig extraordinarily well. Um Walter Pigeon uh for Mrs. Miniver. Um a very good performance. I yeah, I'm just gonna say it isn't significant enough. I I think uh Mrs. Miniver is more mere is more Greer Garson's movie. Um I am Monty Woolley of the Pie Piper. Wow, just really good performance by him. And um, and the surprise of the of the show for me is um uh and this might be a surprise to others. Uh well it will be a surprise to some others, uh, but I think Ronald Reagan should have had a look at Best Actor here. Um he had uh a role that um he played a confident young man in the beginning. Uh or maybe we could question his confidence. Uh maybe he really wasn't that confident. He just looked that way on the exterior. Um, but he definitely had emotional issues and um, you know, uh feel the feeling of not not being good enough. And um, you know, if you watch the movie, you'll see what I'm talking about. Um, I would not vote uh for him to win the award, um, but I I do think that it probably could have been looked at. Um, you know, but uh ultimately I had no problem with declaring my winner. It's James Cagney, or Yankee Doodle Dandy. I think James Cagney delivers a performance of of the ages. Um, I don't think the Yankee Doodle Dandy is the best movie he was ever in. Um, but I think this is his best performance. I well, maybe it's not even that, but it's a it's uh a wonderful performance where he's able to do everything he wants to do. Um and he looked like he was having a blast performing in that movie. And part of that is just the character, you know. Um the character just as bold and and shines, you know. George M. Cohen is the guy that clearly, you know, had had uh uh hadn't had tremendous confidence. Um but ultimately I don't even think this is close. I think James Cagney wins and going away. I think it's just that good of a performance for for him. And um uh best actress, uh we've got uh Gear Garson uh and Ms. Mrs. Miniver, and Betty Davis uh stars in Now Voyager, a movie we haven't talked about. Um she's kind of like the opposite of uh James Cagney's role. Um in Now Voyager, uh she plays uh the the daughter of uh rich in a rich family, and the mom is just absolutely mean to her, just absolutely mean. Everything you would expect Betty Davis to be is the way she's treated. Betty Davis could play some mean roles. Um but uh she uh in this movie played uh the uh the role of the nice girl that couldn't buy a break with her mom, and her mom was just gonna be mean to her, and you know, basically be controlling. And Betty Davis puts on a master performance, which of course she always did. Uh is the really wonderful performance. Um Catherine Hepburn, uh Woman of the Year. Um and I think every time Catherine Hepburn was in front of the camera, she probably should have been looked at as uh best actress material. Um this is not my favorite performance by her, though. And uh and I it's it isn't really her performance necessarily. It's just I don't think this is her best movie or Spencer Tracy's uh best movie. Um and um the you know, it's people looking at it through through a modern lens are are you know probably watching it uh going, what is this all about? Uh you know, because it it really is a traditional uh film trying to be um trying to look progressive, um which you know, maybe in 1942 it did look uh progressive, but but um this uh film um uh is gonna suffer with some modern audiences, let's just say, because of of that. But uh, you know, putting men and women in traditional roles, even though it's trying not to put them in a traditional role, it's complicated to explain. You gotta watch it to see it. Um but uh the uh next one is uh uh Rosalind Russell. Here's her performance that flies into the radar. Uh she uh starred in the movie My Sister Eileen. And she plays the you know the the older sister uh to Eileen, and uh she is sharp, witty, fun, um, but she also plays the less pretty uh sister, which um some people would argue violently about which one the prettier one is, and and people there's a lot of people that would come on the side of Rosalind Russell. Um I think this is a performance. This is another movie that I saw for the first time in preparation for the podcast. Uh I think the this one and uh um yeah, I think I uh uh this one and and I think uh there was one other one I mentioned earlier. Oh, the Pied Piper. Uh only two that I hadn't seen uh prior to uh recording or prior to preparing for this. Um but Rosalind Russell masterclass, absolute masterclass uh in comedy timing. Um and I think I mentioned on Letterboxd that that uh um that Eve Arden probably would have watched that movie and been jealous of the just tremendous comedic timing by Rosalind Russell in this movie. Uh Teresa Wright was also nominated for The Pride of the Yankees. And um, and I I think her role was very limited. And again, we have that Hayes production code thing kind of going against the pride of the Yankees, wasn't able to really um spread its wings. Um, and we also have a time issue. There's you know, we have to go through the chronology of bio biopics are so difficult to uh to make because I know it's like a crutch almost for a lot of studios and and producers. They love these biopics because it's a story they can tell, it's ready-made, and and all they do is just tell a screen version of it. Um, but uh, you know, unless it's a three-hour film, it's hard really to detail uh all of Lou Gehrig's life, um, and then have all this screen time dedicated to his baseball career and also uh his marriage, which was complicated, and the movie doesn't detail that. Um but uh and or the complicated relationship with Babe Ruth. Um and um there are you know there were and are uh stories of you know did Babe Ruth have an affair with Lou Gehrig's wife? That is something that is, you know, um I don't I don't think it's even close to documented fact, but I but I think it's something a lot of people question. But we doesn't get into that. Um and Teresa Wright, his her role is limited almost to a supporting role. And you know, although she I have no problem with anything she did in this movie, I I I do think that she had limited scope for her role. And um ultimately I I I look at this list and and um uh you know, you got Katherine Hepburn and Betty Davis, uh wonderful actresses that probably deserved nominations for every time they uh stepped in front of a camera. Um but I I don't think that those two uh really um this is not either one of their best projects. Um I I would lean towards saying Benny Davis and Al Boyager uh uh a little bit better, but uh and then you got Grier Garson and Miss Minnever. Um almost the performance of a lifetime, maybe even the performance of a lifetime for for Girl Garson. Um but ultimately uh I am changing the winner of this one, and I am thinking Rosalind Russell should win for my sister Eileen. I think she delivered a performance uh one of which I have never seen quite before. Um her timing uh comedically, dramatically, is perfect. Um she has uh looks in her eyes uh that just nail scenes um and cement um how good this woman was. I I I and quite honestly, I I surprised myself when I looked at this list uh for the people that were for the ladies that were nominated. I I just ultimately I I just can't I can't not give it to Rosalind Russell. And uh and as wonderful as Girl Garson is and Mrs. Miniver, um, and she is lovely, uh she uh gives just a commanding performance. She um yeah she's just wonderful, but ultimately uh Rosalind Russell I think delivers a and and I know we don't honor comedies, you know, the Academy Awards, they don't honor comedies that often. Um, and this is a comedy, it's a lot of fun. Um there are a couple of scenes that are a little disturbing, but um uh you know uh like her sister Eileen get you know gets approached not once but twice in a matter of minutes, um, gets sexually harassed. Um it's pretty crazy, actually, twice in a matter of probably one minute of screen time. Um but Rosalind Russell is the star of the show, and she just delivers so well. Um again, that timing is just a thing. And and I've always known Rosalind Russell to be really a really great actress, uh you know, seen a number of her films. Never had seen my sister Eileen, um, but I'm glad I did uh because I was really in awe of this woman, and I think she is definitely deserves that Oscar that she didn't get. Uh so uh this is see, this is a uh the winners for the best supporting uh Van Heflin won for Johnny Eager. I think that's a terrific um I think that's a that's a fine um pick. Uh uh Teresa Wright, we're gonna mention her again. She won for Mrs. Miniver, and I think it was well deserved. And William Wyler uh won director best director for Mrs. Miniver Miniver. I think that's an excellent choice. So then you got William Wyler uh winning for his movie Mrs. Miniver, and uh yet at the same time you're not you're not uh um discounting how great the magnificent Anderson Ambersons is. Um and it'd be easy to give Orson Wells the best director too. Um I I to quite honestly, I don't always know the difference between best director and best picture because I feel like you know if it's the best picture, why wouldn't it be the best director? Um but I know there's some nuance to it, and and sometimes you can honor one project and um and honor the other too. But uh in any case, I I I think this was uh mostly good selection by the Academy. Um I think the one thing that was missed was to be or not to be. Um I think that was the one thing that really um should have gotten some attention. I I and I and I didn't mention Jack Benny uh for best actor, but I think he probably deserved a little bit of attention for best actor, um, which you know Jack Benny, one of the best performers um that ever lived, just so funny as a radio star, uh TV star, and um, and he did the this movie and uh and a few others too. Um but uh there you have the list of uh so we uh just to re- recap, we uh we stole the best picture away from Mrs. Miniver and gave it to the magnificent Ambersons. Russell Russell out of those producers' hands and handed it to the producers. Let's just hand it to the director, Orson Wells. You know, let's just hand it to him because the producers cut the film. So uh, but it is still a great film, and I think it does deserved a best picture. And uh best actor, uh James Cagney won, and we affirm that I think James Cagney deserved it. But best actress, I think Rosalind Russell uh deserved the best actress. Um, having said that, Greg Garson, you can't get mad at the Academy for picking her. Uh, but I would go with Rosalind Russell. Uh so what say you uh if you're listening to this in a format where you can comment, let me know what you think. Um, and uh did I pick the right ones or did the academy pick the right ones? Or you think we're both uh wrong, then let us know. Uh hey, I want to appreciate you for listening to the entire show. I want to also ask you if you are listening and on the on a podcast platform where you can uh leave a good review. I would sure appreciate it, especially a five-star review. Uh, if you want to leave me a one-star review, um uh just pass along. You know, just don't do it. Uh just forget about it, you know. Uh, but look, but if you want to leave a five-star review um with something nice to say, it'd be fabulous. Because what happens is when people review the show positively and give it attention, it it's just like social media. You get a you get um you get likes and you get attention. Well, they get they put your stuff out there to more people. Uh we have grown, um, and we have uh as I look at the stats, we have been downloaded in 128 countries. So keep up the good work, folks. Um, and I'm sorry for all the negativity if you're sitting in Germany, you know, cussing me out right now because um, anyway, all right. Well, thank you very much for listening, and uh we'll do this again.