Best Supporting Actress 1971

[Bruce_Lavigne]

Leachman is the easy choice for me, though I also really like the other three I've seen.

I haven't seen Who Is Harry Kellerman?, and on Italiano's recommendation I may track it down for Harris' performance, but with even the performance's defender trashing the movie, it's hard to believe she'd be good enough to overcome my own feelings about voting for even great performances if they're in terrible movies.

[Mister Tee]

Typical for this era, my thoughts are a cross-section of old, un-re-scanned opinions along with some more recently updated ones.

To begin, I have to say that, at the margins, Damien, Magilla and I held somewhat different opinions of some films of this era. To wit: I was quite a fan of Little Murders back in 1971, enough that I'd list Elizabeth Wilson as a runner-up for this category. And, though Plaza Suite was mostly dreary (Arthur Hiller + comedy = cognitive dissonance), I though Maureen Stapleton went to extraordinary lengths to make her opening segment feel vaguely human. These are the women I thought might have made the list, in addition to those actually listed.

But there's no quarrel with the five who did turn up. I didn't see Margaret Leighton's work until years later, and watched most of it again earlier this week on TCM. It's a solid piece of work, one that follows a formula we know well today: respectable background throughout, then a dominant scene right near the end. It's not enough to get her the win, but it's nice for such a strong actress to have the nomination as career tribute.

History being what it is -- all outcomes seen as inevitable -- I wonder if people know how widespread was the belief pre-show that Ann-Margret was going to win here. Her "little ol' trouper made good" turn, along with the Globe, made her a near-universal prediction. (Gene Siskel one of the few dissenters I can recall) That she ended up losing taught me a valuable lesson about the Oscars: if voters really hate a film, they won't go for anything associated with it, sentiment be damned (and they surely hated Carnal Knowledge; despite its box office success, even the writers voted for Klute and Summer of '42 over it. In retrospect, this should have prepared us for Binoche over Bacall). I watched Carnal Knowledge again a year ago, and had my original view re-inforced: Ann-Margret is certainly stronger than most had expected based on her earlier credits, but it's not a performance of such breakthrough virtuosity as to overcome voter distaste for a movie that turns bitter and, in the view of older folk, distasteful in later reels.

The reason Ann-Margret was seen as such a favorite, apart from her veteran status, was the seemingly inevitable split of Last Picture Show partisans between Leachman and Burstyn. The NY/National Society choice of Burstyn put her on the map first, but Leachman had the more easily sympathy-garnering part -- the single shot of her waiting in vain when Timothy Bottoms stands her up probably clinched votes with many. I think both actresses are wonderful, and, at the time, I probably favored Leachman. But re-viewings have swung me Burstyn's way. I especially love her tart line reading when Cybill Shepherd pooh-poohs the idea Bottoms might be sleeping with Leachman, saying "She's 40 years old". Burstyn replies "So am I, honey; it's an itchy age".

But, rather than make the Solomon-like decision between these two splendid performers, I'll stick to my 1971 choice of Barbara Harris. I'd avoided Harry Kellerman for most of the summer it was released. After Midnight Cowboy, I'd thought of Dustin Hoffman as a movie god, but the film had got such hideous reviews I didn't have the stomach for it. Finally, near fall, I trooped to the theatre to get it under my belt. Perhaps I'd been sufficiently under-sold on it, but I didn't hate the movie. Most of the things Italiano says about it are true, and Herb Gardner is a mediocrity at his best, but I found some things about the film semi-memorable -- at least, by 19-year old standards.

And nothing was as memorable as Barbara Harris in her brief appearance. Apparently I hadn't done enough pre-reading about the film, because I hadn't heard she was any kind of standout. So, I sat absolutely floored by her beautiful, multi-colored rendition of a "my life's slipping away" monologue. It took the movie to a whole other level, and was easily memorable enough to get my vote here. Her nomination, hardly a sure thing, was one of the happiest nominations morning moments I've ever experienced.

And you know what?: I'm not even relying on a four-decade-old memory here, because last night -- when I knew I'd be dealing with this year's race today -- I flipped past the Channel 55 Long Island network, and saw that not only were they running Harry Kellerman, it was precisely the moment Harris' monologue was beginning. I watched and had all my impressions validated. Despite Ulu Grosbard's annoyingly intrusive camera, Harris takes hold of the screen for those minutes, flooding the scene with complicated, richly-toned emotions. So I can not only vote for her, but do it with fresh enthusiasm.



Edited By Mister Tee on 1281117963

[Hustler]

Cloris Leachman is an accurate choice.

[ITALIANO]

Wonder if I'll ever try to see Barbara Harris' performance especially after Magilla's comments about her film?

You should. Anyone here should - the alternative is, like Damien did, not voting in this poll.

For the simple reason that Barbara Harris's performance in Who is Harry Kellerman is one of the best ever nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.

Well, almost. For being so completely forgotten and ignored, it's a gem, really, one that anyone truly interested in the Oscars should try to see (I found the movie on VHS years ago through Amazon, but now it must be even easier, with Youtube, etc.). And, of course, the movie IS terrible - it belongs to the wrong side of the cinema of the 70s, it's messy, ambitious, intellectualistic, irritating, Fellini-esque in the worst possible way and, if I didn't hate this word so much, I'd add: self-indulgent.
Or at least it is till the final 15 minutes, when something unpredictable happens and a sweet-looking, round-faced little woman comes on the screen, and she alone changes everything. The scene is great but not especially original - the typical "audition scene" which is always effective and that members of the Acting branch must have obviously felt sympathetic towards. Barbara Harris plays this unsuccessful, pretty but not beautiful, lonely, ageing actress trying to overcome her shyness and nervousness during just another audition which, as so often before, she will fail. And she does it beautifully, especially at one point when, feeling the absolute disinterest from the director, she holds a lamp on the stage and calmly declares that she can't leave it and will stay there even after the others have gone. It's supposed to be pathetic and sad, and Harris makes it pathetic and sad, but she makes it, and more generally her character, much more than just that, giving it a warm, light, even humorous touch and, by doing so, makes it even more heart-breaking. Only a very good performer could have been so subtle, so emotional yet at the same time emotionally distant from the obvious, easy temptations that another, lesser actress would have fallen into with such a role. The result is a glorious, though short, acting turn in an unfortunately infamous movie. But the Academy back then could still recognize a great job even in the wrong context.

I'm voting for Barbara Harris, though of course The Last Picture Show is a much better movie, and very-well acted, so I can understand why Cloris Leachman won back then and will win again here. Still, good as she is and she is very good, I've never completely believed that she "was" the character she was playing, and this is why I'd probably choose Ellen Burstyn over her (Burstyn's role is much shorter, but she makes it very strong and, even more important, very real).

Margaret Leighton certainly isn't bad in The Go-Between, but I saw the movie too many years ago and she failed to deeply impress me then (which can be my fault, or the fault of the young boy I was - after all she's considered one of the greatest actresses of the 20th century). As for Ann-Margret, she definitely can't fail to impress - the scene where she's semi-naked in her bed and complains about life is very well-written, as is her character - but I should see the movie again to understand if she is really so good in it or if the nomination was at least partly due to the surprise of seeing Ann-Margret "acting" (and in a respected movie by a respected director) for the first time.



Edited By ITALIANO on 1281096633

[Precious Doll]

My choices for '71 are:

1. Cloris Leachman for The Last Picture Show
2. Glenda Jackson for The Boy Friend
3. Lee Remick for Loot
4. Diana Dors for Deep End
5. Gemma Jones for The Devils



Edited By Precious Doll on 1281085160

[Damien]

Won't vote this year because I've never seen Barbara Harris's performance and, as opposed to last year when I voted despite not having seen Lee Grant's performance, I generally love Harris and don't much like Grant. Even though Harry Kellerman does sound like a horrible time capsule piece from a period where there were many unseemly urban angst comedies being released (Little Murders, The Hospital, et al).

Of the other nominees, Ann-Margret was given points for shedding her sensuous persona and doing some "real acting" -- but she seems to be straining a wee bit too much to show that she is doing some "real acting."

Leachman, Burstyn and Leighton would each be a worthy winner. If my preference is with Leachman, it's because her character is the one which comes immediately to mind when I think of The Last Picture Show.

My Own Top 5:
1. Helen Verbel in Made For Each Other
2. Diane Varsi in Johnny Got His Gun
3. Cloris Leachman in The Last Picture Show
4. Eileen Brennan in The Last Picture Show
5. Ellen Burstyn in The Last Picture Show



Edited By Damien on 1281080492

[Reza]

Wonder if I'll ever try to see Barbara Harris' performance especially after Magilla's comments about her film?

Leachman and Burstyn were both worthy nominees with the former's performance remaining my favourite from the film.......yes, Brennan is also great and would have been a welcome addition to the nominee's list.

Leighton (a career nod?) is wonderfully haughty as the formidable lady of the manor. I can picture a young Gladys Cooper essaying this role with ease.

Ann-Margret's performance came as a surprise considering her career throughout the 1960s. Like Jane Fonda she went dramatic with success after a decade of gaining a reputation as a sex kitten.

Voted for Leachman.

My top 5:

Cloris Leachman, The Last Picture Show
Glenda Jackson, Mary, Queen of Scots
Ellen Burstyn, The Last Picture Show
Ann-Margret, Carnal Knowledge
Margaret Leighton, The Go-Between

[Big Magilla]

Four strong contenders and a nominee that came out of nowhere.

The National Board of Review, usually the first out of the gate, did not announce its awards until January 6, 1972, providing ample opportunity for both the New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review to set the pace of the year-end awards. Both chose Ellen Burstyn for The Last Picture Show. The NBR then picked her co-star, Cloris Leachman. The Globes nomianted them both, but gave the award to Ann-Margret for Carnal Knowledge.

Margaret Leighton in The Go-Between had been one of five runners-up for the NYFC award along with Cloris Leachman and Ann-Margaret as well as Beatrice Romand in Claire's Knee and Lee Grant, one of Walter Matthau's three co-stars in the unpleasant Neil Simon comedy, Plaza Suite.

The Globes in addition to the big three nominated Diana Rigg in The Hospital and Maureen Stapleton, another of Walter Matthau's three co-stars in the unpleasant Neil Simon comedy, Plaza Suite.

Oscar nominated the big three as well as the great Margaret Leighton and Barbara Harris, the third of Walter Matthau's three co-stars in the unpleasant Neil Simon comedy, Plaza Suite but wait, they didn't nominate her for that, they nominated her for the really unpleasant Herb Gardner comedy, Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? or as I like to call it, What the Hell is Harry Kellerman and Why the Hell is Barbara Harris Nominated for This and Not Nashville Four Years Later?

To be perfectly honest, I don't know whether I've actually seen Barbra Harris' entire performance in Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Should I Care? but after sitting in excruciating agony through the first half when she finally appears, I remember asking myself "is this what I sat through all that for? Whether I walked out then or stayed to the end I can't remember.

I really liked all three front-runners and Leighton so I would have been happy whichever of them won, though I did have a slight preference for the actual winner, Cloris Leachman as the lonely high school coach's wife who has an affair with one of her husband's students.

Others that I liked this year include Glenda Jackson in Mary, Queen of Scots and The Boy Friend, Irene Worth in King Lear, Sada Thompson in Desperatate Characters, and Eileen Brennan, the third of the Picture Show gals who should have gotten more recognition at the time than she did.



Edited By Big Magilla on 1284411262