1978-1987 Best Actress Winners

[mlrg]

Voted for Streep

[Big Magilla]

Ingrid Bergman Bergman should have won a fourth Oscar for Autumn Sonata, but there was no way they were going to give her a fourth win ahead of Katharine Hepburn. Jane Fonda was fine in the more popular Comin Home, making her a good alternative.

I actually preferred Fonda inThe China Syndrome but 1979 was Sally Field's year. There was no way Fonda was going to win that one having already racked up two within the decade.

Sissy Spacek should have won for Carrie. Mary Tyler Moore's against-type cold fish of a mother in Ordinary People was my choice over Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter, but there's no denying the impact Spacek had earlier in the year.

My choice for 1981 was the non-nominated Faye Dunaway's over-the-top portrayal of Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest. The film was trash, and who knows how much of it was true, anyway, but she was riveting. Still, I was pleased with Hepburn's win for On Golden Pond, making her the only four-time acting winner, a record that still holds.

Meryl Streep's performance in 1982's Sophie's Choice still haunts. She was unforgettable throughout the film, not just in that climactic scene that solidified her chances.

Shirley MacLaine did fine work both before and after her win for 1983's Terms of Endearment and should have received further Oscar nods down the road. Odd that this was her last.

Sally Field was the best of the three farm wives in 1984's Places in the Heart, easily outpacing both Jessica Lange in Country and Spacek in The River.

Geraldine Page was overdue when she finally fine for what was a very mannered performance in 1985's The Trip to Bountiful. Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple was my choice.

Marlee Matlin was good in 1986's Children of a Lesser God but the film hasn't held up.

Cher was surprisingly good in Moonstruck but Holly Hunter gave the year's best performance in the stronger Broadcast News in 1987.

Streep gets my vote, with MacLaine a strong second choice, followed by Field (1984), Hepburn, Field (1979), Fonda, Spacek, Matlin, and Page who should have already had two Oscars for Summer and Smoke and Interiors, the latter in support.

[Reza]

Fonda won her second Oscar and it was a popular win. However, it was the Academy's way of welcoming her back after being vilified as Hanoi Jane. Not unlike how Bergman was vilified (but as a harlot) and then welcomed back with her second Oscar for Anastasia back in 1956. Ironic that the best of the nominees this year was Bergman herself for Autumn Sonata with Jill Clayburgh (An Unmarried Woman) a very close second.

Field (both in 1979 & 1984), Spacek, Streep, MacLaine, Page and Matlin were easily the best of their years.

Cher was another popular win although both Holly Hunter and Glenn Close were right beside her.

Hepburn's 4th Oscar was rather excessive although it made for a great moment that year besides Fonda's first. Who should have won instead? Sarandon was borderline supporting. Streep or Keaton? The year's best - Faye Dunaway (Mommie Dearest) - wasn't even nominated.

I voted for MacLaine with Streep a very close second. MacLaine is great fun and it was a relief to finally see her win.

[gunnar]

I went with Meryl Streep from Sophie's Choice, but there were a lot of good performances here so it was hard to choose. I thought Sally Field (in both winning performances, though especially Norma Rae), Marlee Matlin, Geraldine Page, and Shirley MacLaine were excellent. The other winners weren't bad either.

[Big Magilla]

Some popular winners here. What do you think?