Worst Possible Choice

[Big Magilla]

Big, I've only seen Ivanhoe once, which was 2 and a half years ago. I never would have expected it given Richard Throrpe's spotty record as a director, and cinematographer Freddie Young swore that Thorpe would keep the cameras rolling in a scene until an actor flubbed a line, and then he would cry cut, and move on to a new set-up -- but to my great surprise, I loved it.

Ivanhoe reminds me of Lord of The Rings 50 years early -- a lavish adventure tale that’s marked by gravitas, so that it goes way beyond just being an exciting piece of escapism. And I thought the characters are unusually complex and ambiguous for this type of movie.

OK, I guess you never read the novel because the characters were much more complex than the ususal lot to begin with. Even so, the film doen't hold a candle to The Adventures of Robin Hood, the measuring stick by which I judge all such films. The aging Robert Taylor is a wooden stick compared to the young Errol Flynn.

[rolotomasi99]

I challenge any depiction of Driving Miss Daisy as a bad film. It's sweet, poignant and relevant. It features top-notch performances and is well paced.

I'm sure Driving Miss Daisy would be remembered as all the things you say--if it hadn't won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and especially not in 1989, when the African American renaissance came to life. Do the Right Thing was ignored in favor of this nice, timorous little movie about a lady and her chauffeur. Miss Daisy is the kind of comfortable, middle-brow socially conscious movie that doesn't risk challenging its audience, and it was honored in the shadow of thundering movies that did.

DRIVING MISS DAISY is to DO THE RIGHT THING as PHILADELPHIA is to BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. in both cases, the former film is the safe film that liberal hollywood and mainstream audiences can rally behind as a symbol of how important a certain social issue is. neither film seems to exist as an actual piece of cinema but rather an afterschool lesson on the evils of prejudice. in both cases, the latter film is the more independent and artistic cinematically, and is much more interested in telling a compelling story rather than solving the country's prejudices. each film ends with many lingering questions about racism and homophobia, and offers not pat answers.
DRIVING MISS DAISY is a sweet and competently made film that never strives to be anything beautiful or compelling, and certainly never dares to challenge its audience beyond what they are comfortable with. like dennis bee said, the film would be more fondly remembered if it had not won best picture. all of which can be similarly said about CRASH. no matter what the competition is that year, whenever a film takes the industry's top honor it better stand up to the scrutiny of cinephiles.

[Damien]

Big, I've only seen Ivanhoe once, which was 2 and a half years ago. I never would have expected it given Richard Throrpe's spotty record as a director, and cinematographer Freddie Young swore that Thorpe would keep the cameras rolling in a scene until an actor flubbed a line, and then he would cry cut, and move on to a new set-up -- but to my great surprise, I loved it.

Ivanhoe reminds me of Lord of The Rings 50 years early -- a lavish adventure tale that’s marked by gravitas, so that it goes way beyond just being an exciting piece of escapism. And I thought the characters are unusually complex and ambiguous for this type of movie.

[Dennis Bee]

I challenge any depiction of Driving Miss Daisy as a bad film. It's sweet, poignant and relevant. It features top-notch performances and is well paced.

I'm sure Driving Miss Daisy would be remembered as all the things you say--if it hadn't won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and especially not in 1989, which still looks from here like the year when, among other things, the independent cinema began fully to take shape, films started shucking off their decade-long patina of Reagan-era timidity, and especially when the African American renaissance came to life. Do the Right Thing was ignored in favor of this nice, timorous little movie about a lady and her chauffeur. Indeed the revisionist historical film, Glory (Uh oh, Black men with guns!), was apparently uncomfortable for the members who did the nominating. Miss Daisy is the kind of comfortable, middle-brow socially conscious movie that doesn't risk challenging its audience, and it was honored in the shadow of thundering movies that did.

I admit that I haven't seen it since Oscar season 1989, but I still remember how angry I was and also the general consternation of film activists toward that year's Oscars; it rivaled last years Crash-Brokeback flap.

[Big Magilla]

Sorry, Penelope, Ivanhoe was worse than The Greatest Show on Earth. As bad as A Beautiful Mind was, Moulin Rouge! complete with gratuitous exclamation point and the obnoxious John Leguizamo scandalously cast as Talouse Lautrec was far worse!

Boy, Magilla do I disagree with your first statement! Ivanhoe is my favorite of the 1952 nominees, with High Noon bringing up the rear (Greatest Show is stupid, but it's more fun than the Zinnemann western and it does have Betty Hutton so how bad can it be? )

But. boy, do I agree with your second dtatement!

Damien, when was the last time you watched Ivanhoe?

The book by Sir Walter Scott was one of my childhood favorites, but the film just sits there. The Greatest Show on Earth at least has Emmett Kelly and the great Jimmy Stewart.

[Penelope]

I'd like to add Gladiator into the mix. I remember despising Chocolat, but I'm pretty sure I'd rewatch it before sitting through a paint-by-numbers Hollywood action flick again.

Nah. Traffic was the worst of that year's nominees.

[Kova]

I'd like to add Gladiator into the mix. I remember despising Chocolat, but I'm pretty sure I'd rewatch it before sitting through a paint-by-numbers Hollywood action flick again.

[OscarGuy]

I challenge any depiction of Driving Miss Daisy as a bad film. It's sweet, poignant and relevant. It features top-notch performances and is well paced.

[Dennis Bee]

The problem with this is that it lets the Academy off the hook for the many years when it made absolutely abomonable nominations: Thus Driving Miss Daisy is one of the worst BPs, but it's almost good in comparison to Dead Poets Society. American Beauty is not as unwatchable as Cider House Rules. Even Dances with Wolves is not as ridiculous as Awakenings (and is more successful than the totally unnecessary Godfather III, for that matter). The English Patient is not nearly as egregious as Shine. And so on.

On the other hand, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the weakest of the choices in 1975, but I would never put it even in the bottom ten or probably twenty, of best pictures. Actually, Rocky is in that category as well (and it's not as insufferable as Network).

Even Crash has its compensations: At least it's an hour shorter than Munich.

Oh, one no one has mentioned these: Out of Africa is the worst choice in '85. So is Kramer vs. Kramer in '79. And My Fair Lady in '64 (Well, okay, I'd rather sit through it than Zorba the Greek.) This is getting depressing.

[Precious Doll]

Some that come to mind:

1976 - Rocky
1980 - Ordinary People
1981 - Chariots of Fire
1995 - Braveheart
1996 - The English Patient
2001 - A Beautiful Mind

[anonymous1980]

I'm not a fan of Moulin Rouge! but I do prefer it over A Beautiful Mind because at least Baz Luhrmann is trying to be different, trying to do something new. Ron Howard kept John Nash's story as bland and as palatable as possible.

[FilmFan720]

Just some that pop out, where I have seen 4 or 5 of the nominees. Not much new, though...

2005 - Crash
2001 - A Beautiful Mind
1995 - Braveheart
1990 - Dances with Wolves (haven't seen Awakenings)
1976 - Rocky (haven't seen Bound for Glory)

Plus 1975 is an odd year. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is probably the weakest of a fabulous lineup, but I still love the film and can't begrudge it's win.

Every other year there seems to be one worse film they could have picked, not matter how bad their choice.

[anonymous1980]

Also in the Director category they actually had the good sense to nominate Lynch...only to have him lose to that hack.

Those are one of the most painful Oscar experiences I've ever had the misfortune of watching. Ron Howard winning over the likes of Robert Altman, David Lynch, Peter Jackson and even Ridley Scott (say what you will about Black Hawk Down, it was still a pretty nifty achievement technically wise).

[Sabin]

Where to begin...
2005 - Crash
2001 - A Beautiful Mind
1995 - Braveheart (sigh...pains me to say it)
1990 - Dances with Wolves
1982 - Gandhi
1976 - Rocky

That's about as far back as I'll go.

[Damien]

Sorry, Penelope, Ivanhoe was worse than The Greatest Show on Earth. As bad as A Beautiful Mind was, Moulin Rouge! complete with gratuitous exclamation point and the obnoxious John Leguizamo scandalously cast as Talouse Lautrec was far worse!

Boy, Magilla do I disagree with your first statement! Ivanhoe is my favorite of the 1952 nominees, with High Noon bringing up the rear (Greatest Show is stupid, but it's more fun than the Zinnemann western and it does have Betty Hutton so how bad can it be? )

But. boy, do I agree with your second dtatement!