CPJ Takes a Look at the Oscars

The Cooper Point Journal Volume 10, Issue 17 (March 4, 1982)

I’d like to preface these predictions with a disclaimer of sorts, to whit: I have always been incredibly bad at second guessing. I mean in a dozen consecutive outings I have yet to leave the Preakness with anything more than the bus fare back home. The year Secretariat raced I picked three other horses to win. He just looked too tall somehow.

That done, let’s move right along to the nominations. Who knows but that this could be the start of a winning streak.

Reds will be the big winner this year. Hollywood loves Warren Beatty and will applaud his ambitious, if overreached efforts. Hollywood wiII thank Beatty for a film about an American communist now, especially, what with an American reactionary in the White House. Reds signals the beginning of a new trend away from the Space War genre and into the big budget, sweeping historical dramas. This reporter has it from high sources that Woody Allen will jump on the bandwagon next with a production of the last days of Lev David Bronstein tentatively entitled, The Death of Leon Trotsky – A Serious Drama in One Axe. Reds will win Best Picture and Warren will look dashing as ever during his gracious acceptance, speech.

As for Best Song from a motion picture – who really cares!

This reporter didn’t catch James Coco in Only When I Laugh or John Gielgud in Arthur or Jack Weston in The Four Seasons so he must limit his choice to either 15 year-old Doug Mceon (On Golden Pond) or Jack Nicholson (Reds). The kid was cute. I give it to Nicholson for Best Supporting Actor.

Which means that Maureen Stapleton can’t win Best Supporting Actress. If Reds takes all the awards it will look like a Hollywood conspiracy, thus provoking Alexander Haig to reinstate another HUAC commission. For similar reasons Jane Fonda can’t win for her performance in Golden Pond. That leaves Sandy Dennis (The Four Seasons) Joan Hackett or Kristy McNichol (Only When I Laugh, both.) Mike-the-projectionist says Hackett will win.

Best Director is a toughy. Alan Alda (The Four Seasons) is too much of an outsider preferring as he prefers to live in New England and avoid the party scene like the plague. Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond) could win but only if they start giving out awards or not getting in the way. I give this one to Warren Beatty again who will certainly be showing a high profile on awards night. On Golden Pond will win best screenplay of that I am absolutely certain which means it’s up for grabs. As long as Raiders of the Lost Ark doesn’t win I’ll be happy.

Best actor will be Hollywood tribute to Henry Fonda. He’s too old not to get it and parentheses even more importantly, he really deserves the award for the best performance of his long and illustrious career in Golden pond. They had to give it to the near-dead John Wayne parentheses true grit and parentheses they should feel better about giving it to a real actor this time.

Hollywood doesn’t like Faye Dunaway since she’s put on weight. Sally Field (Absence of Malice) and Meryl Streep (The French Lieutenant’s Woman) were both in ridiculous movies though they are fine actresses given a decent vehicle. That narrows the field down to Katherine Hepburn (On Golden Pond) and Diane Keaton (Reds) Hepburn was so much superior to Keaton in their respective films that on the face of it the former should be a shoe-in. On the other hand warming photos of Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn splashed across the front pages of the nation’s newspapers hugging their Oscars and each other might appear to be a condemnation of the industry. I mean can’t you hear it now “Well they sure don’t make them like they used to do they?” Still it would be something? Two seasoned veterans already in their golden years who can still cut the mustard. Call it a concession to Reagan for putting the hurt on him with Reds.

The Academy Awards goes down Monday night. Mondays are pretty slow so you might want to check it out. I know I’m from near a TV I’ll take a gander. It’ll be fun to watch Richard Dreyfus (Who’s Life is it Anyway) out of his wheelchair even though he’ll remain seated throughout the night. Actually I’m rather looking forward to seeing how well I guessed. It if I do better then 50% you know where I’ll be come next Preakness day.