The Final Conclusion - Best Actress 1966

About the field: Well, I expected more from this year and yet I wasn't disappointed. I liked all of the performances and all of the movies (except for Morgan, which was...). My #1 was such an easy win both here and in real life. It's one of those cases when the actress wins for the career-best, right movie. #2 and #5 was also quite easy, however I had some hard time deciding who should be #3. I'm glad that it turned out this way, which I really did not expect. I was quite certain that my #3 becomes #2 before I wrote my review. However, anything can happen, seasons change. Let's see the ranking:

5. Vanessa Redgrave in Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment

After all, I just feel that I don't have much to say about Vanessa Redgrave in this movie. She's great as usual (and that's going to be rewarded), but the movie is working against her as if she was on a boat during a hurricane.

4. Anouk Aimée in A Man and a Woman

In the end, I can say that I loved Anouk Aimée in this one very much, but sometimes I felt that her performance lacked something and wasn't constantly strong. It's an extremely simple, beautiful, clean and loveable work to which the viewer can easily connect.

3. Ida Kaminska in The Shop on the Main Street

In the end I can say that Ida Kaminska gave an excellent performance, which might be a bit uneven achievement and borderline supporting, but you instantly like the character, care about her and she just breaks your heart in the end. It's a great performance in a movie for the ages.

2. Lynn Redgrave in Georgy Girl

I must say that I was impressed by Lynn Redgrave's performance as the innocent Georgy, who has many layers and a real depth, though sometimes the performance was not constantly strong. Great and effective work, which even moved me, but I guess I wanted a bit more.

1. Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

The writing flies away, but Taylor's performance stays with me forever, locked up firmly in my mind. An actress, who was able to show another, unknown and much more interesting side of hers, now really got me. I'm under its effect and I can't be sober. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

 

So I can proudly announce

that my winner is...

Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Easy win, Ms. Taylor

About the next year: it was so complicated to choose the next year, but after all I picked a brilliant one I really look forward to reviewing. Unfortunately I cannot do posts until next Friday, but after that there's going to be a lot of time. Let's see the clues:

• Dancing queen...
• To Miss with Love (?)
• Don't lose your head! (Sorry)

So what do you think? Any thoughts, request, anything on your mind?

P.S.: Please comment on Ida's profile. :)

Lynn Redgrave in Georgy Girl

Lynn Redgrave received her first Oscar nomination for playing Georgina Parkin, an innocent young girl in Georgy Girl. Lynn Redgrave's performance in this movie was a real hit and everybody seemed to love her, she became famous, got a Golden Globe, some critics' awards, therefore I think that she was actually the runner-up to Elizabeth Taylor in that strictly one-horse race. Redgrave has her fanbase, but she unfortunately never matched her sister's popularity.

Georgy Girl is quite probably one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen. I think it doesn't make much sense, but it's not bad and actually, quite entertaining. I think it could have won that Best Song Oscar, because that theme is quite catchy. The actors give proper performances: Charlotte Rampling is beautiful, sexy, wild and selfish, she's very memorable. Alan Bates is a bit annoying sometimes, but he's quite good too. James Mason's nomination is however so weird and so is his performance: I mean was it supposed to be serious or funny? I guess his intention was funny, but he wasn't. Well, that might be just my taste.

People seem to be enchanted by Lynn Redgrave, but there are some, who criticise the performance. I want to do both as I really liked her, but there were some things, I did not like that much. First of all, I must say that Georgy itself is the perfect role for any actress. People always love the innocent, unusual young girls, who become hearbroken at some point of the movie. These characters win your simpathy instantly as you feel strong emotions for them. You hate the ones who harm her (very much) and love her immensely. Georgy is really such a character.

I just cannot deny my affection for Britain, London, Brits, and British movies of the sixties. They were the best: the so-called kitchen sink realism is so close to my heart, but this movie is not a typical one. Mostly it's not that realistic (sometimes not at all), but there are some hearbreaking stories inside. Just like Georgy's: she was always told what to do and how, she was in fact a kept woman, but no one really says that. Georgy however has considerable pride and she just wants to be on her own, taking care of people who need it. She has an immense heart, which is sometimes used by some weak people.

If I really think about it, Georgy is a fantastically unselfish and terribly giving person with some flaws of course. Yes, she's just fascinating and I may even say that I respect her. This becomes obvious in the scene where she asks for prams and cots for her "services", which actually do not happen. She lies and cheats (just a bit), but for all the good reasons. She has hope that eventually her selfish roommate becomes a great mum, but we know from the beginning: Georgy is a mother already. She just understands children, as if they shared a common language. It's very odd, but also extremely impressive.

However, Georgy has her needs and desires, like having a man and a love life, but eventually, she's the one, who's ashamed and that really broke my heart. Redgrave so amazingly showed the emotions and feelings of this character: she did not pick the showy ways, but she made the right decisions I think. Lynn's acting has some depth, which have to be discovered by the viewer after watching the film. When I finished Georgy Girl, I wasn't amazed, but as I think about her, I realize how great she is actually.

I only have one argument against her: the strength of her performance is a bit uneven, and sometimes it loses some effect which it might have had on me. I know that this doesn't seem to be a big problem when you read this, but it bothered me a bit while watching. This probably also caused her loss at Oscar night. She's not a hurricane, she's just wind, but not subtle either.

However, I must say that I was impressed by Lynn Redgrave's performance as the innocent Georgy, who has many layers and a real depth, though sometimes the performance was not constantly strong. Great and effective work, which even moved me, but I guess I wanted a bit more. Nice job which has grown on me, and it displays Lynn Redgrave's much missed talent extremely well.

A 4,5 after all.

What do you think? I'm sick, damn. Please send me positive energy so that I can recover until tomorrow, to fulfill some of my duties.

The Next Year

After closing a poll, the conclusion was obvious: you wanted me to do 1966, so let's just go ahead with it. It's a very popular and yet not frequently talked about race. Everyone praises Taylor, but all the nominees have their fans. But let's just start:

1966

So the nominees were:

• Anouk Aimée in A Man and a Woman
• Ida Kaminska in The Shop on the Main Street
• Lynn Redgrave in Georgy Girl
• Vanessa Redgrave in Morgan
• Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

So what do you think? What are your predictions (the contest is naturally on)? Who's your pick? What's your ranking?

P.S. I am not sure how frequent the posts will be but I'll do my best.