MovieChat Forums > La nuit américaine (1973) Discussion > Valentina Cortese Deserved the Oscar

Valentina Cortese Deserved the Oscar

posted 15 years ago by CalvinValjean
4 replies | jump to latest

Just recently saw a video of the Best Supporting Actress award for that year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky5sW4no_cg

This is one of the few occasions where I've actually seen all five. I think Valentina was definitely the most deserving. The other 4 nominees were:

Ingrid Bergman - Murder On the Orient Express (winner)
Diane Ladd - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Talia Shire - The Godather Part II
Madeline Kahn - Blazing Saddles

I don't think those first three even deserved to be nominated. In Ingrid Bergman's case, it's generally accepted that her win was a compensation for a long career, and for the fact that Hollywood had forgotten her since the '50's.

It's been a while since I've seen Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, but I don't remember Diane Ladd being an Oscar-worthy role. She just becomes a friend in the later part of the film. I remember being surprised when I later saw she was nominated.

And while The Godfather Part II is a masterpiece, Talia Shire's performance is really the least of its great accomplishments. Maybe people were impressed that she had a bigger role than the in the first film, and the fact that she held her own even though she was the director's sister, but I never thought it was really Oscar-worthy.

So that just leaves the two comedy performances as the only ones I would nominate. Madeline Kahn is truly amazing in Blazing Saddles and creates one of the most memorable characters in any Mel Brooks film. I do love her. But ultimately I think Valentina deserved it more, just because there was more to her character and she brought out the humanity there.

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[–] davidfcochrane 15 years ago

I completely agree - I wouldn't have nominated any of the other four, frankly. Possibly Diane Ladd, but certainly not the other three. At least Bergman also agreed that Cortese deserved to win.

[–] fa7999 10 years ago

Bergman would have won lead for autumn sonata 4 years later. That was by far the best performance in that year.

[–] MJC4861 9 years ago

You are so right. I'm watching it right now and can't believe Cortese did not win. She was the most deserving in a strong year for supporting roles. Ingrid Bergman was wonderful in Murder On The Orient Express, but she had won the Best Actress award twice before. It was nice of her to apologize to Valentina, who was very gracious in defeat.

After this is over I'm going to watch Murder On The Orient Express on DVD just to prove this point. Day For Night also has a great ensemble cast with a great director in Francois Truffaut. MOTOE was directed by the great Sidney Lumet, who certainly brought out the best in both Bergman and Lauren Bacall, who should also have been nominated but wasn't.

[–] roreyking (637) 2 months ago

I know I’m way late but I felt compelled to weigh in. Cortese never should’ve lost to Bergman, who even apologized to Cortese in her acceptance speech. Her performance was clever, funny, moving - perfection. Giving Bergman the Oscar over Cortese was almost as bad as giving best supporting actor to Don Ameche over William Hickey’s brilliant performance in Prizzi’s Honor in 1986.