Posted on 01/21/2016 7:14:35 PM PST by Citizen Zed
When Sidney Poitier became the first black actor to win an Oscar for best leading man in 1963, much of America was scandalised as the actress Anne Bancroft presented him with the award and gave him a congratulatory kiss on the cheek.
To many, such inter-racial contact was taboo.
Today, when so many of the most successful people in showbiz -- and in all other walks of life -- are of ethnic origin, such a reaction seems grotesque.
...
The Academy should not follow the route of positive discrimination, or stipulations on how many nominations should go to minorities. That would fatally devalue the awards. Indeed, there is a slight suspicion that such a policy was pursued -- albeit unofficially -- in 2001 when Denzel Washington won best actor for Training Day (about Los Angeles drugs enforcement officers). The actress Julia Roberts, for example, worked feverishly behind the scenes for him to become the first black actor to win the award since Sidney Poitier.
...
The fact is that the history of film is full of movies and performances involving people of all races who should have been considered for Oscars but who weren't.
Sometimes, I play a little game -- listing my favourite 20 movies and then working out which won a best-film Oscar. I usually get half wrong.
The one I always get wrong is Singin' In The Rain. It was beaten, in 1953, by The Greatest Show On Earth. And who remembers that?
As for Singin' In The Rain, it wasn't even nominated for best picture. And it had a cast full of white actors!
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
America was scandalized by Anne kissing Sidney??
I thought "Plan 9 From Outer Space" should have won in 1959. I'm outraged.
The quality of the acting is not important — they all deserve Oscars, because Racism.
“America was scandalized by Anne kissing Sidney??”
***
Back then, yes. Particularly in the south where segregation still existed and God help you if you were white and married to a black person.
I’m still sore they did not give best film to “They Saved Hitler’s Brain” or “The Terror of Tinytown”.
The south I understand, maybe, but not in my house. And not in many other places. Sidney was married to a white woman as was Sammy Davis and a hell of a lot of other people. Dorien Leigh was engaged to Harry Belefonte although it never went through - that was in the 50s.
You bet. We dated and married people who were the same race, had same educational level, same religion, and same socioeconomic level. Life was very clear-cut, uncluttered and way simpler. I still think we would be better off had it remained that way.
They need to go to “Black Acting School”.....
From “Hollywood Shuffle” (Language)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoqmCwp95Q8
Don’t forget John Reynolds’ memorable portrayal of Torgo in Manos: The Hands of Fate.
I remember when people were outraged when Eli Wallach did not get nominated for THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.
Let's look at the facts.
1.Hollywood likes to nominate actors in serious dramas for oscars, and especially if the movie is about a pet cause issue dear to Hollywood.
2. This year a black actor named Will Smith starred in a serious drama about a pet cause issue dear to progressive's hearts.
3. No black actors were nominated for best actor.
4. Jada Pinket Smith begins a boycott of the acadamy awards because no black actors were nominated.
5. Both Jada Pinket Smith and Will Smith have the same last name. This is because they are married.
“I have to say that Denzel’s over the top performance in Training Day is one of my favorites and that Oscar is deserved.”
Agreed. I’ll always remember listening to his big speech to the rookie telling him why they HAD to be corrupt, and finding myself almost convinced.
I was like: whoa, that’s some good acting, it’s good this guy has decided to just be a play actor in hollywood, who knows what n=mischief he might get up to in real life.
Of 122 nominations, the only black film nominated is Straight Out of Compton for original screenplay, and both writers are white.
Sounds like Hollyweird feels they did enough by supporting Obama.
Affirmative Action!
maybe they’re should bee end and affirmative action apsect to the Oscuh...
“I remember when people were outraged when Eli Wallach did not get nominated for THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.”
And I was outraged when another Baz, Baz Lurhman didn’t get the nom as best director for Moulin Rouge. As one reviewer put it: love the movie or hate it, it was certainly the most DIRECTED movie of the year.
All this organized whiney baby sh*t needs to STOP. The most privileged people in our society are acting like ill tempered toddlers. ISIS must look at this and think we all really do deserve to have our heads chopped off.
If I was an oscar people, I would create a category of best black actor to be announced immediately after best actor, then I would intentionally nominate only the most ridiculous horrific black actors that can possibly be found. But that is just me
Yes, I was one of them. Enraged enough to start shooting. My opinion is that when you have to shoot, you don't talk, you shoot.
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