The Oscar

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William W @BillyWein 2d The Oscar was very good. Stephen Boyd was very handsome and strong. Late in the movie, I thought he was going to slug Joseph Cotten at the studio head's party, also Elke Sommer was wearing a beautiful gown and matching coat at that party. Early in the movie, Jean Hale was very beautiful in her black gown, then her white gown, and her maid was so funny glaring at the up and coming Stephen Boyd. And President Kennedy's brother in law Peter Lawford was great as the forlorn, and broke, ex star, who was doing inventory in the restaurant's wine room. I liked the scene late in the movie where our hero was reduced to trying for a lead in a TV series and sponser Walter Brennan was saying he would be good in the role, clean, masculine, and strong, and Stephen was seething, just as he was early in the picture when Joseph Cotten was disparaging him when he first came to Hollywood. Also, Hedda Hopper at age 80 was beautiful in her cameo. She loved Stephen Boyd as do I. See more camina f @RT41285826 Nov 19 There must have been a lot of good intentions to make a portrait of a ruthless Oscar aspiring actor, who uses everybody to get it. But the over the top acting of Stephen Boyd makes you bleed when you see it, because in the making of the "hate me" character of Frankie Fane, he becomes so repulsive that you can never imagine how could Frankie ever rise to Hollywood as a sexy symbol. And if you have some patience, you can also hear Elke Sommer finishing her line, or watching Eleanor Parker about to take her last breath when Frankie is leaving her. It's because all this flamboyance wanted and demanded by the director steps on your nerves, in almost every minute of the movie. As far as I go I found Tony Bennett a best fit of the cast, with a colorful presence, despite the bad reviews that I read. But yes, I would watch it for all that, because with all the caricaturized portrayals, the outcome is at least balanced and quite harmonious in the manner, with no notable flops and with a very good art direction and care for photo and the chromatic details. I mean, you might not like an expressionist painting, but this doesn't make it a poor painting. And the effort of the actors to overplay is, after all, a merit. For an audience that the genre demands, i.e. Saturday night home cinema See more Ed . @RT01276001 Aug 29 Grade C for camp value. I think this picture was rigged: the mob must have gotten to Tony Bennett, because nobody acts so poorly. Not even Bo Derek in Ghosts Can't Do It. Even the Puerto Rican kid in Gloria outshines Bennett's performance. Stephen Boyd, an actor with talent, must have also been on the take. Or was it just poor direction? While poorly acted and overly melodramatic, I gave this film a 'like' for providing unintended laughter. It doesn't approach Valley of the Dolls, Mommie Dearest or Showgirls, but how many trashy films can attain such heights? See more Buzz Y @RT75908970 03/06/2025 I've watched this film several times and it has become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Stephen Boyd is perfect as the despicable arrogant jerk actor Frankie Fane who will step on anyone to get what he wants. The film is full of ridiculous dialogue which gives it a unique trashy charm. Tony Bennet is completely believable as Fane's Sad Sack pal and press agent Hymie. The women are gorgeous! Jill St. John in a leopard bikini and Elke Sommer in a sheer teddy will leave you weeping with joy. Every supporting role is better than it should be including Eleanor Powell as a lovelorn talent scout, Milton Berle as a long suffering agent, Joseph Cotton as the pragmatic studio head, and Ernie Borgnine as a sleazy private eye. Peter Lawford, who's own career was in decline, is especially effective as a one time movie star now reduced to being a Hollywood head waiter. The surprise cameo at the end is a real classic. As far as trashy camp classics go, the Oscar goes to The Oscar. See more Steve D @RT35616104 07/27/2023 It seems like it wants to be a comedy. See more CodyZamboni @CodyZamboni 06/21/2023 Movie is comically trashy. The lead character a total jerk. Jill St John is stunning. Movie has lots of famous cameos, and it was nice seeing Tony Bennett in a dramatic performance. Overall, movie is watchable more as a time capsule of the mid 1960s fashion, culture, art design, and moral attitudes. See more Read all reviews

The Oscar

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