Join me in the annual Oscar prayer, invoked 56 years ago by emcee Danny Kaye: “The Academy asks that no acceptance speech be longer than the movie itself.”
While I'm told that got a big laugh, was it the best speech?
When Julia Roberts (pictured) got her gold guy for Erin Brockovich, she crashed up against the Academy's 45-second acceptance limit and didn't stop: "A girl's got to have her moment. Everybody tries to get me to shut up. Didn't work with my parents. Didn't work now."
When Robert De Niro got his for Raging Bull, he thanked its real-life subject, boxer Jake La Motta, adding "Even though he's suing us."
When Jane Fonda won her first (for Klute) at a time she was a polarizing figure for her outspoken criticism of the war in Vietnam, she took her prize, paused pregnantly, and observed, "There's a great deal to say. But I'm not going to say it tonight."
Even more understated was Sidney Poitier, the first African-American to win the best actor prize, who noted, "It has been a long journey to this moment."
These are my nominees for best Oscar speeches. Yours?
« Oscar's Gender Divide | Main | Where the Boys Are »
Best. Oscar. Speech. Ever.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer/mt-tb-trythis.cgi/5334.
The Author
Carrie Rickey has been The Philadelphia Inquirer’s film critic for 21 years. She has reviewed films as diverse as “Water” and “The Waterboy,” profiled celebrities from Lillian Gish to Will Smith, and reported on technological beakthroughs from the video revolution to the rise of movies on demand. Her reviews are syndicated nationwide and she is a regular contributor to Entertainment Weekly, MSNBC and NPR. Rickey’s essays appear in numerous anthologies, including “The Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll,” “The American Century,” and the Library of America’s “American Movie Critics.”
Got a question about your favorite movie or star? Want to know Carrie's take on the movies? ASK, AND GET YOUR ANSWER HERE.
Search
About
This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 21, 2008 4:00 PM.
The previous post in this blog was Oscar's Gender Divide.
The next post in this blog is Where the Boys Are.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
Movable Type 3.35
Comments (34)
"I want to thank...everybody I've ever met in my entire life."
--- Maureen Stapleton, accepting the supporting actress Oscar for "Reds"
Posted by Anonymous | February 21, 2008 5:01 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 17:01
Marcia Gay Harden, Best Supporting Actress, "Pollock":
"You know, I swore that if I ever won an Oscar, that I would say thank you to all the waiters and waitresses who used to cover my shift for me so I could run downtown on the subway and audition."
Posted by oscrrfreak | February 21, 2008 5:33 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 17:33
I was not around when he said this, about is a great retort to the Oscar speech:
"I would like to suggest to Miss Redgrave that her winning an Academy Award is not a pivotal moment in history, does not require a proclamation and a simple 'Thank you' would have sufficed."
-- Paddy Chayefsky, 1978 Oscar broadcast.
Posted by Anonymous | February 21, 2008 6:00 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 18:00
To give the Chayefsky retort its proper context: In collecting her trophy(for "Julia") Redgrave referred to Israel as "Zionist hoodlums."
Posted by Carrie | February 21, 2008 10:40 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 22:40
Silo is having a sale!
Posted by Bala | February 22, 2008 12:54 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 00:54
A what?
Posted by Marple | February 22, 2008 12:56 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 00:56
A sale!
Posted by Bala | February 22, 2008 12:56 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 00:56
Although many/most Israeli's are not, Israel has been led by racist Zionist Hoodlums since it's creation, with very few exceptions. Terrorists, in fact, to use the current parlance.
Posted by Potsy | February 22, 2008 1:03 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 01:03
I liked when Julia Roberts scolded the orchestra leader when he trierd to play her off, telling him to put that baton thingie down.
Posted by Robyn | February 22, 2008 9:27 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 09:27
David Niven's remark regarding the streaker - referring the chap's making so much of one's "shortcomings'
Posted by Robin Lupinacci | February 22, 2008 9:43 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 09:43
I agree with Robyn about Roberts scolding the orchestra when it tried to interrupt her acceptance speech. I say let them go on for as long as they want. That's what the show is about - namely, winners collecting their reward and expressing their gratitude and joy. It's not about grotesque production numbers (or at least, it shouldn't be) and it's not about clumping down memory lane showing off the industry's dusty credentials via vintage film clips (which only remind us that Hollywood was once capable of making better movies). It's an awards show , for heaven's sake. So, just let the winners have their say.
What's really weird is that the time crunch gets tighter at the end of the show when most of the major awards are given - which means that the best actress (like Roberts) actually gets less time than, say, the winning film editor, only because the editor won earlier in the night when there seems to be an expanse of time. How messed up is that?
As for my favorite speech, I'd have to go with Sally Field's "You like me, you really like me" response when she won for "Places in the Heart." Which most people took as a joke. Not. me. I saw it as her way of being realistic - of thinking that maybe her "Norma Rae" win was a fluke and that the industry still thought of her as TV's "Gidget." "Places in the Heart" cemented the acceptance for her. And that's what the show is all about - being accepted, finally and unconditionally - by one's peers.
Thanks for listening, Carrie!
Posted by Joe | February 22, 2008 10:37 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 10:37
Joe Pesci's speech when he won for "Goodfellas" should be the standard for all Oscar victory speeches: "I am humbled. Thank you."
Posted by Mark | February 22, 2008 12:55 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 12:55
Forget Julia Roberts! Best Oscar speech of all time goes to Hattie Mcdaniel: "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, fellow members of the motion picture industry and honored guests: This is one of the happiest moments of my life, and I want to thank each one of you who had a part in selecting for one of the awards, for your kindness. It has made me feel very, very humble; and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything that I may be able to do in the future. I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel, and may I say thank you and God bless you."
Posted by Jen M. | February 22, 2008 1:52 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 13:52
I like Stanley Kubrick's acceptance speech when he won for Best Director. What's that? He never won for best director??? Well, then, ummm....never mind.
Posted by EricW | February 22, 2008 2:29 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 14:29
Joe Pesci's brevity.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's uncontained exuberance and joy!
The woman who said her dress cost more than her movie a few years ago.
Maybe the Best Speech ever is George Lucas' speech thanking his grade school teachers for supporting and encouraging him. Any winner who thanks his teacher during the speech wins out for me!
Posted by jamesinphilly | February 22, 2008 3:57 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 15:57
I liked Chris Cooper's speech a few years ago, when the Oscars were pregnant with tension from the war drums in Iraq. He simply stated his wish for a peaceful world, without any sort of grandstanding or long winded speeches.
Posted by Geoff | February 22, 2008 6:50 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 18:50
Sally Field never said, "You like me! You really like me!" in her speech -- amazing how a short quotation can be misstated after a while. Also, in her speech Julia Roberts referred to Bill Conti (the orchestra director as well as the composer of the "Rocky" theme) as "Tom Conti" (the British stage/screen actor) which made me wonder if she had heard of either Bill or Tom Conti. In any event, my favorite speech was Anna Paquin hyperventilating for 20-25 seconds upon winning Supporting Actress for _The Piano_ in 1994.
Posted by Jim J | February 22, 2008 7:33 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 19:33
I have to admit, even though I can't quote from it, I really loved the speech by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon when they won for Best Screenplay for "Good Will Hunting." They just seemed so naturally happy and excited to have won. Not only that, but they won for a movie I truly loved and I was happy for them. The only disappointing part of it was that I kept waiting for them to thank Kevin Smith, who I thought got robbed in not being nominated for "Chasing Amy" (and again 2 yrs later--"Dogma" should've at least gotten a Best Original Screenplay nod). They didn't, though.
Posted by Chris | February 22, 2008 10:58 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 22:58
OK, I paraphrased, Jim J. What Field said exactly is, "you like me, right now, you like me!" Jeez.
Posted by Joe | February 23, 2008 6:47 AM
Posted on February 23, 2008 06:47
I loved Cuba Gooding, Jr's shocked delight and exuberance; Jack Palance's one-handed push-ups; but most of all, I cannot watch Halle Berry's acceptance speech without smiling and weeping all at once.
Posted by Billie P | February 23, 2008 4:01 PM
Posted on February 23, 2008 16:01
My all time favorite is Adrian Brody who not only kisse Halle Berry but the when the orchestra tried to play him off he just looked at them and said "Fellas...." and they held off. It was brilliant but not mentioned cause of the Halle Berry thing.
Speaking of Halle I liked it when she got hers. Totally genuine.
Posted by Brett | February 23, 2008 9:50 PM
Posted on February 23, 2008 21:50
During Halle Berry's speech I had to mop up the tears on my keyboard as I was writing Oscars coverage.
Posted by Carrie | February 23, 2008 9:58 PM
Posted on February 23, 2008 21:58
Am hoping for a dearth of political speeches tonight. We know exactly how virtually everyone in Hollywood feels about Bush/The War/Etc. Tonight is not the night for more ill-timed grandstanding. If "No End in Sight" wins for Best Doc, and it likely will, a speech touching on the film's themes is certainly appropriate. It would be nice if the director notes the recent positive trends in Iraq, but don't hold your breath. Otherwise, take a bow, thank Mom and Dad and don't slip coming to the podium. Please.
Posted by Christian Toto | February 24, 2008 12:06 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 12:06
Why is it inappropriate for the winners to voice political views on an awards show? Because you say so? Because you won't like what you hear? It's their award and their moment and they should be allowed to say whatever they please. In fact, I hope they're encouraged to. It's certainly more interesting than hearing them thank only mom, dad, their thrid-grade teacher and their agent.
Posted by Pat | February 24, 2008 1:30 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 13:30
It's inappropriate because they're being honored for acting, not for their poly-sci thesis. It's inappropriate because they're alientating a good half of the audience. If you enter a dinner party, you don't launch in with your political beliefs five minutes in. It's rude and ill-advised. Why shoud this forum be any different? Actors too often are ill informed about their politics ... what gives their opinions gravitas? If Julia Roberts has an insight on her acting approach, I'm all ears. But on politics? Why should she use that precious Oscar speech time to tell us her views on the war? And is there one person in America who doesn't know where 99 percent of Hollywood stands on nearly every issue? What's the point?
Posted by Christian Toto | February 24, 2008 6:37 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 18:37
Got it.
Posted by Carlye | February 24, 2008 7:39 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 19:39
I think the politics can be inappropriate jdue to the what-if-everyone-did-it rule. A series of heated, awkward and contentious statements? That's not why they are there. I can see a brief reference as to where you stand, perhaps (this is America, after all), but that's it.
Posted by Jim C. | February 25, 2008 1:16 PM
Posted on February 25, 2008 13:16
My favorite Oscar acceptance speeches:
- Thomas Mitchell in 1940 for "Stagecoach." You can see he's a genuinely modest man who isn't comfortable tooting his own horn. He initially takes the statue and starts to leave, but someone pushes him toward the microphone, where he simply says, with no false modesty, "I didn't know I was that good." If he'd meant it sarcastically, it would have been off-putting, but he comes across as endearing.
- Mel Brooks. "I'd just like to say what's in my heart: 'Blub-blub, blub-blub, blub-blub..."
- Jim Carrey. "I know we're not supposed to make political speeches, but I just have to say...Viva, El Salvador!!!" (It helps to know this happened about ten years after El Salvador was the cause de jour.)
- Kevin Spacey: "This is definitely the best thing that's happened all day."
- Not surprisingly, Cary Grant's speech when he accepted his Lifetime Achievement Oscar was a model of grace.
Posted by wwolfe | February 25, 2008 1:59 PM
Posted on February 25, 2008 13:59
Hm, so Oscar speeches should be strictly limited to speech of which you approve - because you say so? Ipse dixit is a deficient form of argument. How about you just don't listen if you don't want to hear it instead of censoring the recipients' remarks? You didn't win anything and the sponsors are paying for the time, so why the push to curb the winners' remarks? You could always tivo Rush Limbaugh and switch over. It's not as though you're not calling to curb left speech in the phony, self righteous guise of "neutral" standards that are really statist props or props for the prevailing orthodoxy.
Posted by JDM | March 1, 2008 11:59 AM
Posted on March 1, 2008 11:59
Lee Marvin for Cat Ballou (I paraphrase): "Somwhere in the valley is a horse that deserves half of this award."
Posted by Claire | April 7, 2008 7:20 PM
Posted on April 7, 2008 19:20
WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Anonymous | May 5, 2008 7:46 AM
Posted on May 5, 2008 07:46
I can't believe there is no mention of Crowe's speech for Gladiator. It's the best speech of all time.
Posted by srikant | July 29, 2009 6:59 AM
Posted on July 29, 2009 06:59
I like Sean Penn's speech when he stated that Mickey Rourke was back!"
Posted by Stu Siegel | August 21, 2010 7:51 PM
Posted on August 21, 2010 19:51
I must agree! BTW this blog rocks!
Posted by Donovan Litteral | November 14, 2011 2:32 PM
Posted on November 14, 2011 14:32