Best Picture and Director 1967

[Sabin]

Reza wrote
Sabin this game of "what if" is great fun. Waiting eagerly for your next one.

I'm having fun. My intention is more than a game of "What if" (although that's clearly what it is on the surface). My favorite thing about the Academy Awards is that in a culture that is always looking forward, they provide an opportunity to look back and appreciate with new eyes. I'd like to use these "What ifs" as a way of bringing movies from the past into the present with a new light. For example, the notion of Cool Hand Luke being a potential Best Picture nominee lends a degree of gravitas to a film that didn't quite have it before in the history books.

[Big Magilla]

While I was researching Inside Oscar for the date of the ceremony, I came across a notation that Gregory Peck had invited Mrs. Tracy to accept for him should he win. No indication is she accepted or was even at the ceremony.

The expected fifth nominee was In Cold Blood over Doctor Dolittle.

I never liked Thoroughly Modern Millie and would not recommend i but it should be seen by Oscar completists for Carol Channing's Oscar nominated performance in which she basically plays herself.

Ulysses was considered daring at the time. It's worth seeing, but the James Joyce adaptation I would recommend is John Huston's The Dead.

Schlesinger's Far from the Madding Crowd is a sluggish adaptation of Hardy's novel. Bates is good, but Christie, Stamp, and Finch, are all pretty dull. Vinterberg's 2015 remake with Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenarts, Tom Sturridge, and Michael Sheen is much better.

Cool Hand Luke was easily the best film aside from In Cold Blood not nominated. It was Newman's best film since Hud and he was pretty much assured of a nomination but I don't recall him as being a front-runner. There seemed to be more consternation over his not being nominated for Best Director the following year for Rachel, Rachel.

And, yes, see To Sir, with Love for a good dose of 1960s Brit nostalgia.

[Big Magilla]

To prove I can be the nitpickiest guy around: The delay was only for two days -- King was assassinated Thursday (April 4th); the show had been scheduled for (as was then traditional) Monday the 8th, but postponed to Wednesday the 10th, so as to be after the King funeral.

No, it was postponed to Wednesday, April 17.

Nope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_Academy_Awards

You're right. Per Damien's book, Sammy Davis, Jr. asked "President Peck" to postpone the event two days because he and four others scheduled to appear on the 8th including Poitier and Steiger wouldn't be able to attend.

Someone should tell Oscars.org, though, that April 10 was not a Monday as their site insists.

[Reza]

Also, which of these films do I need to see?

I haven't seen Ulysses but of the films you mention the ones you should certainly see are Cool Hand Luke and Far From the Madding Crowd. The latter alone for its superb cast - although Christie's interpretation was considered too modern in a typical 1960s manner. I don't believe the film was a success at the boxoffice but its a lovely film with outstanding score and cinematography (by the great Nicolas Roeg). The Thomas Vinterberg remake with Carey Mulligan is a much superior version of Hardy's novel. Millie is silly but daffy fun - Andrews was on a roll then. Camelot has two wonderful leads, a fairly good score but weird closeup shots. Its also quite a chore to sit through its 3 hour running time. It was a huge hit though. I know I've seen The Fox but barely remember it. Poitier is excellent in To Sir, With Love and I'm surprised that Lulu's hit title song did not receive a nomination. I assume you've seen the 5 films nominated for Best Picture.

I'm not too sure about Newman winning though in absence of Steiger. While it was his fourth nomination he really didn't become a phenomena and taken seriously as a huge star until Butch Cassidy two years later and The Sting. And even then it took the Academy years to honour him despite further nods in 1981 and 1982 both times he lost despite being overdue. In fact the Academy seemed to have given up on him and awarded him the Honorary award in 1985 before he made that unexpected comeback at the Oscars just a year later.

I think the much beloved Tracy would have won alongside Hepburn. Shades of the later On Golden Pond.

Sabin this game of "what if" is great fun. Waiting eagerly for your next one.

[Mister Tee]

Quick answer: yes, the voting was over, MLK was assassinated three days before the scheduled Oscar ceremony which was delayed a week, the first and only time a scheduled Oscar show was postponed.

To prove I can be the nitpickiest guy around: The delay was only for two days -- King was assassinated Thursday (April 4th); the show had been scheduled for (as was then traditional) Monday the 8th, but postponed to Wednesday the 10th, so as to be after the King funeral.

No, it was postponed to Wednesday, April 17.

Nope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_Academy_Awards

[Big Magilla]

Quick answer: yes, the voting was over, MLK was assassinated three days before the scheduled Oscar ceremony which was delayed a week, the first and only time a scheduled Oscar show was postponed.

To prove I can be the nitpickiest guy around: The delay was only for two days -- King was assassinated Thursday (April 4th); the show had been scheduled for (as was then traditional) Monday the 8th, but postponed to Wednesday the 10th, so as to be after the King funeral.

No, it was postponed to Wednesday, April 17.

[Sabin]

Mister Tee wrote
As for the win...I suppose a Tracy win is possible, but I rather think Paul Newman would have triumphed. It would have been his fourth very strong nomination without a win, and Cool Hand Luke was a very popular, well-regarded film (it would have easily made today's expanded best picture ballot). Even at the time, it was the feeling among my film-buff friends that, had Steiger not been so viewed as overdue (thanks to The Pawnbroker), Newman would have taken the prize.

I have a question: what were the generally predicted five nominees of 1967 and how would that lineup have changed without In the Heat of the Night. Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner seem safe. But we can generally chalk the Doctor Dolittle Best Picture nominee to unprecedented levels of studio cronyism that few saw coming at the time, something of a historic fluke. In Cold Blood probably would've made it through but if the Doctor Dolittle gambit doesn't work, what would've made it through?

My limited understanding of the mood of the musicals of that moment was one of slightly decline. Thoroughly Modern Millie picked up seven nominations, but this total seems a bit inflated. It benefited from two score nominations, one song nomination, an acting nomination, production design, costume design, and sound. I'm not sure that makes it a serious contender. While Camelot and its five are a bit higher profile with a Cinematography nomination but not by much. But neither (nor Doctor Dolittle) were DGA nominations.

Cool Hand Luke's four nomination are high profile. No Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture but a DGA nomination plus Actor, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, and Score. It seems early for a double nomination for Conrad Hall but a Best Cinematography nomination might have been in the cards as well. Kennedy's win suggests good will for the film.

The Dirty Dozen got four nominations. No Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture but a DGA nomination plus a Supporting Actor nom, plus Film Editing, Sound, and a Sound Effects win. The Dirty Dozen might win a few of these without In the Heat of the Night.

Or would they have looked towards the UK? I'm not familiar with the adaptation of Ulysses. Was it in any serious competition? Same with The Fox, which won the Golden Globe for English Foreign Language Film, along with Best Actress, Director, and Screenplay. I'm also not terribly familiar with Far from the Madding Crowd. Considering how hot Julie Christie was at the time, I would imagine it would be some kind of hot ticket, and its three Golden Globe nominations (Motion Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress), DGA nomination, and National Board of Review awards suggest it had fans. But its sole Oscar nomination (Best Score) suggests limited enthusiasm. No Production Design or Costume Design? Odd that the Golden Globes nominated Alan Bates and the National Board of Review cited Peter Finch.

Or To Sir, with Love? How's my reading? Also, which of these films do I need to see?

[Mister Tee]

Quick answer: yes, the voting was over, MLK was assassinated three days before the scheduled Oscar ceremony which was delayed a week, the first and only time a scheduled Oscar show was postponed.

To prove I can be the nitpickiest guy around: The delay was only for two days -- King was assassinated Thursday (April 4th); the show had been scheduled for (as was then traditional) Monday the 8th, but postponed to Wednesday the 10th, so as to be after the King funeral.

And there was a subsequent delay of one day in 1981, following the assassination attempt on Reagan.

As to the rest: I was 16 in 1968 -- not quite as awards-savvy as in later years, but an avid follower of the buzz, and I have to respectfully disagree with a few of the premises here.

Magilla sort of brushes off In the Heat of the Night winning the NY Critics' prize + Golden Globe -- but that had been the dominant best picture profile for the previous decade: Around the World in 80 Days, Bridge in the River Kwai, Ben-Hur, The Apartment, West Side Story, Tom Jones, My Fair Lady, A Man for All Seasons. I grant 1967 was a more competitive year than many of those, but In the Heat... certainly wasn't a long shot -- it was a major contender. In fact, Bonnie and Clyde, having won neither of those two prizes, was a weaker bet, and I wasn't surprised at the time that it did so poorly in the end.

The Graduate was of course in the race, by virtue of its directing prizes from NY, the Globes and, most importantly, DGA. But, even back then, I remember it being a noticeable oddity, that Mike Nichols tended to win his awards solo (something William Goldman later pinpointed in his book The Season). Nichols' three Tonys (including his third that very year) didn't carry along the plays to victory, and his NY win was the only award The Graduate won there. (Compare that to the preceding two years, when Fred Zinnemann and John Schlesinger had won the best picture/director tandem.) So, even though The Graduate had the premier forecaster of Oscar success, there wasn't any particular confidence the film would take best picture in the bargain.

As far as editing: yes, it was outrageous Dede Allen wasn't a nominee for Bonnie and Clyde, seeing she was widely thought to have been instrumental in constructing the film. But the Academy branches back then were hilariously cliquish, and it wasn't atypical that Dr. Dolittle would get a pointless mention instead. The branch changed a lot over the years, and I'd say, especially, her Wonder Boys nod decades later was at least partly in apology.

To the best actor slate: yes, Poitier seems like a strong choice to replace Steiger -- it was widely seen as weird that he didn't make the cut as is, seeing he'd had such a strong year. And, if Heat is gone as an entry, it solves the problem he had in real time: split focus between Heat -- clearly the stronger film but award-dominated by Steiger -- and To Sir, With Love -- where he was definitely the whole show, but the film was more lightly regarded (though a huge box-office hit). Blake's performance was extraordinary, but he might well have been left out again.

As for the win...I suppose a Tracy win is possible, but I rather think Paul Newman would have triumphed. It would have been his fourth very strong nomination without a win, and Cool Hand Luke was a very popular, well-regarded film (it would have easily made today's expanded best picture ballot). Even at the time, it was the feeling among my film-buff friends that, had Steiger not been so viewed as overdue (thanks to The Pawnbroker), Newman would have taken the prize.

[Big Magilla]

Quick answer: yes, the voting was over, MLK was assassinated three days before the scheduled Oscar ceremony which was delayed a week, the first and only time a scheduled Oscar show was postponed.

To Sir, with Love was huge box-office success spurred by both Poitier's popularity and co-star Lulu's recording of the title song which was no. 1 for five weeks on the Billboard charts and the best-selling single of the year. Director James Clavell was one of the year's ten DGA nominees, losing to Mike Nichols.

Poitier's impassioned teacher in To Sir, with Love was on a par with his impassioned detective in In the Heat of the Night. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was Tracy and Hepburn's film.

Poitier would likely have been the one to accept on Tracy's behalf just before opening the envelope to reveal Hepburn as the Best Actress winner.

[Sabin]

Reza wrote
I think Steiger's spot for the nomination would go to Poitier. Not only was he in 3 highly popular films in 1967 but he was praised for all three. And he was also nominated alongside his co-star Steiger in the drama category at the Golden Globes.

That's a good point. It's probably between Sidney Poitier for To Sir, with Love or Robert Blake for In Cold Blood. I think there's something to be said for being in a Best Picture nominee. I haven't seen To Sir, with Love. Was it really well-reviewed at the time and was Poitier's performance in that film really heralded more than his Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? one?

Besides, a lineup of Beatty, Hoffman, Newman, Poitier, and Tracy would be a great thing to see. I wonder who would accept on Tracy's behalf.

Quick question: the voting window was closed by the time MLK was assassinated, correct?

[Reza]

I think Steiger's spot for the nomination would go to Poitier. Not only was he in 3 highly popular films in 1967 but he was praised for all three. And he was also nominated alongside his co-star Steiger in the drama category at the Golden Globes.

[Big Magilla]

Also, Lee Marvin for both The Dirty Dozen and Point Blank and both Scott Wilson and Robert Blake for In Cold Blood On reflection, though, it would have been Tracy who some were predicting would be the first posthumous winner over Steiger. Even Steiger later claimed he thought Tracy would win.

Interestingly, the following year, when Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Graduate were eligible for BAFTAs, The Graduate won for Best Picture and Tracy won for Best Actor while Hepburn won for both Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Lion in Winter. Her Lion in Winter co-star, Peter O'Toole, was not nominated.

[Big Magilla]

I didn't think about alternative nominees for Best Actor but Sidney Poitier in To Sir, With Love would have been a good choice although I doubt he would have won a second Oscar so soon. That performance would have gotten more awards hype if it weren't for In the Heat of the Night.

Albert Finney in Two for the Road and Alan Bates in Far from the Madding Crowd would be possibilities. Richard Harris, despite his Golden Globe win for Camelot was considered to have lacked the gravitas that Richard Burton brought to the role. His performance in a Broadway revival in the early 80s was much better praised.

[Sabin]

Reza wrote
With Rod Steiger out of the race his spot on the nominee's list most probably would have been taken over by Golden Globe nominee Richard Burton for The Taming of the Shrew. The runner-ups for the New York and National Society of Film Critics awards were foreign actors - Marcello Mastroianni (The Stranger) and Yves Montand (La guerre est finie), both unlikely to make that missing slot. Although Alan Bates (Far From the Madding Crowd), Rex Harrison (Dr Dolittle) and Richard Harris (Camelot) were also nominated for the Globe. And Sidney Poitier had a third release that year with To Sir, With Love.

Tracy would have won hands down.

Richard Harris won for Camelot the Golden Globe. I've never seen Camelot. It certainly seems to be more of a popular film than a critically adored one. If I had to guess, I would say Robert Blake for In Cold Blood, raising In Cold Blood's possible/likely nominations to six (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, and Cinematography).

Additionally, I bet Bonnie and Clyde would pick up Best Film Editing and Best Sound, raising its total to 12. Best Sound Effects was between The Dirty Dozen and In the Heat of the Night. Maybe that one goes to Bonnie & Clyde too for all the gunfire? Suddenly, we're looking at a movie getting between 12 and 13 nominations, which looks like a better and better bet.

[Reza]

With Rod Steiger out of the race his spot on the nominee's list most probably would have been taken over by Golden Globe nominee Richard Burton for The Taming of the Shrew. The runner-ups for the New York and National Society of Film Critics awards were foreign actors - Marcello Mastroianni (The Stranger) and Yves Montand (La guerre est finie), both unlikely to make that missing slot. Although Alan Bates (Far From the Madding Crowd), Rex Harrison (Dr Dolittle) and Richard Harris (Camelot) were also nominated for the Globe. And Sidney Poitier had a third release that year with To Sir, With Love.

Tracy would have won hands down.