Friday, February 21, 2014

Oscar Got It Wrong!: Best Original Screenplay 1989

The Contenders:
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Dead Poets Society (winner)
Do the Right Thing
Sex, Lies and Videotape
When Harry Met Sally

What’s Missing

I’ll admit straight off that this is probably the most difficult part of this today—there are plenty of good screenplays from this year, but I’m not 100% sure what’s original and what’s adapted. I’ve done my best here. Say Anything and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade are the two that jump out at me the most as being worthy of mention. Uncle Buck and Parenthood are longer shots but are both excellent in the script department. The longest shot is Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which would never have earned a nomination, but could have in an alternate universe. If you were waiting for me to suggest Road House, keep waiting.

Weeding through the Nominees

5: Sex, Lies and Videotape is an interesting film, but beyond the immediate prurience of the subject matter and the evident limitless sex appeal of Laura San Giacomo, there’s nothing I find terribly interesting or appealing. I’m perhaps biased against it because this film made me want to take a shower to wash off the icky feeling, but it really did very little for me. If we needed a movie about love and sex, I’d have rather had Say Anything show up here.

4: I feel like I stick the eventual winner in the fourth slot pretty often, but that’s going to be the case here, too. I don’t hate Dead Poets Society, but I also don’t love it, and the screenplay is part of the reason for that. For starters, there’s way too much damn Walt Whitman when we get to the poetry. I’ve never loved Whitman that much and I especially don’t love having him presented to me as some sort of guide for living. Beyond that, Dead Poets Society vastly overplays its emotional hand. The manipulation is too obvious for me to take it that seriously.

My Choices

3: I am very much a fan of Woody Allen’s writing and always have been, so it feels odd for me to place the excellent Crimes and Misdemeanors third. It’s a good film, and in a weaker class, I have little doubt I would place it higher. It’s problem here stems from two things. First, it doesn’t have the cultural resonance of one of the two higher-ranked films. Second, it doesn’t spark discussion the way the other film does. It’s excellent, but it doesn’t lead anywhere beyond itself, and that’s not going to cut it for this year.

2: Deciding between the two remaining films took a lot of time for me and a lot of going back and forth. Essentially, anything below the “My Choices” line is something I’d be happy with winning, but I still like to have them ranked. Ultimately, When Harry Met Sally falls a whisker short, losing in a photo finish. This is a marvelous screenplay, the sort of script that resonates for years afterwards. This film added to the American lexicon—anyone referred to as “high maintenance” has this film to thank for it. Only the rarest films can achieve that sort of status. I’d be mildly suspicious of anyone who didn’t enjoy this film.

1: But the winner in my mind is Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, which is still his best film in my opinion. The story itself is an engaging one and interesting, but this film really shows its value as we get further into the film. Lee manages to break the fourth wall with some subtlety, but it’s also his actions that touch of the trouble in the third act. So is he showing us the story or participating in it? How are his actions to be interpreted when he is the filmmaker beyond the character? Do the Right Thing brings up interesting issues of race and of respect. These were worth talking about in 1989, and they’re still worth talking about.

Final Analysis

10 comments:

  1. Where we agree: I agree with you that Do the Right Thing Got stiffed in a lot of categories that year. Clearly Miss Daisy was a more palatable film on race for more stodgy Oscar voters. I agree with your comments almost 100% on Dead Poets Society. I have nothing to add other than you're right.

    Where we disagree: I did like Say Anything more than I thought I would when I saw if last year for the first time, but I much prefer Sex, Lies and Videotape. The story of Sex & Lies did connect with me-I understand it didn't with you.

    I just watched Crimes and Misdemeanors recently and still love the way the two stories intersect and the impact of the whole thing is very well done. This would be my choice, but I wouldn't fight you on to hard on Do the Right Thing.

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    1. I'd have no issue with Crimes and Misdemeanors winning.

      What you say about Driving Miss Daisy is really interesting, since in some respects it's about the same issues as Do the Right Thing. "Palatable" is the right word for it in terms of the Academy. Do the Right Thing is the far better and more meaningful film in my world, though.

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  2. I haven't seen sex, lies, and videotapes but I would have to join you in your choices and your ultimate vote for Do the Right Thing. I have a very short list of films I have rated for 1989. I liked Glory but don't know that its screenplay was deserving of a mention. I can't remember it that well which would seem to argue against it.

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    1. Glory is good and a fine script, but it's based on a book, which makes this the wrong award for it.

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  3. I'd have probably picked When Harry Met Sally, but being honest that's simply because I love that movie, whereas Lee casting himself in the key role in the film when he didn't have the acting ability to carry it off hurts that film for me. The story's a good one, though. I'd pick Malcolm X as his best film and story.

    I like all five of the screenplays and I think sex, lies, and videotape is a smart film.

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    1. I agree that Lee isn't the greatest actor, but that doesn't affect the quality of the screenplay at all. For what it's worth, I almost came down to a coin flip between When Harry Met Sally and Do the Right Thing.

      I don't disagree that sex, lies and videotape (I really should get used to writing it in lower case letters) is smart. I just don't love it.

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  4. When Harry Met Sally, the perfect romantic comedy takes it in my opinion. The same flaws you point out about Dead Poets seemed to be true of Do The Right Thing. All are worthy, though that Roadhouse nomination would have been a hoot.

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    1. I'll disagree with you on Do the Right Thing. I agree completely on When Harry Met Sally.

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  5. I agree about Do the Right Thing, which ranks with Malcolm X as Lee's best films for me. I also don't have huge praise for Dead Poets Society, which isn't terrible but is very obvious. I love Soderbergh but am not a huge fan of Sex, Lies, and Videotape. It's been a while since I've seen it, though. I'm with you on Say Anything, which is a comedy yet has plenty to say about young relationships.

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    1. I love it when I end up agreeing with smart people, or when they agree with me.

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