Oscar 75: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
putting on a good show. This was especially evident with presenters Susan Sarandon, Richard Gere, and Barbra Streisand. We probably expected that they would say something as they tend to be very outspoken, but they kept themselves restrained with some very good speeches or a simple flash of a peace sign. Best Actress winner Nicole Kidman delivered one of the evening's great speeches when she said that art is important in a time of war, and we should be celebrating what art means to the world. Best Supporting Actor Chris Cooper also managed to speak eloquently about his desire for peace.
Overall, everyone managed to keep it a restrained, respectful night, and they should be commended for that. Oscar planners were hit with some very bad timing, especially that day when it was reported that a number of American troops had died in combat and some had been taken prisoner by Iraqi forces. It was good that Peter Jennings did have a couple of news updates during the show, although it did seem strange to follow such news with the words "And now back to the Oscars."
And rightfully, the Academy Awards did go on as planned. Roger Ebert made a good point when he said postponing the Oscars made no sense. When would there be a time where there would be no war or no threats of terrorism? In all our country's history, during such turbulent times during other wars, the Academy Awards always went on, as life went on. Movies, and more generally, entertainment, are one of the great things about our culture. And we know that there were probably men and women fighting for our country overseas who were watching last Sunday, as the ceremony was telecast live via the American Forces Radio and Television Service. And I would bet that a great number of them were incredibly happy to get a taste of home by taking in the sights of some of the beautiful actresses and wonderful film moments to take their minds off the incredibly dangerous task they currently have at hand. It's just like a serviceman putting up a picture of a half naked woman, or the servicemen in World War II who had those famous pin-ups. It's a reminder of what they cherish at home, and how much they want to finish their job and return home. Filmmakers have jobs just like any of us,
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