Best Supporting Actress – 1977

Official Nominations: Vanessa Redgrave. Melinda Dillon. Leslie Browne. Quinn Cummings. Tuesday Weld.

It’s another unimpressive list on the surface, with Vanessa Redgrave finally walking away with her win as Julia. Part of me knows it’s a win due to her other performances over the years, but it remains a good showing for the actress. The unfortunately named Quinn Cummings only appeared in a couple of movies, in The Goodbye Girl she’s okay in the role of annoying smartass child while Leslie Browne is a real life dancer thrown into the deep end with a role in The Turning Point which required a better actress. Melinda Dillon is the petrified mother from Close Encounters who sees a UFO and goes on an obsessive romp around the country with Richard Dreyfuss – again decent, but not sure it’s award worthy, while Tuesday Weld plays Diane Keaton’s sister in Looking For Mr Goodbar and is good enough to hold her own.

My Winner: Vanessa Redgrave

My Nominations: Joan Bennett. Barbara Bach. Sissy Spacek.

I’m not sure any of this year’s performances are genuinely good enough to warrant a nomination and I don’t personally love them enough to pick them myself, which is what these posts are all about. In that case it’s a new batch of nominees. You could just as easily take Alida Valli for Susperia, but I think Joan Bennett edges it for me – two old Hollywood matriarchs lending class to the otherwise creepy proceedings. It’s not often anyone mentions Bond girls for awards, but Barbara Bach was one of the first Bond girls who stood out from the pack, as a character and as a performer – her Agent XXX every bit the spy as Bond himself. Sissy Spacek gets a nod from me for her performance in 3 Women. Normally I wouldn’t say any of these performances are strong enough to win, but it’s slim pickings. When in doubt, go with your favourite.

My Winner: Barbara Bach

Let us know your winner in the comments!

Best Actress – 1968

Official Nominations: Katherine Hepburn. Barbra Streisand. Patricia Neal. Vanessa Redgrave. Joanne Woodward.

Katherine Hepburn picked up another win for The Lion In Winter, while Barbara Streisand picked up a nomination for her first movie Funny Girl. As proof that The Academy was just making it up as it went along, Streisand was actually joint winner this year. Patricia Neal does her best in The Subject Was Roses, Redgrave globe-trots rambunctiously in Isadora, while Woodward is a polar opposite in Rachel, Rachel. 

My Winner: Vanessa Redgrave

My Nominations: Jacqueline Bisset. Barbra Streisand. Claudia Cardinale. Faye Dunaway. Vanessa Redgrave.

Only Redgrave and Streisand make it over to my nominations and won’t stand a chance of winning versus my other three picks. Jacqueline Bisset made a pretty big impact in 1968 being nominated for a Golden Globe in the interesting surfer movie The Sweet Ride and appearing in the very good The Detective (based on a novel whose sequel would be adapted into Die Hard). However, it is her performance in Bullitt which earns her my nomination – she holds her own along side the veteran McQueen and ensures that the movie isn’t only remembered for him and the car chase. Also holding their own along side McQueen is Fay Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair, creating a smoldering partnership as the cool and intelligent Vicki. Claudia Cardinale also appeared in a bunch of movies in 1968, but it is undoubtedly Once Upon A Time In The West that she is remembered for – her performance (baked up by her theme) providing the heart and soul of the movie and is never less than captivating – make no mistake, this is a film about Jill rather than Harmonica or the others.

My Winner: Claudia Cardinale.

Who do you pick from the Official list of nominees, and who would be your choices of Best Actress of 1968 from those who were not nominated – let us know in the comments!