Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Final first poll results!

Well, the voting has ended for the first poll on Word on the Streep, and The Hours is the overwhelming top vote-getter (71%) to decide which performance was the biggest Oscar snub for Meryl.  I was one of the few who voted for The Manchurian Candidate.  While I absolutely believe Meryl should've been nominated for her performance as Clarissa Vaughan in The Hours, if we take into account the landscape of the films and performances that were up for recognition in both 2002 and 2004 (the release years for The Hours and The Manchurian Candidate, respectively), it's more of a snub that she missed out in 2004.

The Hours happened to be released the same year as Adaptation, a film for which she was nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role.  Couple that with the fact that The Hours was a film that essentially had three female leads in Nicole Kidman (ultimate winner that year in lead for her role of Viginia Woolf), Julianne Moore (nominated in supporting) and Meryl, and it gets tough to nominate two or especially all three.  If each were on the cusp of being lead or supporting and Kidman's performance was sort of undeniable for a nom, Meryl really had no chance for that film.  Keeping in mind that actors cannot be nominated for two roles in the same category.

Two years later, Streep missed out on a nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw The Manchurian Candidate.  She had no other films that year that were likely to result in nomination, and she had snagged both Globe and BAFTA noms.  I won't rehash why I think she should've been recognized, but I'll link my thoughts from the original snub post.

What do readers want as the next poll?!

13 comments:

  1. I wonder if Angela Lansbury was secretly glad Meryl didn't come close to winning for the role she originated. I know she was terribly disappointed when she lost in 1963 for this movie.

    I agree it would have been easier to get into the 2004 category - 2002 was a hyper competitive year for Best Actress. I agree with your original thoughts on who would have likely missed out had Meryl made the cut.

    How about a poll of the most lamentable roles Meryl didn't get to take (in hindsight)?

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    1. OMG I love that poll idea.

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    2. I agree. US films Meryl was particularly apt to have done at that time. Any time range?

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    3. I like this idea, but another would be a poll of the most lamentable roles Meryl DID get to take. 'Evening', everyone?
      Rob in Canadian Rockies

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    4. We must always bear in mind Meryl herself might be prowling on this site and we don't want to upset her feelings! hehe

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  2. Different topic- am a bit worried about The Post- no other cast and supposed to start filming next week?!- Jamie

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    1. I'm not worried at this point. Often times cast members aren't even announced until filming is underway.

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    2. Poll idea... I've never been a fan of Meryl's gowns or couture at the Oscars (or anywhere else, for that matter). Of her 20 appearances (I think she was there for all 20 nominations), which gown did she wear best (or which gown suited her best)? Is it possible to showcase all 20 for a poll? This is a totally offbeat suggestion, but I think it would yield interesting results.
      Rob in the Canadian Rockies (again)

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    3. She wasn't there for the Postcards nomination but she did turn up in 2006 in a lovely purple, tight-fitted dres to pay tribute to Robert Altman. I'm not sure if she's been more than 20 times but I love that you won't see her if she isn't nominated!

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  3. Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again. So our gal will have two musicals comeing out next year. So happy being a Meryl Streep fanatic.

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    1. NOoooooo! She gave her hammiest performance in Mamma Mia, even to the point when French & Saunders made good fun of her hammy act. Meryl, please find another role, not this one. David.

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  4. She will be an oscar contender for sure this year so why not let she has some fun in 2018 which she will be 68 by then. How many actresses her age have 3 big films in their lineups in the next two years. None. I'm just too happy that at least she will have two boxoffice hits in 2018.

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    1. I'm not against Meryl having fun - she's just as entitled as anyone else. And her passion for acting is unparalleled. It's my personal wish that she doesn't take up this coming role because watching the first one made me cringe from start to end. Yeah, maybe not for other Meryl fans but I can't help but wince at all the over the top gesticulations and expressions. Don't get me wrong - I love all her other zanny roles like Death Becomes Her, even the last scene in Stuck on You, etc. Well, if she does take up this role, then let's hope it'll be a vast improvement over the first not just in terms of acting but choreography and lighting and most of all, direction. David

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