Old geezer vote

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An hour ago I heard the best explanation (or at least the best partial explanation) as to why the Julie Christie momentum bandwagon stalled and gave way to Marion Cotillard's winning the Best Actress Oscar. (And I'm not getting into this topic as a complaint -- I've long worshipped Cotillard's La Vie en Rose performance as Edith Piaf.) I'll give the person who told me credit for this when I hear from him and he says it's cool, but until then here it is non-attributed.

Cotillard beat Christie because young actresses almost always beat older actresses in the Best Actress race. One reason this happens, it is believed, is because of the male geezer vote, which always responds to the sexual allure element. This is precisely how the guy put it: "They vote with their dicks, the geezers."

The big exception to the rule was Helen Mirren winning last year for The Queen, but remember how she said saucy things all through the campaign, reminding everyone that she was a woman with a considerable sexual appetite and so on, posing for those hot-mama magazine covers. You can't tell me that didn't boost her vote tally.

I think it's fair to speculate that Diablo Cody may have won also because of the old-geezer vote. I know that Lorenzo Semple, Jr., said in one of his "Real Geezer" confessions (it's either in segment #1 or segment #2) that Cody's stripper background was a decisive factor in his voting for her.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 25, 2008 at 12:39 PM

comment #1

Dave says ...

It never hurts anyone to be attractive, least of all women, least of all in Hollywood. Human nature.

Then again, made-up as Edith Piaf, Cotillard looked pretty frightening.

Posted by Dave at February 25, 2008 12:59 PM

comment #2

Balthazar says ...

Not to undermine their wins, but....

See Helen Hunt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, etc, etc.

(Yes, Helen Hunt used to be attractive)

Posted by Balthazar at February 25, 2008 1:01 PM

comment #3

nemo says ...

That theory assumes they had seen Cotillard in something other than La Vie en Rose. In real life Cotillard is very attractive, but she realistically played the young Piaf as a rough hard-drinking gal who wasn't much to look at. And has the older drug-addicted Piaf in failing health she looked truly frightening.

Posted by nemo at February 25, 2008 1:06 PM

comment #4

corey3rd says ...

Piaf movie was a Blue Hair special.

and look at last year's Best Male vote when Peter O'Toole was knocked out by a guy who wasn't in nearly half of his movie.

far as Diablo Cody goes - she wore an outfit that did nothing to make her rise above the Stripper-screenwriter buzz. Looks like she had just pulled a shift at Jumbo's Clown Room - which is why she wasn't wearing a pair of 6 inch platform heels.

Posted by corey3rd at February 25, 2008 1:07 PM

comment #5

Josh Massey says ...

Or maybe that Julie Christie already has an Oscar?

If a voter is stuck between two choices, and one of them already has the award, they're likely to go the other way.

Posted by Josh Massey at February 25, 2008 1:09 PM

comment #6

vansmith says ...

corey3rd you killed it, she's playing right to the stripper savant image, jumbo the clown is correct, bet she's being advised to do it, male studio execs get wood when she walks in the room..

Posted by vansmith at February 25, 2008 1:14 PM

comment #7

The Winchester says ...

I get wood when Diablo Cody walks into a room. Even if I'm not is said room.

And Balthazar, by all means undermine Helen Hunt's win for As Good As It Gets. Terrible performance, terrible movie. I don't care what anyone else says, that movie was shyte, and all the awards it received can only be attributed to flagrant use of crack rock.

And I used to love crack rock...

Posted by The Winchester at February 25, 2008 1:21 PM

comment #8

renorambler says ...

For a few years I thought the "wood" theory was more applicable to the supporting actress category. See: Juliette Binoche, Mira Sorvino, marissa Tomei (a handful of others) that's the era when it seemed a given to acknowledge the younger hot actresses who might still have a chance to get the big prize later in their careers.

Binoche's hotness factor had to play a part in denying Lauren Bacall.

Posted by renorambler at February 25, 2008 1:24 PM

comment #9

K. Bowen says ...

I don't buy it. It sounds like someone is pulling a cynical explanation out of his ass.

Posted by K. Bowen at February 25, 2008 1:29 PM

comment #10

VedaPierce says ...

I can't imagine Goldie Hawn, Cher and Faye Dunaway being able to sit through "Away from Her" without feeling both terrified and resentful.

Posted by VedaPierce at February 25, 2008 1:39 PM

comment #11

Jay T. says ...

I believe this is true, but I also believe that in some cases it applies to actors as well as actresses. However, I would say the emphasis on men would only be in a situation where if their performances were considered equal, while for an actress the slightly lesser performance but much hotter appearance could put her over the top. If that makes sense. On the other hand, I think actresses under 25 are at a disadvantage because of older woman jealousy issues.

Posted by Jay T. at February 25, 2008 1:42 PM

comment #12

VedaPierce says ...

Julie Christie ranks among the most luminous and photogenic stars in the history of movies. Hard to believe that she's now Gloria Stuart.

Posted by VedaPierce at February 25, 2008 1:54 PM

comment #13

T. Holly says ...

Even Marion acknowledged it, she said "it's true there are many angels in Los Angeles."

Posted by T. Holly at February 25, 2008 1:56 PM

comment #14

ltlewis3 says ...

I would discount the old geezer vote theory.

Julie Christie gave a great performance that every one likes and admires, but not many love the movie, the performance or her enough to vote for it no matter what. As the presumptive winner in the run-up to the Oscars that made her vulnerable to the voters who say "everybody's voting for Christie, so I'll vote for the performance I really love even though it won't win."

Enough of those votes went to Cotillard to mix with those who were voting Cotillard anyone to give her the win.

Posted by ltlewis3 at February 25, 2008 2:22 PM

comment #15

adorian says ...

By the time the voters marked their ballots for 3 fictional characters, they realized they had to go with Cotillard in order to have the obligatory award for the perfect imitation of a famous person.

Next year, Benicio as Che
Emily Blount as Queen Victoria
Langella and Sheen as Nixon and Frost
Keira Knightley as the Duchess
Lange and Barrymoore in Grey Gardens
Penn and Brolin in Milk
Cruise and Branagh in Valkyrie

Some nominees and maybe even some winners are in that list.

Posted by adorian at February 25, 2008 2:29 PM

comment #16

actionman says ...

Marion Cotillard is gorgeous. Sexy. Beautiful. Classic.

Diablo Cody looked like a stripper with no class.

Posted by actionman at February 25, 2008 2:54 PM

comment #17

K. Bowen says ...

By the way, if this is the case, why does Naomi Watts keep getting snubbed? Even more baffling now. :)

Posted by K. Bowen at February 25, 2008 3:52 PM

comment #18

Edward says ...

I'll take the stripper with no class for $100 Alex.

Posted by Edward at February 25, 2008 3:52 PM

comment #19

T. S. Idiot says ...

"Helen Hunt used to be attractive." As Marilyn Monroe says to Louis Calhern in The Asphalt Jungle, "Yikes!"

Posted by T. S. Idiot at February 25, 2008 4:47 PM

comment #20

Zimmergirl says ...

Wrong. This wasn't a surprise for anyone paying attention. Cotillard was better. It comes down to that. It was the kind of performance you can't turn away from -like Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry. When Daniel Day Lewis says he'd give her his BAFTA award and George Clooney says he thought he saw the best performance of the year with Daniel Day Lewis until he saw Marion Cotillard you know you're up against an unstoppable force.

Also, Cotillard worked the circuit. She was everywhere, at everything, even on Oprah. Christie laid low. Remember how hard Helen Mirren worked it? Sometimes you have to. This was a no-brainer.

Posted by Zimmergirl at February 25, 2008 6:21 PM

comment #21

K. Bowen says ...

By the way, does anyone wonder if Cate Blanchett/ the person who decided to go Supporting with Dylan is/are kicking themselves right now? Shoulda gone lead, where it belonged.

Posted by K. Bowen at February 25, 2008 8:02 PM

comment #22

truefaith says ...

It could just be that the Academy didn't think that Julie Christie deserved to be in the company of two-time Oscar winners--like Daniel Day-Lewis. Julie Christie is a fine actress, but she is not one of the best actresses around.

Posted by truefaith at February 25, 2008 8:27 PM

comment #23

arturobandini says ...

Yeah, Julie Christie would probably have to play Marianne Faithfull in a fatsuit to receive a second Oscar, since that's the only criterion for great acting chops nowadays. Understatement and restraint are signs of lesser talent, right?

Baloney. This is what 6 or 7 seasons of American Idol hath wrought. You have to put on a freaking kabuki'n'karaoke act to be taken seriously anymore.

Except for DARLING, Christie has always underplayed her roles, occasionally to perfection. 30-40 years later, that's why her performances still resonate. Even her walk-on in NASHVILLE is memorable.

Furthermore, she doesn't suck up for dog-and-pony awards shows, and that puts her in a class practically by herself. I don't get all this runner-up bashing. It's ugly, especially when directed at such a class act.

Posted by arturobandini at February 25, 2008 9:32 PM

comment #24