The Women of 1975: Marilyn Hassett

Marilyn Hassett in “The Other Side of the Mountain”

Grade: ***

1975’s equivalent of “The Blind Side,” “The Other Side of the Mountain” was the film with the six-figure budget which produced over $35m at the U.S. box office ($140m+ in today’s climate), giving a leg-up to the already baity Marilyn Hassett in its principal role. The story of Jill Kinmont, a world-class skier paralysed in an accident, the film is incredibly dated, positively oozing with fromage, but nevertheless exhibits the biopic hallmarks associated with nominated films and performers. The cheap production values of this tearjerking venture perhaps crippled (if you excuse the term) the credibility of Hassett, whose own reviews were far more handsome than that of the film itself, leading to the sort of scepticism which led Vincent Canby of the New York Times to advise, “Load up on handkerchiefs and leave your wits at home.” Despite the derision, it didn't prevent the paper from proclaiming Hassett the frontrunner for the Oscar.

From a film in which we’re supposed to find a woman picking up a potato chip emotionally wrenching, Hassett predictably can’t allay the heavy-handedness of the script or direction, but her natural presence certainly helps to strengthen the emotional centre of this overtly tragic tale. She engenders herself to the audience through an ease of compassion towards others (even as she is often the figure most deserving of it), and furrows identification without feeling too much of a victimised pawn of the proceedings. When Jill loses physical capabilities, Hassett presents her mental strength as a façade without suggesting this woman is broken. She’s insecure and uncertain at pursuing career and romance goals post-accident, but in possession of the inclination to confront them, rather than retreat or hide. 

While it's easy to scoff at everything "The Other Side of the Mountain" has to offer, Hassett’s is a far more nuanced performance than you’d expect from such a staunchly biographical drama, limited in gears but, at its heart, well devised.


Accolades: Golden Globe Nomination (Best Actress in a Leading Role - Drama)

Blind......Side

Best Picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9”
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”

Prediction Score: 8/10

And the story of the year is clearly The Blind Side. I was guffawed at both hearing it mentioned and hearing it cheered. This is a film with only one real redeeming quality, and she's getting enough attention as it is. Aside from that, I'm not disappointed that District 9 is in the list, since it's at least a lot gutsier than Invictus or 500 Days of Summer.

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
James Cameron, “Avatar”
Lee Daniels, “Precious”
Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”
Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”

Prediction Score: 4/5

I'm really not a fan of this list. Bigelow and Tarantino were both great, but the others? And Lee Daniels has to go down as the worst Director nominee for a long while.

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”

Prediction Score: 5/5

Standard. Pleased for Jeremy and Colin.

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”

Prediction Score: 5/5

The Young Victoria's strong showing in the techs may suggest that Blunt wasn't far away, but The Last Station does scream "BAIT!" so it's hardly surprising that Mirren was able to hold on.

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

Prediction Score: 4/5

I think I've probably already seen the best two performances (Harrelson and Waltz) but I'm generally pleased by this lineup.

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious”

Prediction Score: 3/5

It was a bit of a lottery up until the end, but I'm especially shocked that Samantha Morton couldn't manage to break into this five, given that The Messenger got a screenplay nomination and her role is exactly what Oscar likes. It's nice that Maggie Gyllenhaal finally has a nomination, though I'm not hearing too many people crow about her. Marion Cotillard gave two great performances this year and got shafted.

Best Adapted Screenplay
“District 9”
“An Education”
“In the Loop”
“Precious”
“Up in the Air”

Prediction Score: 4/5

I'm absoloutely delighted that In the Loop is nominated.

Best Original Screenplay
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“The Messenger”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”

Prediction Score: 4/5

Ditto for The Messenger. They really hate James Cameron's dialogue, don't they?

Best Animated Feature Film
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”

I'm sure 95% of people were like me and responded with a puzzled "Eh?" when The Secret of Kells was announced. I like that they so obviously saw all of the options.

Best Foreign Language Film
“Ajami” (Israel)
“The Milk of Sorrow” (Peru)
“A Prophet” (France)
“The Secret in Their Eyes” (Argentina)
“The White Ribbon” (Germany)


Best Art Direction
“Avatar”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Cinematography
“Avatar”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
“The Hurt Locker”
“The White Ribbon”

Best Costume Design
“Bright Star”
“Coco Before Chanel”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Film Editing
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”

Best Makeup
“Il Divo”
“Star Trek”
“The Young Victoria”

Best Music (Original Score)
“Avatar”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“Up”

Best Music (Original Song)
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36″
“Take it All” from “Nine”
“The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart”

Best Sound Editing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Up”

Best Sound Mixing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Best Visual Effects
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“Star Trek”

Best Documentary Feature
“Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country”
“The Cove”
“Food, Inc.”
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
“Which Way Home”

Best Documentary Short
“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
“The Last Campaign of Booth Gardener”
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
“Music by Prudence”
“Rabbit a la Berlin”

Best Short Film (Animated)
“French Roast”
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty”
“The Lady and the Reaper”
“Logorama”
“A Matter of Loaf and Death”

Best Short Film (Live Action)
“The Door”
“Instead of Abracadabra”
“Kavi”
“Miracle Fish”
“The New Tenants”