Paramount Pictures
In 1966, a film was released that started off on Oscar night. Bob Hope was providing a speech before the Best Actor winner was announced. The camera moves to the crowd and we are introduced to Hymie (Tony Bennett) who starts to think back about his friend Frankie (Stephen Boyd) and how he got to the Oscars. The film looks back at Frankie’s acting career and how he rose to stardom in Hollywood. The film was directed by Russell Rouse and features various cameos such as Johnny Grant, Frank Sinatra, Joan Crawford and Hedda Hopper. The film eventually went on to earn two Academy Award nominations but did not win any. Kino Lorber released the film on Blu-ray with a 4K restoration and I was happy to check this film out since I haven’t seen it before.
Review
I think the idea for The Oscar is a clever one. The film had a nice progression of introductions to characters on Oscar night and then having Hymie (Tony Bennett) start to reminisce about his friend Frankie and how he got to Oscar night. By exploring how Frankie got to the Oscars and earned his nomination for Best Actor, it could have led to an inspiring story about one man’s journey to fame, but it took a completely different route. I think I enjoyed the idea of the movie more than the actual film. I found myself to be constantly frustrated with the film. Frankie (Stephen Boyd) is a very unlikable character. He is always putting people down and demanding things from others. In the middle of the film, he marries Kay (Elke Summer) and they seem happy for only a short while. About 20 minutes after they get married, she can no longer stand being around him. It was a storyline that felt quick and rushed when it easily could have been slowed down and developed more. Kino Lorber referred to the film as a ‘camp classic’ on the back cover and I can see why. The dialogue amongst the characters is silly and often unbelievable. The film had a lot of cameos that were fun to see such as Frank Sinatra as another Best Actor nominee, Bob Hope, who gave a speech at the Oscars, and Ernest Borgnine had a fun role as crooked private detective. The film tries to end its story on an emotional note once we learn more about what Frankie tried to do to win an Oscar, but since I thought he was foul, the emotional moments didn’t connect with me.
Video
The film looks great on Blu-ray. The film presents a few moments at the beginning and end at the Oscars and the glitz and glamor of the night is captured well. The film was nominated for two Oscars (costume design and art direction) and the bright designs at the Oscars pop. There are a few times where the film looks rough and less detailed, but overall, it looks decent when the film is colorful and lively.
Audio
Early in the film, there is a stripping scene involving Laurel (Jill St. John) at a club and it’s accompanied by a nice jazz piece. The audio presents that scene well and the moments within the film that feel like that work well. The campy dialogue and Hymie’s narration seem a bit flat and doesn’t stand out, but overall is fine.
Special Features
- Audio commentary with Patton Oswalt, Josh Olson, and Erik Nelson
- Audio commentary with Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson
- Kino Lorber Studio Classic release trailers
Overview
This was a good idea for a film, but it is filled with campy moments and a character that you can sympathize with. The look of the film and costume designs match the story, but that isn’t enough to hold this film together. After reading the synopsis for the movie, I was excited to see the cameos and dive deep into one man’s journey to Oscar night, but in the end, I was mostly frustrated with the film more than anything.
Kino Lorber generously provided Hotchka with the Blu-ray for reviewing purposes.
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