Category: Oscar Nominee

From Hank Williams to Loretta Lynn, it seems all the biggest country-western musicians are required to have biopics. This film chronicles the too short life of Patsy Cline, here portrayed by Jessica Lange, particularly her tumultuous second marriage. Blissfully shorter than Coal Miner’s Daughter, I appreciated this much more because of its tighter focus and succinctness. Though certainly giving a lot of energy in her performance, Lange didn’t come across as an embodiment of the young singer. Lip synching to Cline’s own recordings did nothing but emphasize the mismatch between the two women. 

Years after she and her mother were banished to Paris by her father’s family, Ingrid Bergman arrives in New Orleans, accompanied by her maid Flora Robson and servant Jerry Austin, where she plots revenge schemes sometimes with the assistance of Texan Gary Cooper, whose motives occasionally align. It’s a relatively entertaining work held down by some unfortunate casting choices. Cooper is adequate in his role, but Bergman is as a rogue is extremely against type. Made up with blackface and an extremely heavy brow, Robson is supposed to pass as a Haitian woman when there were actresses of color at the time who could have easily played the part. It’s nice seeing a little person in a role that isn’t as a freak or circus performer, but Austin is still often used in the film for comedic effect based on his stature.

Oscar Nomination: Best Actress in a Supporting Role