128 -The rthigan Daily - Weekenetc. Magazine-- Thursday, rch 22, 2000
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The Mi
ichigan Daily -Weekend, etc
... LONG TIME PASSING
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Will Robert's 'Brockovich'
2000 said its good-
byes to several
screen legends.
By Andy Taylor-Fabe
Daily Arts Writer
The year 2000 saw the passing of
some phenomenal and unforgettable
actors, ranging from stars of the
stage-o comedians to masters of
drama. Although their legacies live
on in the films they gave us, we are
still saddened by their deaths. They
will be missed.
Jason Robards passed away on
December 26 from lung cancer.
Robards. who had a strong presence
in both theater and film, made his
debut on the stage in the'50s, and
since then he appeared in over 50
films, Robards won a Tony award for
his performance in "The
Disenchanted," and he received two
Best Supporting Actor Oscars for his
roles as Washington Post Executive
Editor Ben Bradlee in "All the
President's Men" in 1976 and as
Dashiell Hammett in "Julia" in 1977.
Robards made in indelible impres-
sion with some of his roles in the
'80s and '90s as well. His part in
"Parenthood" (1989) as Frank
Buckman, a gruff, distant patriarch,
was the perfect complement for the
already stellar cast, and his deathbed
scenes in "Magnolia" (as Earl
Partridge) were painful to watch but
enthralling.
Walter Matthau died from a heart
attack on July 1. This comic genius is
known best for his timeless role as
well meaning slob Oscar Madison in
"The Odd Couple" (1968), Paired
with Jack Lemmon (as neurotic neat
freak Felix Unger), Matthau changed
the face of the buddy picture forever.
He went on to star in many other
films with Lemmon in which they
played on their unique chemistry,
including "Buddy Buddy," "Grumpy
Old Men" and eventually "The Odd
Couple II." Matthau won an
Academy Award for best supporting
actor in 1966 for "The Fortune
Cookie," and he was nominated in
1971 and 1975 for "Kotch" and "The
Sunshine Boys," respectively.
Timeless scene from "The Odd
Couple": As an undershirt clad Oscar
plays poker with his friends, he
walks in with an armful of sandwich-
es (with one tucked under his armpit)
and says "You want ... uh ... brown
sandwiches.,,or green sandwiches?"
When asked what the green is, he
replies, "It's either very new cheese
or very old meat."
go down for the
Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Jason Robards on the set of his last film, "Magnolia," with director Paul Thomas Anderson.
U. .1
Sir Alec Guinness died on August
5 of liver cancer. Guinness was a
prolific actor both on the screen and
stage in England, and he was knight-
ed in 1959 for his contributions to
cinema and theater. lowever. the
role that most will remember him by
is aging Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi
in the "Star Wars" Trilogy. (is role
was the first film that got him an
Academy Award nomination for best
supporting actor.) I is portrayal of
Luke Skywalker's mysterious and
wise mentor is etched into our mem-
ories forever. No one can forget the
cautious but confident look on his
face as he quietly waves his hand and
utters the immortal words. "You
don't need to see his identification
. these aren't the droids you're
looking for."
Richard Farnsworth died on 1
October 6 of a self inflicted gunshot
wound after he was diagnosed with
terminal cancer a few months earlier.
Farnsworth began his career as a
stuntman in westerns and other
action films, but he gradually made a
successful leap to acting. Although
most of his roles were limited to sup-
porting characters. his kind, weather-
beaten face and piercing blue eyes
have made him a famuiliar face across
many types of films. le had parts in
"Misery" (1990). "The Getaway"
(1994). "llavana" (1990), "The
Ni tural" (1984) and "Anne of Green
Gables" (1985). le earned a best
supporting actor nomination in 1978
for "Comes a Horseman" and he was
nominated for best actor for his role
in David Lynch's "The Straight
Story" (1999).
Jim Varney died on February 10 of
lung cancer. Varney was known best
See PASSING, Page 138
By Wilhelmina Mauritz
Daily Arts Writer
In a business that notoriously
objectifies women, the Best Actress
category has often been criticized for
pandering to and attempting to
appease those critical of misogynistic
Hollywood. This year, however, many
strong and vibrant actresses have
delivered powerful performances that
have triumphed the female strength,
mind and cleavage.
The first nominee for the category
of best leading actress is Joan Allen.
Nominated for her role in "The
Contender," Allen plays Senator
Laine lanson. a vice-presidential
nominee, whose past history is put
under public scrutiny during her con-
f'irmation hearings. Allen must work
well under pressuic, as she was also
nominated for her role as a persecut-
ed witch in 1996's "The Crucible,"
This is Allen's third nomination, but it
doesn't look like this will be her
lucky year: though a dependable per-
formance. "The Contender" failed to
fain much notice.
Juliette t3inoche is the second non-
inee for Best Actress and is being r ec-
ognized for her work in Lasse
f lal lstrom 's '' hocolat "' Binoche
pflay \'ianne ocher, a nysterious
woman who comes to a small French
village with her daughter and turns it
upside down %%when she opens a choco-
late shop.
Linoche has long been known to a
small circle of movie lovers for her
roles in such IilmtIs as "The
Unbearable Lightness of Being" and
Kr.ys,'tof Kic sicowski'h "Blue.
"White" and "Red" trilogy, but it was
only in 1996 that she became widely
recognized with her Oscar winning
performance in "The English
Patient."
Nominated for her performance in
"Requiem for a Dream," Ellen
Burstyn plays Sarah Goldfarb, a
housewife in Brooklyn who becomes
addicted to diet pills because she
wants to get on television. No
stranger to Oscar nominations, this is
Burstyn's sixth. However, she has
only actually won the Oscar once, for
her role in 1974's "Alice Doesn't Live
Here Anymore" and it doesn't look
like her luck will change, considering
"Requienm"s dark tone and limited
release,
This year saw the first Oscar nomi-
nation for Laura Linney with her star
turn in Kenneth Lonergan's "You Can
'Count'?
Count on Me." Linney plays Sammy
Prescott, a single mother whose life
gets thrown out of control when her
irresponsible brother comes to visit.
Linney is by far the smallest name on
this year's best actress list, and
because of that, she will probably not
come away the winner.
The final nominee and front-runner
for this year's Oscar is Julia Roberts
for her role in Steven Soderbergh's
"Erin Brokovich." The film is based
on the true story of a sassy legal assis-
tant who takes on a powerful utilities
company after they polluted a com-
munity's water supply. Roberts plays
the title role, This is Robert's third
nomination ("Steel Magnolias" in
1989 and "Pretty Woman" in 1990) it
looks like the third time just may be a.
very sweet charm (in the form of a
golden statuc).
I
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Mommie Dearest: Julie Robert
g n t
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