The Oscar ** (1966, Stephen Boyd, Elke Sommer, Milton Berle, Tony Bennett, Eleanor Parker, Joseph Cotten, Ernest Borgnine, Jill St John, Edie Adams, Ed Begley, Walter Brennan, Broderick Crawford, James Dunn, Peter Lawford) – Classic Movie Review 7234

‘This is the story of…The Dreamers and The Schemers…The Hustlers and The Hopefuls…The Free-loaders and The Phonies…The Fakers and The Famous…All Fighting for the Highest Possible Award!!’ Director Russell Rouse’s 1966 backstage story movie The Oscar stars Stephen Boyd as a grasping actor called Frank Fane, who uses everybody and tramples on them to gain stardom. The Oscar is a trashy attempt to exploit the Oscars, held back with poor performances by Boyd and Tony Bennett as his friend Hymie Kelly, and an equally feeble script. The Oscar was nominated for two Oscars – Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color (Hal Pereira, Arthur Lonergan) and Best Costume Design, Color (Edith Head), but ironically did not win any.

However, it is just about saved, though, by its interesting cast and especially a few good moments from Eleanor Parker as randy actors’ agent Sophie Cantaro, Joseph Cotten as studio boss Kenneth Regan and Ernest Borgnine as bent detective Barney Yale. And, it has undeniable kitsch allure and camp quality for lovers of deliriously creaky movies with a Hollywood background.

Plus, for the star-struck, there are personal-appearance cameos from Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra (as an Oscar-winner, but not for this), his daughter Nancy Sinatra and Merle Oberon, while multi-Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head (she won eight Oscars) and gossip queen Hedda Hopper also pop in (all playing themselves).

It is odd, though, that the generally self-absorbed movie folk cannot make a better film about themselves and their vanities.

Harlan Ellison, Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene write the screenplay from Richard Sale’s novel.

The Oscar includes in its cast Milton Berle, Jill St John, Edie Adams, Ed Begley, Walter Brennan, Broderick Crawford, James Dunn, Peter Lawford, Jack Soo, Jean Hale, Eddie Ryder, Chris Alcaide, John Dennis, Peter Leeds, John Holland, Jean Bartel, John Crowther, Ross Ford and Walter Reed.

Rouse himself won a shared Oscar for Pillow Talk (1959).

Author Harlan Ellison died on 28 June 2018, aged 84.

RIP Harlan Ellison (1934–2018).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7234

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