Oscar-night goldrush has deep Jewish roots

By KIMBERLY GADETTE

article created on: 2009-02-15T00:00:00

Such a month, this February. What with a shy rodent on the 2nd, a naked tatellah slinging the arrows on the 14th and a toast to all the U.S. presidents two days later, genug es genug.

But it’s all bupkis compared to the big to-do scheduled for the Feb. 22. You need a hint? Think red carpets, tight gowns and lots of windy speeches. No, it’s not the Silverstein boy’s bar mitzvah, but given the gathering throng of Jews, you’re close. It’s the 81st Academy Awards, surprising us with a broadcast scheduled for Feb. 22, the earliest telecast date yet.

When it comes to moviemaking, our lantsmen are top kosher dogs—we should all kvell from such a showing. In honor of the honors, let’s reopen the envelope and take a peek back at Oscar’s Golden Oldies, at the filmmakers who amassed enough cinematic gelt to impress even a

“Slumdog Millionaire.”
Most-nominated picture

“All About Eve” takes the honeycake with a total of 14 nominations.

A son of German-Jewish immigrants, Joseph L. Mankiewicz personally took home two of the statuettes for Best Director and Best Screenplay.

The snappy backstage drama hauled in a total of six, including Best Picture. Though Bette Davis was denied Best Actress (losing to Judy Holliday for “Born Yesterday”), this film about an aging actress and an eager understudy remains a classic.

Look for a fresh-faced Marilyn Monroe, making the most of her comedic line about producers who “look like scared rabbits.”

Note that James Cameron’s “Titanic” tied, also with 14.

Most-nominated director

Born to a prosperous Jewish family in Alsace, William “Willi” Wyler originally took up the violin at Paris’ National Music Conservatory.

From making music to making film, he collected a total of 12 nominations, outdistancing runner-up Billy Wilder by four (see below).

His directing career started off in 1925 with a two-reeler Western. By 1936 he received his first Best Director nomination for “Dodsworth.”

For seven consecutive years (‘36 through ‘42), Wyler films were in contention for Best Picture.

As for his own golden boys, he received three: “Mrs. Miniver” (1942), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) and “Ben-Hur” (1959).

Known as “40-Take Wyler,” he didn’t communicate with his actors; rather, he insisted on take after take, supposedly breaking down the actors’ pre-conceived ideas about how to play the part.

Henry Fonda, frustrated at Wyler’s orders to shoot the scene again, asked what was wrong. “It stinks,” said Wyler. “Do it again.”

Ditto for Charleton Heston, who begged for enlightenment on the set of “Ben-Hur.” The only words given: “Be better.” Given that Heston ultimately won Best Actor for that role, he must have taken Wyler’s words to heart.

Most-nominated screenwriter

Though Woody Allen took home only two Oscars for women named Annie Hall and Hannah, he comes in as some macher with a whopping 14 Best Screenplay nominations.

Born Allen Steward Konigsberg in Brooklyn to Nettie, the family deli’s bookkeeper, and Martin, a sometime bartender and jewelry engraver, he first used his pen professionally to scratch out jokes for newspaper columnists. By the time he turned 16, he was writing for television megastar Sid Caesar.

As for what Allen thinks about the little gold man, here’s his take in 1974: ‘The whole concept of awards is silly. I cannot abide by the judgment of other people, because if you accept it when they say you deserve an award, then you have to accept it when they say you don’t.’’

But he seemed cheerier upon receiving a standing ovation on the 2002 Oscar stage: ‘‘Thank you very much. That makes up for the strip search.’’

Most-nominated combination screenwriter/director

It’s a tie, with both Billy Wilder and Woody Allen coming in at 20 apiece. However, Samuel Billy Wilder, born to a Jewish hotelier in Vienna, has five statuettes to his name versus Woody’s three.

When he fled Hitler’s Europe to America via Mexico in 1933, Wilder spoke no English. Yet the fact that he eventually became fluent enough to be considered one of Hollywood’s greatest wordsmiths (collaborating with Charles Brackett), makes his success all the more remarkable. From brilliant comedy (“Some Like It Hot,” “Ball of Fire”) to the darkest drama (“The Lost Weekend,” “Double Indemnity”) a Wilder film rarely disappoints.

And the Oscar Goes to
… Someone Else

Though Steven Spielberg’s “The Color Purple” collected an abundant eleven nominations, the film ultimately walked away with gornisht.

But good news, with his Cecil B. Demille Lifetime Achievement Golden Globe newly added to his mantel, Leah Adler Spielberg’s firstborn is still making his mama proud.

Kimberly Gadette is a writer in Hillsboro. This story made possible by a grant from the Judith and Edwin Cohen Foundation.