SubscribeOscars theory No. 3: The long-suffering wife
While there may seem to be as many Oscar theories as there are awards categories, a handful of them seem to hold up over the 80-year history of the awards. Chief among them is that playing the role of the long-suffering wife has a decent payoff: Oscar gold.
From the very first year of the awards, when Janet Gaynor took home the best actress award for a trio of roles, including one literally billed as "the wife who suffers at the hands of her wayward husband in 'Sunrise,' " this has been a fairly trusty way to win an Oscar.
Every decade, at least two actresses can credit their lead wins to playing the put-upon spouse. In the 1930s, it was Norma Shearer in "The Divorcee" and Luise Rainer in both "The Great Ziegfeld" and "The Good Earth." In the 1940s, both Joan Fontaine in "Suspicion" and Ingrid Bergman in "Gaslight" endured great mental anguish at the hands of handsome hubbies Cary Grant and Charles Boyer respectively.
During the 1950s, two best actress winners -- Shirley Booth in "Come Back, Little Sheba" and Grace Kelly in "The Country Girl" -- suffered through marriages to alcoholics (Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosby) while a third Simone Signoret turned to drink herself in "Room at the Top."
While drink fueled the fire of the less than silent suffering of Elizabeth Taylor in 1966's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" both of 1968's winners — Katharine Hepburn ("The Lion in Winter") and Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" — went to great lengths to hide their pain at the betrayals of hubbies (and "Lawrence of Arabia" co-stars) Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif.
While this role went out of vogue in the liberated 1970s and 1980s, Jane Fonda won her second Oscar for playing a variation on the theme in 1978's "Coming Home." More recently, Holly Hunter in "The Piano" and Jessica Lange for "Blue Sky" proved that the right role as the wronged woman can still win an Oscar. And just two years ago, Reese Witherspoon sang of her marital woes in "Walk the Line."
This year could the theory help Julie Christie in a reverse way? As a victim of Alzheimer's in "Away From Her," she's certainly a suffering wife, but not at the sake of her husband's actions. In fact, she unknowingly causes her husband to suffer very much like Joanne Woodward did a half century ago when she won for "The Three Faces of Eve."
Do you believe that the theory will play a starring role on Oscar night? And, if so, why? Send us your comments by clicking "Comments" below.
Liberated '70s, OK. But how about Beatrice Straight in Network? It may be the shortest Oscar-winning performance ever, but it focuses solely on her character's reaction to finding out her husband has cheated on her.
Posted by: Cory | February 22, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I just also need to add that "Long and suffering" worked for Hudson, Weisz, Zeta-Jones, Jolie, Gay-Harden, Blanchett and Zellwegger.
Posted by: Michael B. | February 21, 2008 at 08:15 PM
I think if this "long and suffering" thing fits, then Ronan will be our winner. We don't know if she ever got married but her final act of Atonement played by Vanessa Redgrave gave her the long and suffering name.
Posted by: Michael B. | February 21, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Too bad none of the supporting actresses really fit this mold. Amy Ryan and Ruby Dee certain play 'long-suffering' types, though.
Posted by: Zach | February 21, 2008 at 03:07 PM