Handicapping the Oscar Race

Based on interviews with dozens of Hollywood insiders, Oscar campaigners, trade newspaper ads and bits of conversation overheard near the power tables at the Ivy restaurant and other industry hangouts, this is how the Oscar picture looks at the moment for the top categories: Category: Picture Shoo-ins “Broadcast News” “Empire of the Sun” “The Last Emperor” Contenders “Cry Freedom” “Hope and Glory” “Ironweed” “Moonstruck” “Nuts” Longshots “Full Metal Jacket” “The Untouchables” Sentimental Choices “The Dead” Category: Director Shoo-ins James L. Brooks (“Broadcast News”) Steven Spielberg (Empire of the Sun”) Bernardo Bertolucci (“Last Emperor”) Contenders Hector Babenco (“Ironweed”) John Boorman (“Hope and Glory”) R. Attenborough (“Cry Freedom”) Norman Jewison (“Moonstruck”) Longshots Stanley Kubrick (“Full Metal Jacket”) Woody Allen (“Radio Days”) Oliver Stone (“Wall Street”) Sentimental Choices John Huston (“The Dead”) Category: Actor Shoo-ins Jack Nicholson (“Ironweed”) Steve Martin (“Roxanne”) William Hurt (“Broadcast News”) Contenders Robin Williams (“Good Morning, Vietnam”) Richard Dreyfuss (“Nuts”) Michael Douglas (“Wall Street”) John Lone (“The Last Emperor”) Marcello Mastroianni (“Dark Eyes”) Longshots Nick Nolte (“Weeds”) Albert Finney (“Orphans”) Kevin Costner (“The Untouchables”) Category: Actress Shoo-ins Cher (“Moonstruck”) Glenn Close (“Fatal Attraction”) Meryl Streep (“Ironweed”) Contenders Holly Hunter (“Broadcast News”) Barbra Streisand (“Nuts”) Maggie Smith (“. . . Judith Hearne”) Sally Kirkland (“Anna”) Faye Dunaway (“Barfly”) Longshots Christine Lahti (“Housekeeping”) Sentimental Choices Lillian Gish (“Whales of August”) Category: Supporting Actor Shoo-ins Sean Connery (“The Untouchables”) Denzel Washington (“Cry Freedom”) Albert Brooks (“Broadcast News”) Contenders Lee Ermey (“Full Metal Jacket”) Ian Bannen (“Hope and Glory”) Morgan Freeman (“Street Smart”) Tom Waits (“Ironweed”) James Whitmore (“Nuts”) Longshots Charlie Sheen (“Wall Street”) Bob Hoskins (“. . . Judith Hearne”) Sentimental Choices Vincent Price (“Whales of August”) Category: Supporting Actress Shoo-ins Olympia Dukakis (“Moonstruck”) Elaine Stritch (“September”) Ann Sothern (“Whales of August”) Contenders Anjelica Huston (“The Dead”) Vanessa Redgrave (“Prick Up Your Ears”) Maureen Stapleton (“Nuts”) Norma Aleandro (“Gaby”) Longshots Carroll Baker (“Ironweed”) Veronica Cartright (“Witches of Eastwick”) Category: Original Screenplay Shoo-ins “Broadcast News” “Hope and Glory” “Moonstruck” Contenders “Radio Days” “The Last Emperor” Longshots “River’s Edge” “House of Games” Category: Adapted Screenplay Shoo-ins “Nuts” “Empire of the Sun” “Roxanne” Contenders “No Way Out” “Cry Freedom” “Ironweed” Longshots “Full Metal Jacket” “Princess Bride” Sentimental Choices”The Dead”