Prelude to Oscars at L’Orangerie

The Scene: A pre-Oscar fete Friday night at L’Orangerie restaurant. For those who can wrangle an invitation, the dinner, now in its third year, has become a comforting ritual with the focus on diet-defying food and drink and nothing deeper. Harry Winston jewelers and Relais & Chateaux, international restaurant and hotel directory, underwrote the evening.

Who Was There: A real cross-section of Hollywood--Billy Wilder, Vincent Spano, Harvey Weinstein, Freddie Fields. Also, Academy Award nominees Diane Ladd (supporting actress, “Rambling Rose”); her daughter, Laura Dern (best actress, “Rambling Rose”); Callie Khouri (original screenplay, “Thelma and Louise”); “Rambling Rose” director Martha Coolidge; Helmut Newton; Jacqueline Bisset; Pierce Brosnan; Leslie and Evie Bricusse; Robin Leach; Siskel and Ebert; Roger and Luisa Moore; Barbara Grant; Marvin and Barbara Davis; Cheryl Tiegs and Tony Peck; Wendy Goldberg; Robert and Rosemarie Stack; Larry Thompson; Bruce Davison; Louis and Quique Jourdan; Joanna Carson; Michael Jeter; Marjoe Gortner; Maud Adams; Roberta Herbison; Regis Bulot and L’Orangerie’s Gerard and Virginie Ferry.

The Buzz: This year’s Oscar horse race. Basically, no one has any idea what picture will win, but people have a lot of opinions about what pictures won’t win.

The leading contenders for films that won’t win: “Beauty and the Beast” (animation is not what Hollywood is about), “JFK” (too much controversy) and “Prince of Tides” (odds aren’t favorable, but it’s not completely out).

Beyond that, the subject veered to food. At Jane Seymour’s table, for instance, there was a heavy discussion about good Bordeaux wines. She even took notes.

Quoted: “For the first time in my life, I feel like a grown-up,” said Khouri. “I’m all dressed up, I know what silverware to use and which glass is which. It’s all coming together for me.”

Putting Oscar in Perspective: “You know, if you won, by the end of May it’s not such a big deal. If you lost, it’s not such a big deal either,” said director Billy Wilder, who has won six Academy Awards and has received, at last calculation, 23 nominations.

Chow: Free-flowing Dom Perignon champagne during the cocktail hour followed by consomme of peas, poached turbot, lamb with truffles and three desserts--pepper-flavored ice cream with bananas and passion fruit, warm chocolate tart and petit fours. The meal was prepared by Marc Meneau of the three-star restaurant l’Esperance in Burgundy.

Most Theatrical Moment: Joanna Cassidy’s ecstatic shriek when she opened her favor from Harry Winston--a non-sterling silver pill box--and screamed out, “I won the Harry Winston diamond.” Thelma Archerd was just being a good reporter when she rushed over to check out what turned out to be a phantom jewel. Even jaded denizens of Hollywood fell for Cassidy’s hoax.

Dress Code: For the men--tuxedos devoid of cute touches like red polka-dot cummerbunds. For the women--serious jewelry, particularly the sparklers worn by Barbara Davis, Barbara Grant, Rosemarie Stack and Audrey Wilder, who sported a diamond butterfly hair clip.