Oscars Redux

Most letters to the editor refer to published accounts in The Times, but I am writing about a flagrant omission.

In the Academy Awards, Deborah Kerr was the only star awarded a career Oscar, but, except for a blurb in the briefs section of Calendar in January when it was originally announced, The Times has ignored this long-overdue tribute to one of the major stars of the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s and arguably one of the most respected.

Calendar devoted an enormous amount of space on Sunday, March 20, amounting to pages and pages chock-a-block full of stories, including the views of small community film critics, acting coaches, the White House screening room upholstery, and a myriad of trivial tidbits about Oscar history, but apparently no room for six-time nominee Deborah Kerr. There was even an article about the academy’s love affair with British actors, but no room for Deborah.

In the coverage of the ceremony itself on March 22, there was nothing about her tentative moments upon being introduced, then coming alive, bringing a roar of laughter from the audience when she demonstrated her not oft-known sense of humor. Nothing about the strong, clear, lyrical voice that is still there which in a minute and half eloquently and passionately expressed her thanks. And nothing about the longest standing ovation of the evening. Longer than Newman’s, longer than Hanks’, and, yes, even longer than Spielberg’s.

The folks at Calendar definitely dropped the ball on this one.

MICHAEL RUSSNOW

West Hollywood

An article on Deborah Kerr and her career appeared in Calendar on March 21. *

I am very curious as to the reception of the past two best actress Oscar winners, Emma Thompson and Holly Hunter. Why were there no standing ovations for these women when the men, Al Pacino and Tom Hanks, each received a rousing standing ovation? Why were these women neglected the same honor?

Furthermore, when Emma Thompson delivered an acceptance speech that was beautifully eloquent, the audience responded with polite applause. Why do these strong, successful women not get the same treatment as men?

PRUDENCE HORNE

San Diego

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David Gritten’s article “Rue, Brittanica” was written tongue in cheek, I hope. It would be reasonable to assume that Britain would be proud of their illustrious actors who are perennially nominated for the Academy Award and very often win.

There are no finer performers than Emma Thompson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jeremy Irons and Kenneth Branagh. And of course, Anthony Hopkins is in a class by himself because he overcame personal traumas to win the Brits’ respect and admiration. According to Gritten, the others did the unforgivable. They attained fame early on without struggles with drug addiction or alcoholism.

We in America also idolize the stars are who difficult and troubled. And scandal always enhances their bankability. We “reward” them for being colorful and for selling tabloids, newspapers, movie and TV shows.

If the tabloids are able to convince the Brits that Day-Lewis really is mentally unbalanced, they may acknowledge that he truly is one of the great actors of our time. Meanwhile, he can laugh all the way to the bank and the Oscars.

SADI HAYASHI

Van Nuys

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Regarding screenings in the White House movie theater, you neglected to mention that President Eisenhower’s all-time favorite movie was 1952’s “Angels in the Outfield,” written by my mother, Dorothy Kingsley, and George Wells, directed by Clarence Brown, and screened at the White House 11 times!

Now “Angels” has been remade by Disney and will be released this summer. I doubt if President Clinton will screen the new version more than once, but no doubt he could use some angelic help right now.

TERRY KINGSLEY-SMITH

Los Angeles

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What makes you think Kalle Matso and Scott White represent the “twentysomething culture”? I don’t want to insult them or anything but I’m in my mid-40s and I found their perspective on the Oscars wonderfully refreshing. What I can’t explain is how I can identify with both sides of opposing points of view.

These two guys have a balance of irreverence and conservatism that makes me laugh. Let’s see their act more often.

JERRY HASSON

Los Angeles

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I miss the Academy Awards of yesteryear when there was an air of mystery before “the Big Night.” Nowadays, when the newspapers and television announce the winners days ahead, the whole event loses its appeal.

I, for one, had hoped the media was wrong. I hoped that “The Remains of the Day” would win. That film is, in my opinion, perfect! Spielberg and his film won because the voters felt that Spielberg deserved an award after all this while. The film is just another Jewish Holocaust story.

CECILIA KELLY

Encinitas

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Kenneth Turan’s comment that the three Asian films up for the best foreign-language film Oscar “look to cancel one another out” (“Oskar’s Race Is All but Over,” March 20) reflects the subconscious racism that permeates Hollywood.

Did he say this because all Asians are supposed to look alike, hence, all their films? Would Turan have made the same remark if there had been three films from Europe in competition? Would films from Italy, France and Poland cancel each other out because they were all made by Caucasians?

As a working screenwriter who has been asked to “de-ethnicize” his scripts to facilitate casting, the Eurocentric take of the academy and the powers-that-be in this town continues to gripe me. There are fabulous films being made in Asia, and Asian Americans have a lot to contribute to our industry, if given the chance.

The notion that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” is foreign in the acculturation of Asians, but my advice to them is to start squeaking, and loudly. Maybe studio executives, casting agents and people like Turan will hear.

EDWARD KOVACH

Los Angeles

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In your March 20 interview with Robert Wise, he explains the paucity of top actresses in the current market: “That whole ability for a woman to carry a picture is gone--because of such an emphasis over the years on these action pictures.”

For the record, Mr. Wise, there are quite a few women who are asking for leading roles in these action pictures--and countless more women who are writing action scripts.

Sooner or later, one of the men who has the power to “green-light” a project will have the courage to make an action film written by women for women from a woman’s point of view.

Not only will that place women back on the box-office lists, but it might be just what’s needed to revitalize a genre whose market impact is waning.

CATHERINE CLINCH

Los Angeles