WILL ‘DREAMGIRLS’ SING THE BLUES?

Historically, when films adapted from another work, such as “The Departed,” “Little Children,” “Flags of Our Fathers” and “The Last King of Scotland,” win for best picture, they often take home the screenplay award.

“Dreamgirls” is also an adapted work, but if it wins for best picture, it’ll throw a wild card into the writing race. Musicals are cursed in the screenplay categories, as “Dreamgirls” writer-director Bill Condon discovered when “Chicago” won best picture four years ago but lost the screenplay Oscar to “The Pianist.” Other musical best pictures have lost too, including “Oliver!” and “My Fair Lady.” “The Sound of Music” wasn’t even nominated.

If “Dreamgirls” takes best picture, the writing race could become a consolation prize to another best picture nominee, or it could favor a maverick entry -- perhaps “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Notes on a Scandal” or “Thank You for Smoking.”

-- Tom O’Neil