Another movie trivia question

[porpoise spit]

What's the common bond? What movies can be added to the list? (I tried looking for an exhaustive list but couldn't find one, but I promise it's not that obscure a connection.)

The Wrestler
North Country
Closer
21 Grams
About Schmidt

[porpoise spit]

I've compiled the list and there are 49 movies that qualify.

[skullturfq]

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Can we get an answer or a hint? The only thing I thought of, which I didn't really explore in depth, was something to do with people who had won Oscars for previous films -- is that on the right track at all?

[bwouns]

They all have exactly two actors nominated for Oscars, but that doesn't seem particularly noteworthy, so I doubt that's it.

[porpoise spit]

bwouns, you're on the right track. It's a combination of that plus another trait. Consider recent movies that have also had multiple acting nominations, and why they don't qualify for the list.

[rockgolf]

Two Oscar nominations for acting and no other nominations?

[porpoise spit]

Correct!

I was curious to compile this list because of The Wrestler qualifying for the list this year. It got me thinking that if a film has scored multiple acting nominations, then it has been aided by a great screenplay and/or director, or the acting has contributed to the likelihood of the film being nominated for Best Picture. Indeed, most of the films with multiple acting nominations didn't qualify because of this, but some others didn't because they scored a nomination for editing, cinematography, score, etc. Had Springsteen's song received a nomnation (as I think it should have), then The Wrestler would obviously not have qualified.

Thanks to Wikipedia and imdb, I found 49 films that fit the criteria (they're on another computer so I can't post them now). The "winner" of this list would be the 1965 version of Othello, which scored 4 acting nominations and nothing else. It also has Olivier in blackface, which makes me cringe.

[rockgolf]

Please post the list later. I'd personally find it fascinating.

Of course, you couldn't expect a hack writer like Shakespeare to get a screenplay nomination.

[porpoise spit]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

[Ken Jennings]

I'd like to see the full list too. Like skullturfq, I thought this was going to have something to do with PAST Oscar winners. (Or possibly strippers, thanks to Closer and The Wrestler.)

[Bill]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

Great question! And the answer is, shall we say, counterintuitive...

[porpoise spit]

Number of movies with at least one acting nomination: 1,029 (Special, non-competitive acting Oscars were not included.)*
Number of movies with at least two acting nominations: 354
Number of movies with at least two acting nominations and no other nominations: 49 (winners in bold)

4 NOMINATIONS (1)
Othello (1965): Actor, S. Actor, S. Actress x2

3 NOMINATIONS (4)
Pinky (1949): Actress, S. Actress x2
Sweet Bird of Youth (1962): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress
Only When I Laugh (1981): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress
Iris (2001): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress

2 NOMINATIONS (44)
ACTOR AND ACTRESS (6)
The Guardsman (1932)
Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)
This Sporting Life (1963)
The Great White Hope (1970)
Ironweed (1987)
What's Love Got to Do With It (1993)

ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTOR (5)
Being There (1979) S. Actor
The Great Santini (1980)
Affliction (1998) S. Actor
Ali (2001)
Training Day (2001) Actor

ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS ( 8 )
Night Must Fall (1937)
Harvey (1950) S. Actress
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968)
Cape Fear (1991)
Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Pollock (2000) S. Actress
About Schmidt (2002)
The Wrestler (2008)

ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING ACTOR (5)
Mr. Skeffington (1944)
The Farmer's Daughter (1947) Actress
The Subject Was Roses (1968) S. Actor
The Contender (2000)
21 Grams (2003)

ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS (15)
Stella Dallas (1937)
Mrs. Parkington (1944)
Duel in the Sun (1946)
The Blue Veil (1951)
Mogambo (1953)
Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973)
Carrie (1976)
Starting Over (1979)
Resurrection (1980)
Frances (1982)
Rambling Rose (1991)
Tom & Viv (1994)
Hilary and Jackie (1998)
Boys Don't Cry (1999) Actress
North Country (2005)

SUPPORTING ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS (4)
The Corn is Green (1945)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
The World According to Garp (1982)
Closer (2004)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS X2 (1)
Imitation of Life (1959)

*The Little Kidnappers (1953) was awarded two Honorary Juvenile Acting Oscars and no other nominations.
Only person to appear on the list more than once: Jack Nicholson (Ironweed, About Schmidt)
Anybody please feel free to check my work.

[Ken Jennings]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

Great question! And the answer is, shall we say, counterintuitive...

I guess we're not counting the Adapted Screenplay nomination for West Side Story?

[Bill]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

Great question! And the answer is, shall we say, counterintuitive...

I guess we're not counting the Adapted Screenplay nomination for West Side Story?

Well, I would assume that screenplay was adapted from the musical and not directly from a Shakespeare play.

[SMWinnie]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

Great question! And the answer is, shall we say, counterintuitive...

I guess we're not counting the Adapted Screenplay nomination for West Side Story?

Well, I would assume that screenplay was adapted from the musical and not directly from a Shakespeare play.

If I have the right screenplay in mind, there was some question about whether a nomination was in order for Mr. Branagh. The objection not being to the quality of the result but rather that the whole of the adaptation was to write "set in 19th century" in magic marker on the cover of the folio edition of the play.

That would be an unfair objection, by the way. The film includes a couple of flashbacks that work quite well and that couldn't have been readily staged at the Globe.

[ArtVark]

Tangent: What is the only film based on a Shakespeare play to even get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay? Is it because there's not much more to adapt, unlike a novel?

Great question! And the answer is, shall we say, counterintuitive...

I guess we're not counting the Adapted Screenplay nomination for West Side Story?

Well, I would assume that screenplay was adapted from the musical and not directly from a Shakespeare play.

If I have the right screenplay in mind, there was some question about whether a nomination was in order for Mr. Branagh. The objection not being to the quality of the result but rather that the whole of the adaptation was to write "set in 19th century" in magic marker on the cover of the folio edition of the play.

That would be an unfair objection, by the way. The film includes a couple of flashbacks that work quite well and that couldn't have been readily staged at the Globe.

Speaking of which, does anyone else think that Kate Winslet's last scene in that movie looked a lot like her co-star's last scene in a later movie?

[Bill]

The objection not being to the quality of the result but rather that the whole of the adaptation was to write "set in 19th century" in magic marker on the cover of the folio edition of the play..

Actually, Branagh used the 1604 Quarto version, which is widely considered to be the more authoritative text.

I think he added a few lines from the Folio, though.

[econgator]

What is the significance of the order of this list (yes, it is movie-related)?

8, 9, 5, 11, 2, 6, 7, 12, 1, 4, 10, 3

[Bill]

What is the significance of the order of this list (yes, it is movie-related)?

8, 9, 5, 11, 2, 6, 7, 12, 1, 4, 10, 3

Do we need another 12 in there, between 4 and 10?

[econgator]

What is the significance of the order of this list (yes, it is movie-related)?

8, 9, 5, 11, 2, 6, 7, 12, 1, 4, 10, 3

Do we need another 12 in there, between 4 and 10?

You might, Rabbit, you might ....

[Neel Mehta]

What's the common bond? What movies can be added to the list? (I tried looking for an exhaustive list but couldn't find one, but I promise it's not that obscure a connection.)

The Wrestler
North Country
Closer
21 Grams
About Schmidt

Welcome to the club, Invictus and The Last Station.

[porpoise spit]

The updated list

Number of movies with at least one acting nomination: 1,043 (Special, non-competitive acting Oscars were not included.)*
Number of movies with at least two acting nominations: 359
Number of movies with at least two acting nominations and no other nominations: 51 (winners in bold)

4 NOMINATIONS (1)
Othello (1965): Actor, S. Actor, S. Actress x2

3 NOMINATIONS (4)
Pinky (1949): Actress, S. Actress x2
Sweet Bird of Youth (1962): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress
Only When I Laugh (1981): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress
Iris (2001): Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress

2 NOMINATIONS (46)
ACTOR AND ACTRESS (6)
The Guardsman (1932)
Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)
This Sporting Life (1963)
The Great White Hope (1970)
Ironweed (1987)
What's Love Got to Do With It (1993)

ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTOR (6)
Being There (1979) S. Actor
The Great Santini (1980)
Affliction (1998) S. Actor
Ali (2001)
Training Day (2001) Actor
Invictus (2009)

ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS ( 8 )
Night Must Fall (1937)
Harvey (1950) S. Actress
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968)
Cape Fear (1991)
Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Pollock (2000) S. Actress
About Schmidt (2002)
The Wrestler (2008)

ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING ACTOR (6)
Mr. Skeffington (1944)
The Farmer's Daughter (1947) Actress
The Subject Was Roses (1968) S. Actor
The Contender (2000)
21 Grams (2003)
The Last Station (2009)

ACTRESS AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS (15)
Stella Dallas (1937)
Mrs. Parkington (1944)
Duel in the Sun (1946)
The Blue Veil (1951)
Mogambo (1953)
Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973)
Carrie (1976)
Starting Over (1979)
Resurrection (1980)
Frances (1982)
Rambling Rose (1991)
Tom & Viv (1994)
Hilary and Jackie (1998)
Boys Don't Cry (1999) Actress
North Country (2005)

SUPPORTING ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS (4)
The Corn is Green (1945)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
The World According to Garp (1982)
Closer (2004)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS X2 (1)
Imitation of Life (1959)

*The Little Kidnappers (1953) was awarded two Honorary Juvenile Acting Oscars and no other nominations.
Only person to appear on the list more than once: Jack Nicholson (Ironweed, About Schmidt)

[skullturfq]

What is the significance of the order of this list (yes, it is movie-related)?

8, 9, 5, 11, 2, 6, 7, 12, 1, 4, 10, 3

I might have known the answer to this one at some point, but since it's been a year, I seem to have forgotten. Can someone jog my memory?

[rockgolf]

Was it the order in which jurors in 12 Angry Men decided to vote Not Guilty?

[rockgolf]

Porpoise Spit: That's a great list! Would you be ok if I developed it into a Sporcle quiz? I'd list the nominated actors or actresses and the player would have to id the film.