Best actress ever? - Isadora (1969) Discussion

[–] Louisville88 19 years ago

Her performance was worth the Oscar. She and Hepburn were truely the best that year and the fact that Barbra got it is just plain crazy. Vanessa did so much. She transformed herself from 19-49 and wasn't even a likeness to her self, in voice and actions, well, some of the actions anyways.

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[–] jubinne 18 years ago

She certainly is one of the best actresses of our time. She was nominated for Oscar but she did win the best actress award at canned Film Festival.

I want to see this film so much again. I do hope it will come on DVD soon.

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[–] Dith_Pran 17 years ago

I can safely say that Vanessa Redgrave in Isadora is one of the greatest performances I've ever seen from any actress, period.

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[–] prjdean 17 years ago

I totally agree!!!

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[–] skatoolaki 15 years ago

I concur! She was *amazing* in this movie, and after seeing it she became one of my favorite actresses. She truly brought Isadora to life on the screen.

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[–] housefull 15 years ago

I think Streisand and Hepburn were joint winners that year. A case of too many good performances, and some politics too I suspect. Today the age transformation would have been made more credible through better make-up techniques, but I believe this is Vanessa Redgrave's best performance.

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[–] clutchcargoguy 15 years ago

Agreed with this and the other positive posts. Vanessa's performance in this film is electrifying and has stayed with me for over three decades now. I have read elsewhere, some scathing reviews of her in the movie though. This is absolutely inconcievable to me, and I can only chalk it up to the reviewers dislike of the actress in general. As for the Oscar, 1968 was a particularly strong one for actresses. Let's face it though, Isadora as a film has many faults in it's pace, and the whole release of it here in the states hampered it. Yes, Vanessa's politics alienated some voters too. She was facing the marvelous comeback of Patricia Neal, a remarkable new side of Joanne Woodward,
Katharine Hepburn's iconic role,and yes, the marvelous new movie phenomenon of Streisand. I'm always somewhat hesitant of giving Oscars to actors who originally created the character a thousand times on stage beforehand (as much as I love Streisand in Funny Girl). I believe Redgrave or Woodward should have won. Oh well, it was a great year in films and I don't mind the historic tie.

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[–] homeimp 15 years ago

Well, I might not go that far. But Vanessa gives about three times the performance in Isadora that Sandra Bullock gives in The Blind Side, and didn't win the Oscar. She is truly amazing.

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[–] mariahfan-1 14 years ago

Vanessa didn't win the oscar for this because of politics just like if it had been a tie between Katherine Hepburn & Patricia Neal it would've been viewed as a pitty prize on Neal's part for surviving the strokes 3 years earlier and still managing to deliver a healthy baby. or if it had been Hepburn and Woodward some would've said Ms Woodward had only won because it was directed by her husband. TSWR is painful to watch since Ms Neal passed away Recently. I hate how the oscars work at times for example I feel Woodward should've won for her work in Merchant Ivory's Mr & Mrs Bridge instead of Kathy Bates for Misery in 1990. as it would've been a nice end to her career as a lead on the big screen and much more enjoyable for her than her first win 32 years earlier had been because she won that oscar right after she and Paul had lost their first child to miscarriage so it was a bittersweet success.

"why are you married to him then if you can't work with him how do you live with him?"

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[–] cheerforRMatFT 14 years ago

Got the biography(library)& rented VHS/copy of movie a few years back on Isadora. Oh! what EXCITING LIVES THESE CREATIVE & ARTISTIC PEOPLE LEAD!!!!!! she even got to exit life in a very dramatic/tragic way that is still remembered to this day!!!!

Her views on BALLET were very interesting to me. So I guess that means im an ANTI-BALLETist!!!!!!!!!(no offence Misty Copeland)

_____________________________________________________

You're(me,me,me)going to burn for this,(sweet)Angel. Harry (sweet)Angel(me)I know in (pond)Hell!!!!!!!

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[–] ibbi 13 years ago

She's one of the best, no doubt about it, and this fearless, multifaceted work is one of the highlights of her magnificent career.

They've got cars big as bars, they've got rivers of gold.

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[–] alejandroyaryura 9 years ago

Yes! Definitely this is one of her best roles. I also think that "The Devils" (1971), "The Bostonians" (1984) and "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" (1991) are her greater roles.

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