Gwyneth Paltrow’s Controversial Best Picture Oscar Winner Is A Streaming Hit On Netflix – SlashFilm

Let’s get this out of the way in which: “Shakespeare in Love,” the 1998 Best Picture winner that is at the moment doing nice streaming numbers on Netflix, is a really humorous and charming film that on the very least deserved a Best Authentic Screenplay nomination for the late Tom Stoppard’s sparklingly witty, reference-packed dialogue. I don’t, nonetheless, imagine it deserved a Best Picture nomination in a yr that gave us “Out of Sight,” “The Truman Present,” “Rushmore,” “Bulworth,” and “A Easy Plan.” Actually, of the 5 eventual nominees, solely “The Skinny Pink Line” and “Saving Personal Ryan” had been worthy.

Initially, it did not seem like it was going to be a lot of a contest. When Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Personal Ryan” stormed into theaters in late July, the World Warfare II epic shocked viewers with its brutally reasonable Omaha Seaside opening. It was hailed by many as one of many biggest conflict films ever made, if not the biggest. Certainly, by the point awards season kicked into gear, there was a way that the Academy might save everybody plenty of time and marketing campaign cash by merely giving “Saving Personal Ryan” the Best Picture trophy forward of time.

And but there was one thing about “Shakespeare in Love,” a nicely-directed, expertly solid romantic comedy about The Bard falling in love with the lead of his newest play, “Romeo & Juliet.” Joseph Fiennes was stable because the legendary playwright, however the movie belonged to Gwyneth Paltrow because the enchanting Viola. It was her first nice lead efficiency, however she appeared destined to lose Best Actress to Cate Blanchett spellbinding work in “Elizabeth.” Then Miramax studio head (and convicted intercourse offender) Harvey Weinstein orchestrated a pair of surprising upsets.

If “Saving Personal Ryan” had a weak spot as an Oscar contender, it is that it was launched in the midst of the summer time. This should not have mattered, although, as a result of, domestically, it was 1998’s highest-grossing film; in the meantime, that opening was totally unforgettable, as was the closing battle sequence. Harvey Weinstein, nonetheless, aggressively pushed the narrative that Steven Spielberg’s movie was only a typical conflict flick after the Omaha Seaside set piece. And provided that the Academy’s actors department accounts for probably the most votes, he leaned into “Shakespeare in Love” as a love letter to appearing and the artistic course of.

As soon as the nominations had been in (“Shakespeare in Love” amassed 13, whereas “Saving Personal Ryan” earned 11), Weinstein bullied the solid and crew to do numerous media appearances. In a 2017 Vainness Truthful article in regards to the marketing campaign, one publicist mentioned, “He actually was form of a beast.” When he employed consultants to trash-speak “Saving Personal Ryan” to voters, DreamWorks publicist Terry Press knowledgeable Spielberg what was taking place. In response to Press, “Steven mentioned to me, ‘I don’t need you to get down within the mud with Harvey.'”

Weinstein’s narcissism was uncontrolled. Coveting a aggressive Oscar for himself, he gave himself a producing credit score despite the fact that he had no actual artistic enter into the making of “Shakespeare in Love.” After which there was Weinstein’s prior sexual harassment of Paltrow throughout the filming of 1996’s “Emma.” Nearly nobody knew about this on the time, however looking back, it makes the campaigning and Weinstein’s fawning over the actor completely sickening. (And do not get me began about Judi Dench successful Best Supporting Actress for eight unremarkable minutes of display screen time as Queen Elizabeth I.)

By Oscar night time, Gwyneth Paltrow had supplanted Cate Blanchett because the Best Actress favourite (which the previous gained), however Best Picture was a coin flip. When “Saving Personal Ryan” took house the Producers Guild’s prime award in early March, the movie gained a little bit of momentum. “Saving Personal Ryan” picked up further steam when Steven Spielberg gained the Oscar for Best Director, for which John Madden was additionally nominated, however nobody of their proper thoughts ever anticipated Madden to drag an upset over some of the highly effective and beloved filmmakers in Hollywood.

Nonetheless, the Academy was assured sufficient in regards to the end result to enlist Spielberg’s buddy Harrison Ford because the Best Picture presenter. So there have been loads of gasps within the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion when Ford uttered the fallacious three phrases: “Shakespeare in Love.” Harvey Weinstein’s PR blitz labored, and he preened like a jackass whereas greedy that sick-gotten Oscar in his meaty, malignant paw. Once more, I take pleasure in “Shakespeare in Love,” however the win had much less to do with high quality (The Hollywood Reporter polled over 100 Academy voters in 2015, and located that almost all of them would now vote for “Saving Personal Ryan”), and way more to do with Weinstein coercing the nominated expertise into doing free campaigning.

I am not shocked “Shakespeare in Love” is doing bang-up numbers on Netflix (it’s, in spite of everything, Oscar season), however my guess is that lots of people who’re watching it for the primary time are questioning how the hell this good little film gained Best Picture over “Saving Personal Ryan.” And, nicely, now you understand!