The 1988 Best Supporting Actress Oscar race was one of those "Huh?" contests. It was hard to pick out a clear favorite before the race, and the award could have arbitrarily gone to anyone besides Geena Davis. Davis became an A-List serious thespian with her role as a kooky dog trainer in The Accidental Tourist, but the character (a wacky free spirit who helps a dour, work-obsessed, stuffy guy loosen up and embrace life) seemed a stale ’60s cliché, and the movie still plays today like it’s as starchy as its protagonist.
Then again, who was more deserving? Joan Cusack made the most of her best-friend character in Working Girl, but it was a slight role, and she was competing against costar Sigourney Weaver in the same category. Weaver, in turn, was competing against herself, with her serious, Best Actress-nominated role in Gorillas in the Mist probably siphoning votes away from her comic Working Girl supporting character. First-time nominee Frances McDormand of Mississippi Burning, playing a woman who decides to do the right thing and pays dearly for it, managed to create a fully rounded character, but she had little screen time, and the Academy probably saw her as a young talent who’d surely be nominated again. (Eight years later, she’d win Best Actress for Fargo.) That leaves Michelle Pfeiffer, who gave the most purely dramatic performance as the put-upon prey of John Malkovich and Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons. Had I been an Academy member, I’d have voted for her.
Looking back from today’s perspective, which of these performances doyou think is the best? Vote in our poll, and list your comments below.(For a refresher, watch the clips embedded after the jump, whichmay contain some NSFW language.) Remember, we’ll be running the Recall the Gold surveys every Tuesdayand Thursday until January, so you may go back at any time and vote inthe other polls (click hereto see them all), reexamining the Oscar races of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25years ago. On Tuesday, Nov. 25, we’ll look at the 1993 Best Actorcompetition. Watch also for commentary and context throughout EW.com,including on Dave Karger’s Oscar Watch blog.
Joan Cusack in Working Girl
Geena Davis in The Accidental Tourist
Frances McDormand in Mississippi Burning
Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Liaisons
Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl
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I’m always glad when comic performances (and movies) win, and Geena Davis was very good in the role. The reason she won, though, I’ve always ascribed to CARA’S OSCAR MAXIM #1: “If a supporting nominee’s part is big enough to be called a lead role, the actor has a much better shot at winning.” It certainly worked for Geena Davis, Timothy Hutton, Tommy Lee Jones, Jennifer Hudson, and Rachel Weisz. (Though they all turned in great performances, too.)
1988 was a bad year for the Oscars. From the horrible ceremonies to some wildly overpraised films. My pick: NONE OF THE ABOVE!!! I never saw The Accidential Tourist. Dangerous Liasions was boring. Working Girl was a rehash of the Mchael J. Fox comedy “The Secret of My Success” and I can’t stand Melanie Griffith in the lead role. Mississippi Burning was okay but I haven’t seen it in years. How about Bonnie Bedelia for Die Hard?
Geena Davis didn’t just play kooky; she tugged some heart strings. Yes the movie is starchy, but that’s the point. That movie is the equivalent of today’s quirky dramas like Lost in Translation and Juno.
Cara, how do you explain Judi Dench?
I agree, Gary. “The Accidental Tourist” was awfully overrated and the entire film had TYPICAL OSCAR FODDER stamped all over it. I voted for Michelle here, although I loved both Cusack and Weaver in “Working Girl.” Cusack should get some special award for her hair and accent alone.
Frances McDormand is unbeatable in ‘Mississippi Burning’ and I would say that that role is indeed a supporting role. Geena Davis is deserving and she lifts the scene when she is onscreen. Sigourney Weaver showed a funny side to her as Katherine Parker in ‘Working Girl’ and this performance is certainly a keeper. Michelle Pfeiffer broke hearts with her moving performance as Madame de Tourvel. Yet despite all these strong performances, I’d give the award to Joan Cusack. Her Cyn is more memorably etched than Griffiths’ Tess. Her comedic gifts are unparalleled (She was also very strong in ‘Broadcast News’ which also came out in the same year) and her timing is spot-on.
either Pfeiffer (LOVE the film – great dialogue) or Davis — if you read the book “Accidental Tourist”, you’ll see she played the part perfectly! Would have loved to see Cusack win later for IN & OUT !
I went for Weaver although I love all of the performances and their films. Weaver’s performance holds up so well today and is ripe with comic genius.
Sigourney Weaver, in “Working Girl”, should have taken the Oscar. She we perfect in the role; the proto-typical alpha female that used to terrorize girls in high school (well, all-girl prep school probably) and then moving on to meatier prey in the boardroom. I think it’s easy to overlook a film like “Working Girl”, not only because it’s a comedy, but because of its use of anti-feminist cliches. If people would take it for what it is worth, a fairy tale, then maybe it would be held in a little more esteem. The movie is stocked with 80’s wit as well as strong performances from everyone involved. Geena Davis was very good in an okay movie. Sigourney Weaver was great in definitive one.
Weaver should have won it.
100% Sigourney’s Oscar. No debate.
What? Why are we talking about 1988? This is history. It’s done.
Davis’s win has always been a tad annoying because (as good as her performance was) it was a LEAD role, while all of the other nominees truly gave SUPPORTING turns. Hard to believe that – 20 years later – Weaver, Pfeiffer and Cusack still don’t have a little gold statuette of their own.
My vote: Weaver.
Frances McDormand.
Sigourney Weaver should have won for either ‘Gorillas’, or ‘Working Girl’. Really should have won for Aliens.
fluff wrote, “Cara, how do you explain Judi Dench?”
But it does help! I doubt Geena Davis would have won otherwise…
Well, I didn’t say it was invariable that the actor with the longest screentime wins.
Cara
I’ll actually stick with Geena on this one. It’s a sweet performance, but one with some depth to it. A lot of the other nominated performances didn’t get to have shadings.
I loved Accidental Tourist and Geena Davis’ performance remains memorable. She deserved the Oscar.
Easy. Michelle Pfeiffer shoulda won. Next…
Weaver should have won. I thought it back then and I still believe it. Great comic performance from a gifted actress.
Dench won because she lost for Mrs Brown the year before. She was soooo much better than Helen Hunt (ugh)!! But, yes, Dench was also great in SIL.
Out of the women nominated, I would’ve voted for Sigourney. What a great part and she was wonderful in a truly supporting role. Gina was in a lead role, for sure.
I sincerely hope Michelle Pfeiffer wins an Oscar sometime in her career.
O.K., Geena Davis’s performance was noteworthy; but the movie itself left me cold…not that funny, a little tiresome, & way overrated. Besides, give her a 1991 Co-Oscar(with Susan Sarandon) for the great “Thelma and Louise”! Of the five nominees, the one that really holds up and still deserves the Gold is Sigourney Weaver for a truly funny performance. Cusack and McDormand definitely merited nominations; but “Dangerous Liaisons” also left me cold. My actual choice for Best Supporting Actress that year is one who, no surprise, wasn’t even nominated: Kathy Baker as tragic recovering addict in “Clean and Sober”, a film which unfortunately slipped un-noticed by all but some of the critics’ awards.
I voted for Geena, bascially because she made the most of her screen time. As for the others – The “Working Girl” duo – Joan, a scene stealer, the nomination is your reward. Sigourney – its hard to vote for a villian and she seems like someone destined for a Best Actress win (so, less someone here get a chance). Ditto for Frances. As for Michelle – wait, because I’m voting for you in ‘89 to win for “The Fabulous Baker Boys.”
Dangerous Liaisons is my favorite movie from the 80’s. The Accidental Tourist is a movie that I watch at least once a year. For me this contest was between Geena Davis and Sigourney Weaver. Ultimately I have to go with Geena Davis because her performance is so original and touching. This was a very good list of nominees. Personally I would have not nominated the great Joan Cusack and given her nomination to Mercedes Ruehl for Married to the Mob. Given my love for Dangerous Liaisons I was tempted to automatically vote for Michelle Pfieffer, but putting the two performances side by side the impact of Davis’ performance on the film is greater than Pfeiffer’s mainly because Liaisons in Glenn Close’s show.
I’d say Pfeiffer was the most deserving; playing virtue is tough, especially when you then have to remain virtuous when not wanting to. You can read every emotion on her face.
Oh – we won’t be able to vote for Michelle Pfeiffer in TFBB. These recaps are only for every 5 years of the past 25 years. Notice all are from 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, or 2003.
While Cusack is funny, and I like that, I can’t even believe it is Pfeiffer! She wins!
McDormand’s performance is the only one I feel like you can come back to and still marvel at her work. The rest seem stale and lifeless.
Frances Mcdormand should have won. Her performance was fantastic.