And the winner is…Roberto Benigni? Before the 1998 Academy Awards became infamous for Shakespeare in Love’s upset Best Picture win over Saving Private Ryan, it had already solidified its place in Oscar history for the double shock of Benigni taking Best Actor for his performance in Life is Beautiful. First, Benigni — an Italian writer/actor/director who’d made his career in his native country as, well, a daffy cinema clown — beat out far more seasoned actors with his performance as a Jewish-Italian father during WWII so desperate to shield hisyoung son from the Holocaust that he pretends it’s all a massive game. And secondly, as you can see in the photo, Benigni celebrated his victory by standing on his seat and generally acting like, well, a daffy Italian clown. It remains to this day a moment that causes many cinema buffs and Oscar fans to cringe with embarrassment.
In fact, of all the categories in Entertainment Weekly’s ongoing Recall the Gold survey asking Hollywood to revote on the major Oscars from 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years ago, this could be the one most likely to go to one of the other nominees, namely Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters), Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan), Nick Nolte (Affliction), or Edward Norton (American History X). Hanks, of course, had won back-to-back Oscars in 1993 and 1994 for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump respectively, and while his performance in Saving Private Ryan as the grounded, heartbreaking Capt. Miller was arguably the best of his career to that point, the Academy wasn’t about to hand yet another Oscar to him so soon. Nolte earned the best reviews of his career for his portrayal of an alcoholic, small-town cop psychologically crippled by the abuse of his black-hearted father, played by fellow nominee James Coburn. But the film is so bleak that perhaps voters could only bring themselves to vote for one of the deeply troubled men, and the Oscar went to Hollywood vet Coburn for Best Supporting Actor. Norton landed his second nomination for a performance as a neo-Nazi racist prone to rants so articulate, so seemingly reasoned, that they were that much more dismaying — probably too dismaying for the Academy to honor with an Oscar, given that Norton’s nomination was something of a surprise itself.
McKellan, meanwhile, was the favorite to win for his deeply affecting portrait of openly gay Frankenstein director James Whale. He’d won a slew of critics’ awards (including Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Broadcast Association), and although still relatively new to Hollywood — he was less than a year from beginning production on The Lord of the Rings — McKellan was already well respected as probably the finest Shakespearean actor alive. But at that time, Life is Beautiful was a sentimental powerhouse hitting the peak of its popularity (it also easily won Best Foreign Language Film), and Benigni became the first man ever to win Best Actor for a non-English-speaking role.
So, PopWatchers, do you think Benigni still deserves his Oscar? Or would you give it to someone else? Vote in our poll below; if you need a reminder of each performance, check out clips from each film after the jump (although some of the language is definitely NSFW). While you’re at it, if you haven’t already, vote in all the other polls from our ongoing walk down Oscar’s memory lane. On Thursday, Dec. 11, we’ll take a look at the 2003 Best Director race, and you can check out coverage of this year’s awards contenders in Dave Karger’s Oscar Watch blog.
Roberto Bengini, Life is Beautiful
Nick Nolte, Affliction (Trailer)
Edward Norton, American History X (Warning: NSFW)
Ian McKellen, Gods and Monsters
Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan (Warning: NSFW)
Comments (1-30) of 43 Add your comment
The five nominees were all wonderful, but Ian McKellan gave such a poetic performance that is reamins the most memerable, and most affecting.
Hard choice between Tom Hanks and Ed Norton. But I have to give it to Ed. That movie was so powerfull, and he gave the performance of a lifetime in it as well.
No recall vote for 1998 Best Actor Oscar…Mr.Bengini was so deserving. And besides, if someone else won, we would have never seen Roberto on Oscar nite leap over Steven Spielberg to claim his Oscar. Way to go, Roberto!!
Why can’t people accept the fact that Bengini won that year? Because he didn’t just stand at the microphone and stoically accept his award? He was truly surprised and exuberant and just did what he felt in the moment. I thought his performance in LIB was brilliant, as was the film itself. He totally earned and deserved that Oscar. Shame on you, EW, for trying to take that away from him!
I would vote for McKellan, and did. But I will remind all those who have seen Life is Beautiful and liked it, that major part of everyone’s affinity for the film lies in the extremely charming performance of Roberto Benigni. McKellan yes, brilliant, robbed of course, but Benigni is very good as well. I wish he could have followed up that sucess with something as touching.
I said it before and I will say it again, Ian Mckellan was robbed for Gods & Monsters…
Ian McKellan should have won that year. The story was very egrossing and he was outstanding in the role. Everyone involved, including Brendan Frasor, was superb.
I would give it to all five for Benigni, but he was certainly entertaining at the ceremony. I thought McKellen was amazing on every possible level, so I’ll go with him. But Joseph Fiennes was scammed out of a nomination, he was better than Gwyneth.
I’d vote for Ian McKellen all the way, though Edward Norton was also fantastic. Benigni’s performance was excellent, but I don’t think it can compare to the other two.
Using the term “daffy Italian clown” to describe the fermenting excrement that is Roberto Benigni’s career (let alone his entire life and public image) is as understated as Hanks’ performance itself that year. Benigni found a way to make the Holocaust that much more devastating by bringing his lack of dignity to such a harrowing subject. Benigni is a holocaust in and of himself; his “Pinnochio” debacle is the cinematic equivalent of Auschwitz – the horror, indeed. I forego the option of stating an opinion in favor of announcing facts: poetic justice would be served best if Benigni were stripped of this honor, and had it handed to Edward Norton for his brutal and honest portrayal of a skinhead in sharp contrast to Benigni’s black hole of “talent.” Simply because the screenwriters were able to create an eloquent neo-Nazi does not preclude the honor due to Norton. Benigni belongs in an oven to fully repay holocaust victims and survivors for his crimes against cinema – and humanity.
@ Otis Jeferson: Whatever your opinion of Begnini and his career, you can not, repeat, can not use the holocaust to make a metaphore, comparisons, or anything of the sort. Nothing compares to it, and the lightness with which you use it to make your point is not only wrong, it’s hurtful. As for whether Benigni was right or not to make this movie, the debate goes on. I think he was, because it was done with tact, and found a way to “tell” the holocaust to a new generation, and sensible minds who would have hidden themselves away from it.
Ian McKellen was brilliant in Gods and Monsters. It was one of my favorite movies that year.
I understand McKellan’s appeal from Gods and Monsters, but this award belongs to Tom Hanks. I would consider myself an unbiased observer, yet this is the one race that I would truly “Recall the Gold,” for; Hanks was absolutely brilliant in Saving Private Ryan, but his brilliance wasn’t merely in the way he delivered his lines or even the memorable qualities of those lines (“Earn this…” anyone?) but in the overall quality of his acting. I was thoroughly distraught at the announcement (and subsequent embarrassment) of Begnini as the winner, and will defend Hanks to this day as the true best actor of 1998.
Solid year for Best Actor, I’m fine with Benigni winning, though it could have easily gone to McKellan or Hanks (had he not already won twice a couple years before) Life is Beautiful was an incredible film, and just like 3 other Best Picture nominees, infinitely better than the cruddy Shakespeare in Love.
McKellen, hands down. This is one of the ones that has always burned me up. Benigni and Life is Beautiful were both totally overrated. They were fine, but McKellen (as well as the other actors in the category) was breathtaking. Benigni would have been my last choice out of those five.
Benigni all the way. I recently watched “Life Is Beautiful” for one of my classes, and the way Benigni portrays a father trying everything to keep his son and wife safe is gorgeous. Plus, it’s a new way to tell a story that’s been told many times. That movie was his baby. (Although I agree that McKellan was beyond brilliant)
hard to say on this one — they were all great — American History X was so powerful, I could only watch it once. And hey, if I EVER win an Oscar, you can bet I’m gonna prob make a clown out of my self too!!!
I hardly think it’s true that Bengini’s acceptance clowning “remains to this day a moment that causes many cinema buffs and Oscar fans to cringe with embarrassment”.
I am pretty sure it was/is widely regarded and a joyful moment in Oscar history when a truly deserving underdog was suprisingly awarded for his acclaimed performance in an acclaimed movie (which was also an enormous box office hit) that he also wrote and directed. Why on earth would anyone be embarrassed?
Now, Julia Roberts winning of Ellen Burstyn… that’s something to cringe about.
I love Ian McKellan, and I love Tom Hanks, but I voted Edward Norton. For me the entire film is supported by Norton’s performance, and unlike the many other actors who have played Nazi’s Norton’s Nazi is the one I think of first. Norton hit on something rare and amazing in his performance for people to understand or apprechiate it then, I hope they do now, I hope they will 10 years from now.
“Life Is Beautiful” is still my favorite movie of all time. Roberto Benigni did an excellent job and deserved the win. “Life Is Beautiful” simply could not have been a great movie without his performance. Norton comes a close second for me. I have yet to find a movie so endearing and beautiful – pun intended.
How bout Jim Carrey not even getting the nom for The Truman Show? There was a reason he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama. Robbed of the nom and Oscar IMO
Nick Nolte shut it down in Affliction!
I haven’t see ‘Affliction’, so of the remaining nominees, I’d recall the award and give it to Edward Norton. He was scary as hell.
i can still remember Sophia Loren shouting “Roberto!” when he won. I recall it as one of the few honest,joyous Oscar moments. I’m happy he won, and I wouldn’t ever want to take it away from him. Beautiful movie.
Finally, a mildly debatable question. Edward Norton’s transformation for his role in American History X should be studied in universities. Phenomenal. And scarily convincing. Benigni and Hanks were both quite good though
I remember this race and it was the first time I agreed with all 5 nominees actually being nominated. I either loved or was moved by all the performances but when I voted in the above poll I gave my vote to Norton. To this day I find that character creepy, intriging and I still think it’s one of the most brillant acting performances on film.
Roberto Benigni, all the way. I laughed and cried at Life is Beautiful as never before, it was an amazing way to look at a famous period with new eyes, the tragedy of a man and his sacrifice for his son’s innocence.
I didn’t find his reaction to the award embarrassing at all, I think it was one of the most onest reaction that we’ll ever see on that stage. It was joyful, moving, it radiated happiness. And I think most of the emotion come from the fact that no one would have give him a chance at winning, because usually only american/english actors win in that category, so it was a surprise, and a big one. The same goes for Marion Cotillard last year, a great surprise and a beautiful honest happy speech
It makes me sick how you industry types degrade the art of the comedic actor. Every actor in this category was deserving & it’s very hard to say why one was better than the other when they were all so different. I loved LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL & was thrilled to see Roberto win & his spontaneous, joyful reaction. Tom tore my heart out & Ed was mesmerizing, but Roberto’s win was just as deserved as theirs would have been. That film was his career best – he wrote, directed & starred in it – & he was rewarded appropriately for the achievement. Still one of my personal favorite films. Now, the monotoned “Nurse Ratched” beating Carol Kane’s wonderful performance in HESTER STREET… that was an embarrassment for the Academy that I as a film buff have never gotten over.
There is a difference between “joyous reaction” and and completely dishonoring the other nominees and rubbing it in their faces, as Roberto clearly did. When you win something as prestigious as an oscar you’re supposed to accept the award with dignity and respect for the other nominees. He sure did not. I mean c’mon, standing on top of the seats and throwing your hands up is like pointing your finger at the other nominees and saying “HA!”. Shameful. And as far as all this crap goes about Tom Hanks not deserving it because he won back to back best actor oscars in 1993 and 1994 is ludicrus. Does that mean he should never win again? NO! He shouldn’t be penalized because he’s that good.
98…very interesting Oscar year!
I liked Roberto and Life Is Beautiful, but found it all rather overrated.
My actor nominations for 98:
Ian McKellan
Tom Hanks
Nolte
Norton
Sean Penn, Hurlyburly
Penn was overlooked by the major awards, which was a shame. Norton was stunningly good in History X, but my pick was McKellan. Just an amazing performance, in an amazing movie.
I was very happy to see Bill Condon get that screenplay award on Oscar night…and I was touched by the way McKellan, Lynn Redgrave and Brendon Fraser were all smiling with pride, with Frasers arms wrapped around McKellan’s neck. Clearly, it was a real labor of love for that cast and crew, and it paid off.
My the way…best picture…Shakespeare In Love? Private Ryan? Nah…it’s The Truman Show all the way! A nomination in that catergory would have been nice though….