i borrowed cabaret at the library just to see what was "better" than DR's LSTB nom

[IMissFlo93]

it may be controversial but i just want to see what the fuss was all about that cost miss ross her oscar. when I feel like it I am going to pop the dvd in just to see a "winning" performance.


it has nothing to do with what DR "did" to Flo Ballard. Actually, it's quite the opposite. despite it being the 70s i really wished diana won the oscar.

Flowers on the wall beating stop was ok for grammys because I remember hearing a cool cover when I was younger that cover felt country to me.


But stop shoul've won regardless of Andantes' help.

[jobeterob]

Stop should have won.

Liza won for things like Judy was her mother, Diana was black, young and an outsider. Probably also should not have happened.

[Ollie9]

Stop should have won.

Liza won for things like Judy was her mother, Diana was black, young and an outsider. Probably also should not have happened.

Liza was nominated for best actress in 1970, the year after her mother’s death. I don’t think her being Garlands daughter was necessarily the reason Diana lost out on the Oscar.

[marybrewster]

I always thought Gordy cost her the award; Hollywood can't be bought!

[reese]

According to Leonard Pitts' book REACH OUT, an anonymous letter written by someone claiming to be an Academy member said that Diana was a runaway to win the award when she was first nominated. But then there were almost daily ads for Diana in the trades which turned some Academy members off. This person thought Diana's performance was the best but said they voted against her to protest.

LADY's director Sidney Furie said there were a lot of Academy members who didn't even bother to see it because they thought it was in "insignificant black film".

[bradsupremes]

I always thought Gordy cost her the award; Hollywood can't be bought!

I've heard/read this too. The performance speaks for itself. Yes, you want some push but to oversaturate can be a turn off. For Gordy being new to the film industry, it came off as trying too hard. The industry is the industry and a lot of things are the same but this wasn't Billboard or Cashbox or the big radio markets where Motown could thrown their weight around. Unfortunately Diana was the one who had to pay the price.

[khansperac]

Nothing in life is guaranteed. With that said, I never believed the story of Berry and the trade ad story. Are we supposed to believe that in Hollywood where they have ads like this for any other actress, or any other movie, was turned off in this one instance? Nope, don’t believe it.

[RanRan79]

Nothing in life is guaranteed. With that said, I never believed the story of Berry and the trade ad story. Are we supposed to believe that in Hollywood where they have ads like this for any other actress, or any other movie, was turned off in this one instance? Nope, don’t believe it.

Perhaps, but remember that Diana had something most of those other Hollywood actresses didn't have: she was Black, and the man "behind" her was Black too. You know the playing field wasn't level and the rules were different.

[khansperac]

Perhaps, but remember that Diana had something most of those other Hollywood actresses didn't have: she was Black, and the man "behind" her was Black too. You know the playing field wasn't level and the rules were different.

I edited/deleted out a whole part of my post. Let’s just say I agree with what you said. I still don’t by the angle that it was just over promotion. It was waaay deeper than that. Like I said, the same thing is done all the time.

[sansradio]

I edited/deleted out a whole part of my post. Let’s just say I agree with what you said. I still don’t by the angle that it was just over promotion. It was waaay deeper than that. Like I said, the same thing is done all the time.

Today it is, but back then, it was unheard of. I do co-sign your tacit point, however. Remember the nonsensical, racist claptrap that some in the Academy spouted about Cicely and Diana canceling each other out that year--as if they were the same person.

[Ollie9]

Today it is, but back then, it was unheard of. I do co-sign your tacit point, however. Remember the nonsensical, racist claptrap that some in the Academy spouted about Cicely and Diana canceling each other out that year--as if they were the same person.

Correct sans, it was unheard of back in the day and was seen as an attempt to buy the award for Diana. Anonymous academy members have since come forth to confirm this, saying they felt insulted seeing those adds every single day. Today of course it’s the norm.
Personally i think Diana would have won otherwise, though I have met many peeps who consider Liza’s the better performance.
I feel rather sorry for the other nominees, with less flashy roles, competing against two worldwide superstars.

[sup_fan]

Liza did an outstanding job in Cabaret. also the film does an outstanding job of translating the broadway show successfully to film. it was also extremely edgy - dealing with very sensitive topics but in creative ways. you also had hollywood elite associated with so many aspects of the film. the message of "be careful, you might not even realize that you're a sheep to the government and their wicked plans/ways" was masterfully shown in the 1930's era of the film but were still relevant in 72 given the crisis within the country, the vietnam war, the youth revolution, etc. Are you going to be a mindless follower or would you actually stand up and stop things? ironic that this is still highly relevant today

Lady does a lot of great things and is a classic in many ways. but it's more straightforward. it's not a cerebral film that makes you really think. it depicts racism, hatred, drugs, conniving ways, etc but in a very matter of fact manner. nothing wrong with that but it might not have the artistic statement. showing a black woman being horrified and hugely impacted by the brutality of a lynching is powerful of course. but look at the Tomorrow Belongs To Me scene and how it slowly and subtly implies not the positive first view of happy young people singing about the glories of their future. it becomes a message of the fascists slowly pulling in, one by one, the general public. most of whom are oblivious to the fact. eventually they're all standing and singing in praise in unison except one or two. that symbolism is not just powerful but done in a very creative way.

that creativity and unique approach is missing from Lady. you then layer in the racism of Hollywood and the issue of outsiders trying to work their way in and you get why Lady won nothing

[marybrewster]

Cabaret: 4.6M budget, 42.8M receipts
Lady: 14M budget, 19.7M receipts

Cabaret made 10x its cost, while Lady broke even.

That's not to take away from Diana's spectacular performance. But the fact might just be that CABARET was a bigger film, and more successful, than LADY.

[marybrewster]

You have to remember also that THE GODFATHER and THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE were released in 1972. Those were HUGE movies at the time.

Lady might have just gotten lost in the shuffle.

[reese]

Cabaret: 4.6M budget, 42.8M receipts
Lady: 14M budget, 19.7M receipts

Cabaret made 10x its cost, while Lady broke even.

That's not to take away from Diana's spectacular performance. But the fact might just be that CABARET was a bigger film, and more successful, than LADY.

The figures I've seen for LADY are quite old but $14 million to make in 1972 seems rather high. In his Motown book [[1985), J. Randy said the film cost $3.6 million to produce and eventually grossed more than $20 million.

[vgalindo]

The figures I've seen for LADY are quite old but $14 million to make in 1972 seems rather high. In his Motown book [[1985), J. Randy said the film cost $3.6 million to produce and eventually grossed more than $20 million.

I agree. There is no way Lady cost 14 million to make. It would have never got made.

[reese]

I agree. There is no way Lady cost 14 million to make. It would have never got made.

From what I've read, Paramount gave the film a budget of $2 million. Anything over that had to be covered by Berry, who ended up investing over $1 million of his own personal savings.

[sup_fan]

i think another ding on Lady is that license they took with her story and the script. frankly i think that's just trying to conger up bs on it. as berry stated, plenty of white films reinterpret stories and facts without any hesitation. the only difference is that Billie is wildly popular among jazz enthusiasts, to the point of nearly militant protectionism. those fans see nearly any cut on Lady as a personal affront, which is why so many were loudly disapproving of the casting of Diana. in the end, most found diana's performance to be very positive and strong but were still very critical of the script and story.

personally i think they're making much to do out of nothing but this liberal license with the actual story could have also provided ammunition to the Academy

[Ollie9]

i think another ding on Lady is that license they took with her story and the script. frankly i think that's just trying to conger up bs on it. as berry stated, plenty of white films reinterpret stories and facts without any hesitation. the only difference is that Billie is wildly popular among jazz enthusiasts, to the point of nearly militant protectionism. those fans see nearly any cut on Lady as a personal affront, which is why so many were loudly disapproving of the casting of Diana. in the end, most found diana's performance to be very positive and strong but were still very critical of the script and story.

personally i think they're making much to do out of nothing but this liberal license with the actual story could have also provided ammunition to the Academy

Biopics are rarely accurate which rarely proves a stumbling block. I firmly believe it was those daily trade adds that did the most damage.
It’s interesting to speculate which direction Diana’s film career might have gone in had she won the Oscar. Would Gordy have still maintained a stranglehold or been a little more receptive to outside offers?. As much as he obviously loved Diana, i have often wondered if there was perhaps a little jealousy involved regarding the huge personal acclaim Diana received for LSTB.

[marybrewster]

Sorry all, I took my LADY budget figure from Wiki, and well, we know how accurate that can be. That said, regardless of budget, it still appears CABARET brought in 2x-3x than LADY.

[jim aka jtigre99]

1972 was a particularly strong year for Best Actress performances. Of course, I was behind Diana Ross 1000% because she was amazing in her film debut. I have seen a lot on You Tube that was in retrospect and not what I remember at the time. Yes, apparently, it was a big deal that 2 African American actresses were up for Best Actress. I remember at the time that Liza and Diana were touted as the frontrunners with Cicely Tyson a very strong third. Liza and Cicely were both in films up for Best Picture, which is always an extra boost. I saw a You Tube that Cicely really had a supporting role [[which I don't agree with) and that had she been nominated a Supporting Actress she would have won. Diana certainly had the showiest performance with alot of meat to sink her teeth into and she did an amazing job. Liza had some great production numbers and her singing and dancing were top notch and she had a number of moments that were also nuanced with emotion. I had read Gordy cost Diana the award because he went for it in the trade papers with far too many ads for that time[[1972), I even remember reading that at the time. Plus Lady did receive undue criticism for how Billie Holiday's life was presented, although I am sure Barbra Streisand didn't have that problem with Funny Girl. So, add that Liza was in a better received film, that it had more acclaim over all along with voters who felt guilty about never giving Judy Garland an Oscar for A Star is Born, Liza had the advantage. In retrospect, Cabaret was up for Best Picture and that also helped. Diana's performance was amazing and did deserve an Oscar, had it been released in 1971 or 1973, I think the Academy would have given it to her easily. Unless of course, Gordy ran ads like he did in 1972.

[Ollie9]

1972 was a particularly strong year for Best Actress performances. Of course, I was behind Diana Ross 1000% because she was amazing in her film debut. I have seen a lot on You Tube that was in retrospect and not what I remember at the time. Yes, apparently, it was a big deal that 2 African American actresses were up for Best Actress. I remember at the time that Liza and Diana were touted as the frontrunners with Cicely Tyson a very strong third. Liza and Cicely were both in films up for Best Picture, which is always an extra boost. I saw a You Tube that Cicely really had a supporting role [[which I don't agree with) and that had she been nominated a Supporting Actress she would have won. Diana certainly had the showiest performance with alot of meat to sink her teeth into and she did an amazing job. Liza had some great production numbers and her singing and dancing were top notch and she had a number of moments that were also nuanced with emotion. I had read Gordy cost Diana the award because he went for it in the trade papers with far too many ads for that time[[1972), I even remember reading that at the time. Plus Lady did receive undue criticism for how Billie Holiday's life was presented, although I am sure Barbra Streisand didn't have that problem with Funny Girl. So, add that Liza was in a better received film, that it had more acclaim over all along with voters who felt guilty about never giving Judy Garland an Oscar for A Star is Born, Liza had the advantage. In retrospect, Cabaret was up for Best Picture and that also helped. Diana's performance was amazing and did deserve an Oscar, had it been released in 1971 or 1973, I think the Academy would have given it to her easily. Unless of course, Gordy ran ads like he did in 1972.

One would hope the award be judged on performance alone, regardless of the popularity of the film as a whole. Perhaps in a perfect world.
For Diana, with extremely little acting experience, to turn out a performance of the calibre she did would imo have made her the worthy winner. If only by a whisker.

[captainjames]

Just before the Oscars awarding ceremony [[ 1973), a journalist asked to Liza Minnelli who would win and she replied : "Two words, Diana Ross" !
However, you slice it there are a couple of reasons why she didn't win the Oscar - Gordy or Hollywood feeling too much advertising but here is why she should have won;

The film earned an estimated $9,050,000 in North American rentals in 1973 , a record at time !
Diana Ross received the following NOMINATIONS and AWARDS :
In 1973:
A - Diana Ross received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role ;
B Diana Ross won an " NAACP Image Awards as " Best Actress " :
C - Diana Ross won a Golden Globe as " Most Promising Newcomer " ;
D - Golden Globe nomination as " Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama " ;
E - The movie was screened at the 1973 CANNES Film Festival [[ France, but it wasn't
entered into the main competition ) ;
F - The movie was also screened in Venice Movie Festival [[ Italy ) .
In 1974 ,
A- Diana Ross received a BAFTA nomination [[ the British Oscar ) for Best Actress in a Leading Role .
B - Diana Ross, for the sountrack album " LADY SINGS THE BLUES ", won an AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD in the category best "Album Pop / Rock " .

In 1973, Ross' album " LADY SINGS THE BLUES ", reached the # 1 in the USA Billboard album and remained in the charts 54 weeks !
In USA, the album sold over 2 millions records and Diana Ross, in 1974, won an AMA in the category best "Album Pop / Rock " .
It was the first time that, in the American charts, a jazz / blues album reached the # 1 in the pop charts.
The album, peaked at # 5 in CANADA, at # 43 in AUSTRALIA and at # 50 in UK, where the album sold over 100.000 copies and, in 1974, was certified by BPI, GOLD record.

The movie, "Lady Sings the Blues", is a 1972 American biographical film about jazz singer Billie Holiday loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of Holiday's most popular songs
The nominations were for Best Actress in a Leading Role [[Diana Ross), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration [[Carl Anderson, Reg Allen), Best Costume Design, Best Music, Original Song Score and Adaptation [[Gil Askey) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced .
The same year, Motown released a hugely successful soundtrack double-album of Ross' recordings of Billie Holiday songs from the film, also titled Lady Sings the Blues.
Vincent Canby of The New York Times described Ross as "an actress of exceptional beauty and wit, who is very much involved in trying to make a bad movie work ... her only apparent limitations are those imposed on her by a screenplay and direction seemingly designed to turn a legitimate legend into a whopper of a cliché."
Variety wrote that "for the bulk of general audiences, the film serves as a very good screen debut vehicle for Diana Ross, supported strongly by excellent casting, handsome '30s physical values, and a script which is far better in dialog than structure."
Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, writing that Ross had given "one of the great performances of 1972" and observing that the film "has most of the clichés we expect—but do we really mind clichés in a movie like this? I don't think so."
Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune also awarded three out of four stars, writing, "The fact that 'Lady Sings the Blues' is a failure as a biography of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday doesn't mean it can't be an entertaining movie. And it is just that—entertaining — because of an old fashioned grand dame performance by Diana Ross, late of the pop-rock scene, in the title role." Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Ross gave "one of the truly fine screen performances, full of power and pathos and enormously engaging and sympathetic." Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote that "when the movie was over I wrote 'I love it' on my pad of paper ... Factually it's a fraud, but emotionally it delivers. It has what makes movies work for a mass audience: easy pleasure, tawdry electricity, personality—great quantities of personality." Tom Milne of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote that Ross did "a remarkable pastiche job on the tone and timbre of Billie Holiday's voice, [but] misses the elegant, almost literary wit of her phrasing," and found the presentation of Holiday's life story "offensively simplistic."
Music

[Ollie9]

Oscar aside, Liza as well as Cabaret one a shed load of awards, notably Golden Globe for best actress. It was her acting performance that earned Diana her nomination, not her singing skills. That’s a different category altogether. Even if the album had flopped, she still deserved her nomination.