1963 CinSpec Awards

Double Feature: Cleopatra (1963) & How the West Was Won (1963)

Cleopatra (1963) - **1/2

Starring Elizabeth Taylor as the iconic queen, this lengthy epic covers the highs and lows of Cleopatra's reign over Egypt and her relationships and alliances with two powerful Roman figures: Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and Marc Antony (Richard Burton). It is a technical marvel, and the film's set pieces are a spectacular achievement for the period it was produced. Of course, the performances are also worth mentioning, as they carry the weight of the material. Taylor, unfortunately, is overshadowed by her male co-stars, with Harrison and Burton delivering more interesting takes on their characters. But the only performance I'd call more than acceptable would be Roddy McDowall's small role as Octavian, the fierce rival of Marc Antony. Even though the story is interesting, the film is just too long. Epics can be over 4 hours long, but they can also be much better than this. Still, it's easy to see why the film was lavished with so many Oscar nods at the time.

Double Feature: Johnny Belinda (1948) and Lilies of the Field (1963)

Johnny Belinda:

In this Oscar-winning drama, a young doctor (Lew Ayres) teaches Jane Wyman's deaf/mute character Belinda to use sign language. However, things fall apart when Belinda winds up pregnant and becomes the town scandal.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor (Charles Bickford), Best Supporting Actress (Agnes Moorehead), Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Score (Drama or Comedy), and Best Sound. Though Wyman deserved her Best Actress Oscar, Olivia de Havilland did give a better performance in The Snake Pit that year.

Lilies of the Field:

Sidney Poitier gives an Oscar-winning performance in this comedy-drama about a simple African-American man who helps build a chapel for a group of German nuns. Through his efforts, the locals pull together to complete the chapel, ensuring a sanctuary for future generations.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress (Lilia Skala), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. While the film is slightly dated, Poitier is very charismatic in this performance and deserved his Academy Award.