Los Angeles, March 24
Movie musical “Chicago” won the Oscar for best film at the Academy Awards but it was a pair of stunning upset victories for “The Pianist” — director Roman Polanski and actor Adrien Brody — that gave the biggest surprises at a ceremony marked by talk of war.For much of this year’s awards season in Hollywood, “Chicago” had been a front-runner, and coming into the Oscars it was an odds-on favourite in many top categories with 13 nominations, more than any other film.
But its six awards yesterday came mostly in minor categories, and when star Renee Zellweger lost the best actress award to a tearful Nicole Kidman, star of drama “The Hours,” the musical about a pair of murdering actresses and the media who made them stars, seemed to have lost its steam.
Along with best film, “Chicago” made Catherine Zeta-Jones the winner for best supporting actress, and it earned Oscars in art direction, sound, costume design and film editing.
Brody’s victory marked perhaps the biggest upset over heavily favoured Daniel Day-Lewis of “Gangs of New York” and Jack Nicholson in “About Schmidt,” among the nominees.
Brody took the stage and gave last year’s best actress winner Halle Berry a big kiss on the mouth. “That was better than the gift bag,” he said, referring to the bags that are full of expensive watches, perfumes and gifts for the winners.
But his jokes turned to tears as he remembered making the film and thought about the war in Iraq. He said his experiences had made him “very aware of the sadness” war causes.
Among other winners, Chris Cooper took the Oscar for best supporting actor in “Adaptation,” playing a poacher of exotic orchids from the swamps of Florida. Other early awards went to “Spirited Away” from legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, which was named the best animated feature. Popular fantasy film “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” won the Oscar for best visual effects.
Reuters
