Running up to the Golden Globes weekend, a plateau in the awards season, one category I had my eye on was Best Actress in a Drama. The nominations left two formidable actresses vying for the honor, that is, Viola Davis in The Help and the winner Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady. Even as Streep left the stage she said, Viola, you’re my girl.

Earlier in the week, at the New York Film Critics Circle award night, Viola Davis avoided cocktails where everyone crowded around Brad and Angelina, seated at her table with her husband, writing notes: she would introduce Meryl Streep and this poised professional was nervous, wanting to get it right. Davis spoke as much about friendship as Streep’s acting excellence. And Streep followed, oddly giving Davis a third hug from behind. Grateful that Davis stood up for her, she enthused, “Old Dog that I am, this is her year. I learned at the feet of a great master, and this is a great master.” Streep has said again and again, this is Viola’s year. And indeed Davis’ work in The Help as well as Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close deserves award attention. Then again, how many years since Streep’s last Oscar?

Now it is time for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to weigh in. The gold standard, the organization operates as no other, I am told by an insider.

Thomas Langmann, producer of The Artist, told the most touching story of the Globes evening, mentioning his father Claude Berri, who could not attend the Oscars when he won in 1966 for a short film, “Le Poulet,” unable to afford the trip.

And, it was a camera lingering on Sir Ben Kingsley, a star of Hugo pointing to himself like a kid in kindergarten wanting to be recognized that was perhaps the most humorous part of the show, Ricky Gervais notwithstanding. Did Martin Scorsese really forget to thank him in his exhaustive list?

Regina Weinreich

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