Boomers at the Oscars

Well, it wasn’t American Graffiti or Hair, but Boomer themes were prevalent at the Oscars. Three out of five of the nominated films dealt with the era of the late 1950s and the 1960s and one focused on an event that took place when some of us were still in high school or in our early adulthood (1972).

"Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Good Night and Good Luck," and "Munich" all told stories that focused on people, attitudes and events that many boomers recognize or remember.

"Brokeback Mountain:" Past and Present

"Brokeback Mountain," although beat out by the movie, "Crash," was a favored contender for Best Picture, and its director, Ang Lee, did take home the Best Director Oscar. As almost everyone has heard, it’s a heart-wrenching portrayal of two cowboys who fall in love, but are forced to stay apart because of how society views homosexual relationships at the time. Not a lot is made out of the fact that it’s set during the mid-1960s, except to emphasize that at that time, it was extremely dangerous to pursue a romance with the same sex. Stone Wall and the Gay Rights movement hadn’t happened yet and one would hope that today Ennis and Jack would be able to be together without harassment…although one could argue that in some areas things are almost as dangerous for gay couples today as it was then (and growing more so by the day).

"Capote:" An Icon of the New Journalism

"Capote" starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, who received the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, for his portrayal of journalist and author Truman Capote. Those of us who remember Capote on talk shows and in the tabloids know that Hoffman got him down very well, from his razor sharp wit to his distinctive falsetto. The film covers the period in which Capote was working on his most famous work, In Cold Blood, published in 1965, and focuses on how the experience affected the author. He never wrote another book after the experience but In Cold Blood is honored as a milestone in what was then known as “new journalism,” the art of journalism mixed with personal involvement.

"Good Night and Good Luck:" Standing Up

"Good Night and Good Luck," focused on two other Boomer-era icons, crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy, the crazed senator from Wisconsin who saw communists at every turn. Not a shining moment in our history, the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1950s, might have ruined even more lives if Murrow hadn’t decided it was time to take the bully on and expose him for what he was. Shot in black and white, and directed by actor (and boomer) George Clooney, the film captured the look and feel of America during the height of the Cold War.

"Munich:" Emotional Intensity

Munich, by director Stephen Speilberg, dealt with the aftermath of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Most of us were old enough to remember the incident and the pain it caused around the world but most of us did not know that the Israeli government hired a team of assassins to seek revenge on Palestinians thought to have plotted and carried out the attack. Instead of taking sides, Speilberg focuses on the act of revenge, whether it is felt to be justified or unjustified, and how it eats away at the soul of the avenger. Boomers have witnessed our share of horrific world events but few films look at one of these events at the emotional intensity of this film.

"Walk the Line:" We All Remember Johnny

While not a Best Film contender, it’s also worth mentioning, Walk the Line, portraying the life of Johnny Cash played very well by Joaquin Phoenix. Reese Witherspoon received Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of June Carter Cash and for her beautiful singing voice (who knew?). A loving tribute to an icon of our era, there are few Boomers who don’t know the words to I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues or Man in Black. Cash was a loner, a maverick and someone most Boomers are proud to claim.

Here’s to another great year at the movies and to the reflection many of these films give us of our lives and times.

—Betty Boom

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