***** I am sorry no disrespect to Hilary Swank but it does not come even close on both a technical and emotional level to the performance by Meryl Streep on Sophie's Choice, it is NOT SO HARD for a good actress to play a boy, yes she was great but it is just not comparable. Meryl Streep was perfect technically - including accents and languages, and on an emotional level she was far superior. I love Hilary Swank dont get me wrong but even she would agree to this
***** I still love Hilary and Natalie but I think for any GOOD actress those performances would be much easier to obtain than the emotional depth and technical mastery of Meryl in Sophie's choice. I mean Natalie was EXCELLENT in black swan but honestly most good actresses can play crazy and vulnerable quite convincingly. Same with Hilary, she was VERY good but not so hard for an actress to play a girl acting like a man. Technically not as challenging. Still very good performances and definitely Oscar worthy but Meryl Streep on this is just too disturbing, and mastering German and Polish and doing the accents so perfectly while maintaining and conveying emotion is not very easy, not many can do it.
In my opinion, Streep is incredible in 'Sophie's Choice'. I mean, I don't know how she actually made it, I was emotionally drained just watching it! But, in my opinion the best performance ever given in the history of cinema has to be by Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in 'La Vie en Rose'. Not only did Cotillard completely inhabit the character of Edith Piaf (I honestly forgot I was watching an actress and not Piaf, herself), but her performance transcended the barrier of language, making her the second person to ever receive an Academy Award for a foreign-language performance.
Okay, but Sly presenting the award for the leading actress is literally everything. He’s so stunning and such a gentleman. He was also very happy for Meryl that she won ❤
Most deserved female oscar win. "Sophie's Choice" will always be a chilling film experience. And Sophie, is still (to my mind) the most brilliantly written - and handled by an actress - female role in recent Hollywood. Also, I love the fact that she was pregnant with her second child whilst accepting this. It's like the baby gave her a gift before arriving and giving her another.
I don't know why it took me so long to watch the movie Sophie's Choice - all I can say is WOW!! perhaps one of the best performance by any actor man or woman! incredible and unforgettable!!
Those are the luckiest group of 'losers' ever. They can always say, "Sure I didn't win, but hey, I was up against Meryl Streep in "Sophie's Choice", so I'm practically a winner."
@@yoni5570 people forget that it was her 1st film in america when everyone was dismissing her the book was brought by millions people at the time were saying vivien who before she was cast she only got a vote out of 100 when she got the part 13 for 213 against but she climb to the top in that film and got millions of adoring fans she was born to play scarlett I recommend you to see vivien leigh and her oscar win by rita wilson the wife of Tom Hanks you will be astonish believe me
+Fabian Patrizio i believe even Ms. Lange herself would say your stupid if you think her performance was better than Meryl in Sophies choice. though sometimes i admit shes overrated but her performance in Sophies Choice is simply one the best performance ive ever seen done by any actor/actress.
No sorry...it's fine...but it's not great, if you know anything about acting....she's very calculated for effect, and more in love with achieving a perfect accent etc...also the subject matter is always a winner (holocaust)
Fabian Patrizio You don't even know what you're talking about. It's not just about speaking with an accent, she actually learned to speak Polish and German for the role just to get the proper accent. That alone is a lot of time and work to put into just one element of a performance. Did Jessica Lange do anything like that? No.
+Fabian Patrizio in the "choice" scene, when the guards took away her daughter she didnt utter any single words but her facial expression alone gave me chills, everything was all natural, gesture of shaky hand, her mouth wide open, for me shes no longer acting on that scene she really did become a mother whose daughter was taken away from to be burn alive. If that is not what you call great acting then i dont know what is.
Shes an American actress that had to learn to speak German whilst having a Polish accent, and with all those obstacles still managed to give one of the best performances ever. What an insanely talented woman.
Neuroneos It is no doubt top 3, and I have no argument against it being #1. The only others I can think of being competitors at all are DDL in My Left Foot and RDN in Raging Bull
Neuroneos Couldn't agree more. I've seen many great movies and I can see that their acting is good/great but it doesn't happen very often that acting takes my breath away. Like, yes, I subconsciusly (sorry if I spelled that wrong, this is not my mother tongue) know that acting is good but that doesn't often reach the surface as I focus on the plot. In my opinion, many great actors are on the same level as other great actors and therefore they can't leave me in awe. But Meryl did. It took my breath away how someone's acting can be so...perfect. From accents and facial expressions to that terrifying scene in which she showed the greatest understanding of human emotions ever. The greatest performance given by an actress or actor in movie history imo.
The only one that could had won the award besides Meryl, was Jessica Lange. She was close to perfection in Frances, but Streep in Sophie's Choice was a masterclass in acting.
I have never seen an actress give a performance like Meryl Streep did in Sophie's choice, she had to learn German and Polish and her accent was dead on!
@@sharonjensen3016 Yes she talks about it in Graham Norton show about how she was lactating during the Globes. You should check it out. It's hilarious.
She was a great fan of vivien leigh she once said it's a rare phenomenon when someone could play the role that is unimarginal anyone playing that role to me she represented everything an actor could be referring to vivien in gone with the wind
@@bigboy6191 Some actors are naturally introverted and do not feel comfortable having a huge camera in our face when not in character. Jessica Lange is lovely, always. Be Blessed!
Now, if the Academy would actually choose great performances that deserve the award, Meryl Streep would have six or seven Oscars by now, breaking the record. Robert De Niro would have three or four. Leonardo DiCaprio would have two. Glenn Close would have one or two. Jennifer Lawrence would still be waiting.
I agree with you so much exept for the Jennifer Lawrence, I think she does deserve what she won, but agree so so much with Meryl winning at least six. sigh!
Nick Peek I agree about Streep, DeNiro, and Close. I think Streep should also have won for "A Cry in the Dark", "The Bridges of Madison County", and "The Devil Wears Prada", giving her 6 by now.
I saw Sophie's Choice with my mother, who is Baltic Geran and was a child in occupied Poland for part of the war. My mother was gobsmacked by Streep - she told me Meryl Streep sounded exactly like a Polish woman speaking German - that's how great Meryl was.
@@michelrodrigues5686 not my opinion in 2019 energy weekly did an on line voting who the best oscar winner was vivien 55 % meryl 45% thousands of american voting for weeks see the video narrated by rita wilson wife of tom Hanks
@@Dr.SyedSaifAbbasNaqvi in 2019 energy entertainment put an on live vote who was the greatest performance ever vivien leigh 55% Meryl Streep 45% and it was in the usa
Meryl can do no wrong, but the academy must have had trouble choosing between the other stellar performances in the best actress category in 1983. What a year for women in film.
Gives you a clue that you are dealing with talent that women (and men) who are her age who are all in their early 60s? (Is Merryl 65? or younger?) can be referenced back this far in their career to the beginning.Then you realize they are going now and it is like WOW!!
Don't think so. Her performance was the one everbody was talking. Stalone doesn't call MARVELOUS when reading the winner for no reason. Just to have an idea about the impact Meryl caused that time. The catagory that year was in its highest peak, but no one could beat her which shows the true power her portrayal has even nowadays.
@@michelrodrigues5686 Agreed. Meryl must have gotten at least 99% percent of the vote. With a performance this great, no one would even think of voting for the others.
There may be movies I like better, or female characters more enjoyable to watch, but I have to agree that Streep's performance in Sophie's Choice is without equal. I mean, if there was ever a portrayal truly deserving of the "tour de force" cliche, it's this one. How she was able to be utterly believable and natural in a role that required her to speak with a halting Polish accent, display literally every emotion known to humans, and weave between English, German and Polish.. I mean, NO ONE has been asked to do so much in one film, and for her to do it flawlessly makes it jaw dropping. This is a performance that must be remembered.
Good points but I can never be so into someones acting to where i feel no one has ever done it as good or better.Meryl today Is the jesus christ of acting in my eyes at the same time many before her and a few after have the same talent .Her german polish and english in a polish accent can/couldve been practiced and mastered by many of the greats (dead or alive).She gets props for being able to do it in a short amount of time but if given the chance theres some other actresses I know could do it.Meryl was lucky enough to get the chance she was perfect for.But thats not the most an actress ever had to do to be convincing as a character but its up there.
Vivien Leigh on gone with the wind is indisputably the best performance. A 4 hour film she carried that right to the end and never missed a beat and still bought home an Oscar
@@Ornacia29 she fought for this character with nails and claws, the first choice was a german actress that Alan Pakula had in mind, but Meryl auditioned and lost like 40 lbs for the concentratiob camp scenes studied polish, german like for 6 months, she went as far as choosing New Zealand as the place for the concentration camp scenes which Alan Accepted she even fought for the financing of the movie thats why she mentions and thanks the financial advisor in the movie. She fought for that role.
@@Ornacia29 100 % with you in 2019 energy weekly did an on line vote who was the best oscar winning performance ever where thousand of people voted vivien got 55% meryl 45 %
The prettiest pregnant actress to go on the Oscars stage. This was the time when there were still surprises at the Oscars. There were no bloody polls 8 months before the ceremony.
Oh how I wish Victor Victoria was released another year. Julie gives an phenomenal musical comedic performance totally deserving of the Oscar, but she didn't have a chance going up against such an incredible performance by Meryl. Had it been another year, the Oscar would have been Julie's.
Mamie got to walk onstage with her pregnant mother. Wow, look at handsome Sylvester and at all the talented actresses in the audience who were nominated. Meryl looks about the same today.
The way Jessica Lange smiles and looks down when he says her name just breaks my heart 💔 ... Meryl definitely deserved that award, but Jessica deserved it as well...
She did, but let's not forget she already had won a deserved Oscar at that same ceremony. As best supporting actress for "Tootsie". As a matter of fact all five actresses nominated here were absolutely superb in their respective roles. But Streep outclassed that exquisite group.
@@stepp2haus the problem was that Jessica had a leading role in tootsie not a supporting one. I think the academy messed it up just to give an Oscar to meryl
The academy loved Jessica's performance in "Frances" but, knowing who the real winner would be and that she stood a weak chance, they gave her the supporting award for "Tootsie" as consolation so they would both win. So technically Jessica won for "Tootsie", but she really won for "Frances"
I just watched Sophie's Choice for the first time. I can't believe I didn't allow myself the privilege of watching it before now. Meryl definitely deserved this award. Absolutely amazing performance...
Im not crazy about Meryl (especially not as a person), but she deserved the Oscar that year. What a performance. Also I love her dress. She was pregnant with her daughter, I believe when she accepted the award.
Meryl deserved this win hands down. Sophie's Choice is my all time favorite Meryl Streep movie. I have to say, Jessica Lange in Frances was also amazing. If you haven't seen Frances, watch it. It's based on a true story & Jessica did a bang-up job in that role. And wow...all the nominees were stiff competition that year. Even Debra Winger was in the running! I miss those days so much. Actresses had a certain humbleness & class that seems SO lacking these days. They were so much more well mannered & lady-like than today. ❤
In any other year, Julie Andrews and even more so Jessica Lange would have won for Best Actress. Sad to think when you consider who are given statues these days, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, very popular, but average talents, even Gwyneth Paltrow.
iluvsoulmusic That's OK. But because you have a difference of opinion, I wouldn't write that you're ignorant, as you have done because of mine. Civility goes a long way, particularly online.
If you think about there was two best actress winners but in different categories.Ill explain.That year it was tough between meryl and jessica lange(who can still act her ass off).Jessica won for tootsie that night.Which was kind of bullshit because her role in tootsite was nothing compared to Francis.The awards wanted to give jessica something just because she did so well in francis,so they gave it to her through tootsie.They had to give it to meryl for sophie choice.This would have been a better tie than barbara and kate hephburn
HERBLANDZ Agreed. Jessica Lange gave 2 Academy Award winning performances that year. She was scorching in Frances and then just gave an equally compelling turn in Tootsies. And then there was Meryl and Julie Andrews. Debra Winger was no-one idea of a front-runner, but it still a better performance than the one that nabbed Sandra Bullock an Oscar, and I happen to like Sandra.
She has such a beautiful voice, so was Julie Andrew. It was so unfair that they only give out 1 award per year while these ladies were all very great. Each and every one of them should be given an award.
Meryl really is so talented and has that gift of putting herself into any role and speak any accent such as Sophie Polish to Lindy A Cry In The Dark ,Australian accent to Francess The Bridges Of Madison County Italian accent,her talent is phernominal
I find it extremely distressing that this woman hasn't won more Oscars, she has no real competition. I mean look at " A Cry In The Dark" ,"The Devil Wears Prada", "The Hours", "Music Of The Heart", "Doubt" and she hasn't been awarded an Oscar for these? It depresses me. She is the greatest actress that ever lived and if she doesn't win one for "The Iron Lady " I'm done with Hollywood!
There are some rare performances by women through the years. Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice, Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose, and Elizabeth Taylor is Whose Afraid of Virginia Wolf.
+hithere327 You're probably right about actress. But I wouldn't say actor when you consider the work of the Brandos, the De Niros, the Pacinos, the Nicholsons the Duvalls, the Scotts, the Day-Lewises, etc.
One of the TOP 3 BEST PERFORMANCES OF ALL TIME BY AN ACTOR OR ACTRESS. Meryl was robbed so many times at Oscars,she should have won at least 5 times already.
Christ she is so incredibly beautiful and genuine, but FUCK, who in God's name did her wardrobe? Even in the 80s, that's grandma retirement housing wear. Blech!!
That's when the Academy Awards were still great. When it was still a night of real glamour and excitement, and when they put on a great 3 hour show. Now it's just a disappointing dud every year. Meryl absolutely deserved the Oscar for this role. I just watched Sophie's Choice again, probably my 20th viewing, after many years of not seeing it, and I rained tears at the end. It was truly a masterpiece, a great achievement by all.
such a great speech! She truly is the best actress on the face of the earth and we're privileged to live in a time when we get to not only be witness to her talent but to watch her evolve. Her talent says a lot about the human experience and her personal ethos. An incredible woman.
Meryl bette and kate are the 3 goddesses of the movies and all 3 has a really claim for the top spot Meryl for consistent kate cause the older she got the better she was and bette cause she was the best of the golden era 1929 to 1959
she deserves like 100 Oscars, the woman can act. simply marvelous and the best, Katherine Hepburn may have 4 Oscars, but meryl is so good when compared
I really believe it should have been a tie between Meryl Streep and Jessica Lange. Even though it's true that Meryl was PERFECT, so was Jessica. Two landmark performances that just happened to come along in the same year. The fact that Meryl mastered two languages (and the appropriate accents) may be what tipped the scale in her favor. However, as far as raw human emotion goes, both her performance and Jessica's performance were on the same level of excellence. Many people believe the Academy compensated Jessica by giving her the Supporting Actress Oscar, for losing to Meryl in the Lead Actress category. I think so too.
DEAR GOD... I NEVER KNEW she played any role in a movie about concentration camps..... Sucha a deep respect for her.... sincerely.... I feel like crying ;)
All the Best Actress Nominees of 1982 except for Debra Winger have won at least 1 Oscar: Meryl Streep: Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, and The Iron Lady Julie Andrews: Mary Poppins Sissy Spacek: Coal Miner's Daughter Jessica Lange: Tootsie and Blue Sky
