TUESDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2003
Kazan's last controversy - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
With the death of famed film and stage
director Elia Kazan, this past Sunday at the age of 94, it would be in order to
revisit the scene of his most recent controversy, the Academy Awards of 1999.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s Board of Governors had voted unanimously to award an
Honorary Oscar to Kazan, after the actor Karl Malden made an impassioned plea that his old
friend be honoured. The vote surprised Malden, who
expected some hesitancy considering the American Film Institute refused to
award Kazan its prestigious Life Achievement Award two years prior. It would be some two weeks later, however
that the controversy would pick up some steam.
Kazan’s resume is impressive enough.
He directed the original stage productions of Pulitzer Prize winners, J.B, The
Skin of Our Teeth, Death of a
Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire,
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as well as the
Tony-winning production of All My Sons. On film he was responsible for helming the
Oscar winning A Streetcar Named Desire,
Gentleman’s Agreement, On the Waterfront, and East of Eden. He was a founder of the Actor’s Studio, as
well as the first repertory theatre company at Lincoln Center. Malden wanted his old friend to be honoured with the Honorary Oscar for
his, as the citation would go on to read, “indelible contributions to the art
of motion picture direction.”
His filmmaking and stage directing credits
had largely diminished his stature in the entertainment business. During the McCarthy era, when Senator Joseph
McCarthy was on a crusade against Communism and Communists in the American
government and American society in general, Kazan like some
others had testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, giving
the names of those who had once belonged to the Communist party or had
Communist sympathies. Kazan, though once
a member of the Communist Party himself, sold himself out essentially, to avoid
getting on the infamous blacklist, whereby performers, writers and directors
who were so named and or deemed to have such communist sympathies were unable
to find work or make a living in the entertainment field.
What rubbed a lot of people about Kazan’s behaviour
in particular was the smugness he displayed after cozying up to the House
Un-American Activities Committee. While
others, who did similar things as Kazan, would later apologise and regret their behaviour, Kazan maintained
that what he did was just and correct.
Thus, the rancour in the run-up to the Oscar telecast of 1999.
There were calls by some to boycott the
Oscars in protest to their selection of Kazan to receive
the Honorary Oscar because of his past activities. Some wondered why Kazan was receiving
such an honour considering the status quo in the 1990s was to give Honorary
Oscars to individuals who hadn’t won Oscars prior. It was a curious selection, therefore,
considering that Kazan already had two Oscars for directing.
Bernard Gordon, a blacklisted writer,
chaired the Committee Against Silence, which suggested
that instead of boycotting the ceremony, those that opposed the selection of Kazan would do as
Congress does during State of the Union Addresses, and show their disapproval
by not standing or not clapping. (At the
time, Republicans showed their disdain for President Clinton’s proposals by sitting
on their hands.) And so it was with
bated breath as to what would happen when Elia Kazan, then 89, ambled on stage
to collect his honour.
Both Chris Rock and Robin Williams, making
appearances on the telecast to present Oscars, made reference to the Kazan
controversy. Williams, presenting the
best supporting statuette had the best line: “In terms of the Kazan controversy:
‘Let Lainie sing!’” The television
audience was waiting for what Kazan would say once at the microphone, or if there had been any booing
from the audience. For producer Gil
Cates, the tension was something that was a sort of a bane for him for
weeks. What would he do if something
untoward was done on the live broadcast?
If there was discontent amongst those seated in the Dorothy Chandler
Pavilion, would he show it?
The film director Martin Scorsese and the
star of Kazan’s The Last Tycoon, Robert
De Niro, both arrived to present the Academy Award to Kazan. They spoke rather toughly, without hardly any
happy emotion usually connected to receiving an Honorary Oscar. Understandably it was not an easy position to
be in. When Kazan walked out,
with wife Frances clutching his hand, director Lou Horvitz cut to the audience where
there were a few who were seen to be giving the man his standing ovation. Among them was Karl Malden, Kazan’s nominator,
who appeared at once honouring his friend, as well as looking around himself to
gauge the reaction of the audience.
Warren Beatty stood applauding, as did Kathy Bates, Debbie Allen, Lynn Redgrave
and Kurt Russell. There were a number of
fence sitters, who remained seated but who applauded nonetheless. Among them were Steven Spielberg and Jim
Carrey. Carrey’s seatmate and nominated
co-star in The Truman Show, Ed Harris
and his wife Amy Madigan, were adamant protestors, sitting in the front row,
arms crossed, scowling. Doing the same
was Nick Nolte and his girlfriend Vicki Lewis, Ian McKellen and Holly Hunter.
Kazan’s brief remarks included thanking the Academy for its “courage,
generosity” and for being “damn good to work with.” Then came an awkward moment when Kazan called out
for Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro who were behind him. He wanted to thank them and hug them, but
Scorsese seemed hesitant in coming to embrace the man. Quentin Tarantino, the film director later
said Scorsese looked like a cat when Pepe LePew comes around. Kazan concluded his remarks by saying: “Thank you all very much. I think I can just slip away.” Turning he asked his wife, “Do you want me to
say anything more?” To which she said
“No,” and the broadcast went into a commercial.
Was Kazan deserving of
an Oscar? I suppose he was. I think the film industry could do no wrong
in honouring those that have gone before.
However, the Honorary Oscar should be awarded first and foremost to
those who have been passed over in the past for competitive ones. However in the Kazan case it begs
the question, where do we separate the artist and the man? Where does art end, and where does politics
begin?
I think Michael Moore is a talented
comedian. But he’s more than a
comedian. He’s taken it upon himself to
become a sort of roving ambassador for “regular” people. Sure, he’s annoying at times, but generally I
think he’s a funny guy. Do I agree with
his politics? Do I agree with his view
of President Bush? No, I don’t. But I still buy his books and I watch his
movies, because he’s an entertaining guy.
Just like two weeks ago, when I went and bought Al Franken’s new
book. Though I totally disagree with
both Mr. Moore and Mr. Franken’s views, I think they engage people in debate,
who heretofore wouldn’t think about big issues like the fundamental direction
of their governments and their politics.
It’s like the situation over Roman
Polanski’s Oscar nominations this past spring.
Convicted of raping a girl, some in the industry were to use this
criminal behaviour against The Pianist
director in his campaign for Oscars.
This prompted the girl whom he raped to come out publicly and say that
what he did as a man should not hinder his professional activities. Perhaps this intervention by his victim
helped him, as he went on to nab the Oscar for best director this year. And isn’t it rather interesting that when
Harrison Ford announced that Polanski was to get the Oscar, in the front row at
this year’s Oscars were the same Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, who I am sure,
joined in the standing ovation for Polanski, the convicted rapist. Rather convenient that they pick and choose
their causes, no? Then again, it is Hollywood, and if
they didn’t honour scumbags, then they wouldn’t have anyone left to honour.
I am sure the conservative firebrands like
Ann Coulter will probably defend Kazan, as she has amply demonstrated in her recent bestselling book
praising Joseph McCarthy, Treason. That said, I find it hard to either praise or
upbraid Kazan, because what he did was so long ago, and I wasn’t there. Whatever the case though, in death, as in
life, Elia Kazan has yet again provoked debate.
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©2003 Joseph Planta.
