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It was nominated for fourteen awards - more than any other picture in Oscar history, until Titanic (1997) duplicated the same feat forty-seven years later. The skillful film won six Oscars: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders), Best Director (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Best Screenplay (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Best Sound Recording, and Best B/W Costume Design. Four actresses in the film were nominated (and all lost). It holds the record for the film with the most female acting nominees:
two as Best Actress - Bette Davis and Anne Baxter
two as Best Supporting Actress - Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter
Bette Davis' leading (but not title) role as Margo Channing has generally been considered her greatest career performance and her most memorable, signature role. Her part as an aging, 40-year old Broadway actress fit the 42-year old Davis perfectly, although other choices for the role included Claudette Colbert, Gertrude Lawrence and Marlene Dietrich. The film was adapted and transformed into a Broadway play called Applause in 1970, with Lauren Bacall (later replaced by Anne Baxter!) as Margo Channing . Eddie (Ed) Fisher's sole scene was cut from the final version, although he still received screen credit as Stage Manager.
The film opens with the image of an award trophy, described in voice-over by an off-camera, muted voice: |
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