Tony Bennett's Meltdown in "The Oscar"

[MovieMusicFun1]

darn, this was Elkes finest moment too!

[MovieMusicFun1]

this is great! thank you!

[milkywaycenter]

GREAT MOVIE

[megachews]

the first five parts are up check them out

[starrbeatlesqueen]

Sadly, this is Tony's only film role . He hated the experience and never acted in anything again, except appearing as himself. He had a cameo in the movie Bruce Almighty.

[lukasnummer1]

Well, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the world, one of the best painters, and I think he could be a good actor, too, he shows talent in this strange movie ^^.

[RikJamezBich]

damn Bennet got some skillz.

[stp88661]

This is so damn bad & over the top, that it's actually good & fun to watch! I love it! Like it or not, it is "Pure Camp Classic." with high production values! That's why Boyd, Sommers, Bennett, & other big name stars at the time were involved in this hilarious romp...Hope this is finally released on DVD soon.

[biohazardgraphics]

"Damn fine performance. I don't care what they say. Go, Tony, go!"

[Ptrgamb]

 I don't go for this "camp classic" nonsense. This is just pure and simply painfully bad.

[moiraregis]

some people can't act, and some people can't act AT ALL--what i can't understand is how tony bennett can be such an exquisite singer and interpreter of lyrics and still be capable of this; shouldn't blame him, since that script is so bad i can only watch the oscar in five- or ten-minute clumps; any longer than that and i get bilious--

[KentuckyJet]

Tony was very good in this movie. he should have acted in more films.

[ccsdavis1]

@KentuckyJet Hahaha. It's very hard to tell if you're kidding. There's a reason that the Razzies honored this performance with an Honorary Award.

[poughkeepsiejohn1]

Movies like this are the reasons why Hollywood started making better films like "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Easy Rider", even though they were geared for the younger generation. To me, "The Oscar" is a cross between a bad Aaron Spelling soap opera and "Valley of the Dolls". It's so cliched and predictable that it's laughable. And the shame of it is that Stephen Boyd, Tony Bennett and Elke Sommer were good actors who knew better.

[nanlisa]

DA90027: In 1966, Mel Gibson was a ten-year-old kid in Austrailia.

[sjnepomuk]

"An extra nose on your face" ?

[trydreamin]

This is classic. Elke is no better than Tony but she sure looks better. In retrospect, this would be a bad SNL skit.

[hm1107g]

every time my butler gives me attitude, i throw an ashtray at him!

[SundownerDrifting]

LOL! "Birdseed!"

[MAREKGERHARDT]

Make sure you copy all your VHS copies of this onto A DVD! A MASTERPIECE!!!!!!

[susannreno]

The best bad movie ever made. I am lucky I have a VHS copy of it; if I had the capability to download it to YouTube, I'd do it.

[yogafan6500]

Tony Bennett is great in this campy classic.

[fromthesidelines]

Tony was cast in the film when the producer caught his appearance on a TV variety show (I believe it was Andy Williams'); he was so impressed with Bennett's impact on a TV screen, he wanted him as "Hymie Kelly". Except for several brief appearances as "Himself", Tony never acted in another theatrical movie (so far as I know- if you know others, let me know!).

[kungfudoggie]

Wow thanks!  Great stuff!

[denberg2]

I'm starting a campaign to have this entire masterpiece put on YouTube! The whole film!

[catfan]

You should!

[drachirzim]

Watched this last night. Which explains all the recent comments. The only thing I can say is move over Valley Of The Dolls. Step aside Mommie Dearest. The Oscar has you both beat. Pure camp. Doesn't get any better/worse!

[etrax2000]

Nothing is camp when its right on target!

[MOTOPAC]

Oh boy!

[perrypearl]

1966, the last year of the old-style melodramas like Madame X with Lana Turner. The acting, dialogue and plot are all a hoot! Bennett should stick with singing although he tries, God bless him. Elke Sommer desperatley attempts to act here(a countrywoman of mine) with hilarious results. I don't know why they give Frankie such a hard time. He acts no worse than most of Hollywood. I got this thing on DVR, DVD and VHS. Too precious a comedy not to cherish on all media. Love Boyd though. A big fan!!!

[lakeviewviking]

You're right...this is the last blowout of Old Hollywood, before BONNIE AND CLYDE started the boomer's takover of the film industry, turning it into the effects-driven shit factory it is today.

[planthi80]

I agree with you~!

[lakeviewviking]

Where did you get a DVD? It's never been released officially...

[perrypearl]

I LOVE this movie. It's so bad it's ART! Hymie Kelly? WTF? Poor Stephen Boyd....underrated and a great singer too!

[lakeviewviking]

I finally saw this last night on TCM after loving the SCTV parody (The Nobel) for years; it lives up to its rep! In the SCTV version, Hymie (played by Joe Flarety) hits Frankie over the head with a desk!

[steeltownbrown52]

It wasn't a desk it was a chest of drawers.

[RottyAngel]

When oh when will they release this movie on DVD? All I see it being sold is on Amazon in VHS format from 50-100 bucks.

[ChunkyBoots]

It'll be shown on Turner Classic Movies on June 11th. Check it out!

[quickdownload]

@RottyAngel just got theVHS will post soon

[problem49]

A scathing indictment of the shallowness of Hollywood. Go ahead, enjoy your Oscars you phony fakes, now we know the REAL story.

[sheckyb]

I agree with DBarrios, but Tony has done pretty well for himself. I love the way he pronounces "whoore"

[poistu]

He can act too.

[dyinglikeflies]

Would love to find this movie. Underrated as one of the worst, corniest movies ever. But you certainly pulled one of the best scenes. Now if you could just post the slow applause scene from the very end.

[armchair2pt0]

Does anyone know where I can find this movie? I've been looking for years.

[DA90027]

Yes, this dialogue is unbelievable...but this movie is so bad it's good. It's no wonder Stephen Boyd died of a heart attack, every scene in this movie looks like he is about ready to have one.

[TheTravelingThumb]

LoL Agreed! The dialogue is so bad; every other line is a cliche...but it's so wonderfully great!

[DBarrios]

To tell you the truth, if Tony had better material and some coaching, he could have had a real acting career.

[EarlSnohomish]

I also thought he wasn't bad, considering the crap that he had to spout in that flick. He should have gotten a second chance, IMO.

As for Stephen Boyd, whom I usually like, that accent of his had to go.

[TheTravelingThumb]

Thanks for posting this ChunkyBoots; my favorite film of all time! Every scene in this 1966 classic is chock full of dopey dialogue. I can't imagine the actors,cast & crew not breaking up on the set when they made this. As Hymie Kelly brilliantly states,"You lay down with pigs, you come up smelling like garbage."

[Retrofan]

As unique as this scene is, I wish you had other scenes from this film. One in particular is Jill St. John's performance in the beginning of the movie.

[wimpers]

HE 's over the top? What about her??

Thanks for the posting! Nice to see Tony acting.

[DA90027]

Is this Mel Gibson???  LOL

[millsbrothers]

I think if tony wanted he could have done. Look at him he is good!