1988 

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

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Melanie Griffith in WORKING GIRL

" She’s pretty, she’s funny, she’s great to look at, but that's all."

★★★★★

Jodie Foster in THE ACCUSED

"Jodie Foster is a very versatile actress, with a lot of range and talent. She deserved a better screenplay."

★★★★★

Sigourney Weaver in GORILLAS IN THE MIST

"[the film] is a real showcase for Sigourney. It’s not really a showy performance, but certainly a TERRIFIC one."

★★★★★

Glenn Close in DANGEROUS LIAISONS

"What a joy seeing such a performance on screen. Glenn Close gives a tour de force, and I imagine it was a thrill for her to play it."

★★★★★

Meryl Streep in A CRY IN THE DARK

"Streep is a chameleon, behind the physical transformation and the perfect Australian accent, she vanishes and gives life to Lindy."

★★★★★

                                             THE CONCLUSION                                                

1988 is really a great year with outstanding performances. The ranking was difficult to make, and I’m still torn between Glenn Close and Meryl Streep, but I pick Meryl Streep, her performance is more challenging and more effective. This is the reason why I give to Glenn Close a Special Award (I think it’s something I will do once in a while when the ranking will be difficult to make), it’s my way to honor her tremendous work in “Dangerous Liaisons”. Sigourney Weaver would have been also a terrific winner, but her film is too weak in its first hour and I can’t give her more than 4 stars, but she is truly superb. I am not really familiar with Sigourney's work, but "Gorillas in the Mist" makes me want to see a lot more of her craft which I did by coincidence thanks to “Working Girl”. The real disappointment for me is Jodie, she is just fine, but really not enough fantastic compared to the other three. Melanie Griffith’s performance is really not award worthy, I mean she is well cast and she is lovely and cute, and her film is very enjoyable but that's all.

                                   THE ACADEMY AWARDS and ME                                      

    NEXT YEAR: 1944

MELANIE GRIFFITH 

as Tess McGill in WORKING GIRL (1988)
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Tess McGill is a frustrated secretary, struggling to forge ahead in the world of big business in New York. She gets her chance when her  classy but villainous boss breaks her leg on a skiing holiday. McGill takes advantage of her absence to push ahead with her career: Tess simply takes over her office, her apartment, even her wardrobe. She then creates a deal with a handsome investment banker that will either take her straight to the top - or finish her off for good. The situation is complicated after the return of her boss. 

"I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?"

                                         - Tess McGill

Melanie Griffith received her only Academy Award nomination, playing Tess McGill, a working class stockbroker’s secretary from Staten Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Business from evening classes, who dreams of an executive position.  In this film, Melanie Griffith
portrays quite beautifully the American dream. She shows the ambition of her character quite stunningly, portraying this beautiful secretary who just wants to be taken seriously. She shows that she is a lot much stronger that she seems, and a lot less naïve that her appearance may suggest. But the great things on her performance stop here. The main issue is that Griffith doesn’t show her eager, her determination. She’s a passive character and a one-dimensional one, she is kind, she doesn’t want to hurt anyone whereas in the business, you have to be a lot more ferocious. Even when Tess thinks Katherine stole her idea or when her boyfriend is cheating on her, her behavior doesn’t change, and it’s a great mistake. I don’t think her performance in Oscar Worthy. She gives a kind of Reese Witherspoon/Katherine Heigl/Jennifer Aniston performances in Romantic Movies, nothing really astonishing or deserving of an Oscar nomination, and I don’t understand the appeal around this film.  To be honest, the only difference between Melanie Griffith and the other Romantic Ladies is that I can’t deny the fact that Griffith is well cast and that she really understands her character. Also, her voice never changed through the movie, always soft and quiet, we don’t really feel any emotions. The only highlight in the film is the end, when Sigourney becomes bitchier, and when Tess' world falls apart. She becomes more emotional, but nothing spectacular. 

"Working Girl is enjoyable largely due to the fun of watching scrappy, sexy, unpredictable Melanie Griffith rise from Staten Island secretary to Wall Street whiz."

                                                                                               - Variety

Well, it's not a surprise, Melanie Griffith’s performance is really not Oscar worthy, I mean she’s pretty, she’s funny, she’s great to look at, but that's all. I don't deny the fact that Melanie is great in the role, but  the material is not substantial enough to give a tour de force. I'm not someone who thinks comedy is not award worthy, but in this case, there is nothing amazing to reward.

★★★★★

1988

AND THE NOMINEES FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE ARE ...

• Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons
• Jodie Foster in The Accused
• Melanie Griffith in Working Girl
• Meryl Streep in A Cry in the Dark
• Sigourney Weaver in Gorillas in the Mist

I choose to do this year, because I want to re-watch Streep's performance in A cry in the Dark, plus it's an Iconic Year, it was the last real shot for Glenn to Win, and I want to review Melanie Griffith's Performance which did not seem a baity role on paper. 

What do you think  ?  Your Prediction  ?  Your Ranking  ?