Review Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2002

Cass' Views On The 74th Annual Academy Awards® Tom Cruise's opening question: "What do movies mean to you?". His response, "A little bit of magic." That's exactly what the 74th Annual Academy Awards® was all about - "A little bit of magic." I don't typically stay up to watch the entire show, because it's way too long. However, this year I watched most of the show because two African-American actors were nominated for Best Actor - Denzel Washington for Training Day, and Will Smith for Ali - and one African-American actress, Halle Berry, was nominated for Best Actress in Monster's Ball. I found the show to more entertaining than previous years, starting with Whoopi Goldberg's "Moulin Rouge"-like entrance and her comments that she was "the original sexy beast," that "there was so much mud slinging, all the nominees looked black," and that "Oscar is the only 74-year old who doesn't need Viagara to last three hours." I thoroughly enjoyed the musical performances by Sting, Randy Newman, Paul McCartney, and Enya, as well as Cirque Du Soleil's intermission-like high-flying act. The most emotional moment of the show, however, came during Halle Berry's tear-jerking acceptance speech, after hearing her name announced as Best Actress for her performance in Monster's Ball. The fact that Halle is the first Black woman in 74 years to win as Best Actress, is both sad and wonderful at the same time. Sad, because as Halle mentioned in her acceptance speech, that other Black actresses such as Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll, and countless other deserving black actresses, weren't previously recognized for their performances. Wonderful, and perhaps more hopeful than anything else, that the "nameless, faceless women of color now have a chance because the door has been opened tonight" for them to be given the roles based on their ability to act, and not denied the opportunities based on the color of their skin. Denzel Washington's comment, "Two Birds in one night," after winning for Best Actor in Training Day, was quite fitting. But his endearing remark to Sidney Poitier that for 40 years he'd been chasing Sidney and they "finally give it [Oscar®] to him, and "what do they do?" They give it to him (Sidney) on the same night. I'll always be chasing you Sidney. I'll always be following you in your footsteps because there's nothing else I'd rather do." But the most poignant and memorable moment for me was Sidney Poitier eloquent acceptance speech after receiving an Honorary Oscar®. Mr. Poitier said, "I arrived in Hollywood at the age of 22, in a time different than today's. A time in which the odds against my standing here tonight, 53-years later, would not have fallen in my favor. Back then, no route had been established for where I was hoping to go. No pathway left in evidence for me to trace. No custom for me to follow. Yet, here I am this evening at the end of a journey that in 1949 would have been considered almost impossible. And, in fact, might never have been set in more were there not an untoll number of courageous, unselfish choices made by a handful of visionary American filmmakers, directors, writers and producer, each with a strong sense of citizenship, responsibility to the times in which they lived. Each unafraid to permit their art to reflect their views and values, ethical and moral, and moreover, acknowledge them as their own. They knew the odds that stood against them and their efforts were overwhelming, and likely could have proven to high to overcome. Still, those filmmakers persevered, speaking through their art to the best in all of us, and I benefited from their efforts. The industry benefited from their efforts. American benefited from their efforts." I hope the judges for the 75th Academy Awards® will remember the words from Paul McCartney's nominated song from Vanilla Sky, ". . . This is your time. This is your day. You've got it all. Don't blow it away." Copyright Cassandra Henry, 2002 EMAIL: cass@3blackchicks.com