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From the King of the World to blubbering wrecks, here are a few unforgettable speeches from Oscar night’s past
“Hand me now already the statuette award.”
Emil Jannings, 1928 Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Last Command and The Way Of All Flesh.
“It has been a long journey to this moment.”
Sidney Poitier, 1963 Best Actor for Lilies Of The Field.
“My dear colleagues, I thank you very much for this tribute to my work; you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums [audience starts booing] whose behaviour is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression... And I salute all of you for having stood firm and dealt a final blow against that period when Nixon and McCarthy launched a worldwide witch-hunt against those who tried to express in their lives and their work the truth that they believe in.”
Vanessa Redgrave, 1977 Best Supporting Actress for Julia.
“I'm up here with mixed feelings. I have been critical of the Academy and for reason. I refuse to believe that I beat Jack Lemmon, that I beat Peter Sellers. I refuse to believe that Robert Duvall lost. We are part of an artistic family... And to that artistic family that strives for excellence, none of you have ever lost, and I am proud to share this with you.”
Dustin Hoffman, 1979 Best Actor for Kramer Vs Kramer.
“I haven’t had an orthodox career and I wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time [in 1979 for Norma Rae] I didn't feel it but this time I feel it, and I can't deny the fact that you like me! Right now, you like me!”
Sally Field, 1984 Best Actress for Places In The Heart.
“You’ve just provided me with the makings of one hell of a weekend in Dublin.”
Daniel Day-Lewis, 1989 Best Actor for My Left Foot.
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“I know that my work in this case is magnified by the fact that the streets of Heaven are too crowded with angels. We know their names. They number a thousand for each one of the red ribbons that we wear here tonight. They finally rest in the warm embrace of the gracious creator of us all, a healing embrace that cools their fevers, that clears their skin, and allows their eyes to see the simple, self-evident commonsense truth that is made manifest by the benevolent creator of us all.”
Tom Hanks, 1993 Best Actor for Philadelphia.
“Mom, Dad, there’s no way that I can express to you what I'm feeling right now, my heart is full to bursting, except to say, I’m the King of the World! Whoo-hoo!”
James Cameron, 1997 Best Director for Titanic.
“I’m surprised nobody’s ever fainted up here, I’m... I’m in shock, and I’m so in love with my brother right now, he just held me and said he loved me... You’re just the strongest, most amazing man I’ve ever known, and I love you and thank you so much.”
Angelina Jolie, 1999 Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Girl, Interrupted.
“Tom Cruise... If you had won this [for Magnolia], your asking price would have gone down so fast. Do you have any idea what supporting actors get paid? We get only one trailer, a small one, in the back.”
Michael Caine, 1999 Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Cider House Rules.
“Oh my God. I’m sorry. This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll... And it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of colour that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. Thank you. I’m so honoured. I am so honoured and thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel from which this blessing might flow. Thank you.”
Halle Berry, 2001 Best Actress for Monster’s Ball.
“We like nonfiction and we live in fictitious times. We live in a time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons. Whether it’s the fiction of duct tape or fiction of orange alerts we are against this war, Mr Bush. Shame on you, Mr Bush, shame on you. And any time you got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks against you, your time is up.”
Michael Moore, 2002 Best Documentary, Features, for Bowling For Columbine.
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