The term "Oscar bait" dates back to the 1940s, first invented to describe a certain type of image that seems to be deliberately aimed at fastening one of those little golden guys. For me, the 1980s have been the most decade of Oscar-Biti in the history of the Academy Awards, summarized by a series of stable, safe and too serious films that requ Particularly controversial "Miss Daisy". Although these films were comfortable produced and flawlessly acted, they were prestigious images in the worst sense. Perhaps the 1980s Oscar Bait was "Out of Africa", a romantic drama that stimulates Sydney Pollack, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. But maybe it was a little astonishing if Jeremi Ayrons was thrown instead of Redford?

"Out of Africa", adaptation of Karen Bliksen's memoirs, the Danish author who wrote about her experiences in British East Africa (now Kenya) in the early decades of the 20th century. Comic, in extraordinary form, stars as Karen, a rich young woman who is rejected by the loveood of her life and calms down for his brother, Baron Brore Bliksen (Klaus Maria Brandauer), instead. They get married and head to Nairobi to start a farm of her wealth, introducing herself to enigmatic big games Hunter Dennis Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) on the road. Once established, Bor is more interested in going to safari than leading a farm, leaving Karen alone for months at the end. However, it is resourceful and grows to love the country and locals, but the future is uncertain when World War I reaches Africa. Even worse for Karen's personal health, she arranged with syphilis from her husband for cheating. It blooms on a temporary relationship between her and Heton after recovering, but like the desert providing background for their romance, adventurers refuses to be modest.

Bliksen's book was first published in 1937 and screen adjustment prospects have been withdrawn around Hollywood for decades, with big names, including David Lane, Orson Wells and Nicholas Rogge all potentially preserve the image. The film finally came true thanks to Sydney Pollack, which produced and directed the film coming out of the back of Tooti, ​​his multi-axle-nominated shit hit starring Dustin Hoffman. Comic won the female lead over Pollack's first choice, Audrey Hepburn, and had a great decision to make who will act against her.

Sydney Pollack is often omitted by the conversation when it comes to excellent Hollywood directors, as he is perhaps better known as an Oscar -friendly serial producer (that and for starring in movies like "Eyes Wide Closed" and "Michael Clayton"). His paintings collected a total of 48 awards at the Academy and won 11, and he was quite useful behind the camera. He earned three Oscar nominations for Best Director, winning once for "out of Africa". He had a lot of resources available for that triumph. Following the success of "Tootsie", he was entrusted with a decadent budget of $ 31 million (more than "back to the future", "Rocky IV" or "view of the killing" of the same year) to head to Africa and record its adaptation to Karen Blaksen's book.

Much of that budget was Robert Redford's compensation. For the key role of Danny Finch Heton, Pollack and Universal Chapter Frank Price, weighing two choices: spending $ 17 million in the picture with EreereMi Ayrons in the male lead or to increase the budget to provide Robert Redford's services. Redford was already a big star, and Pollack directed him in several successful films, including "Jeremiah Nsonson", "The Way We were" and "Three Days of Condor".

The irons were also very well appreciated. The British actor graduated from the Bristol Old Theater School and enjoyed a successful stage (including Tony Award for "Real Job") before moving to television, where he made a big influence on the Brideshead Revisited. His performance in the famous drama in the period earned a hat-trick at the nominations of the Baftas Awards, the Golden Globes and Emmy, which could mean that only the big screen was now called. He made the jump effortlessly, receiving additional sales along with Meryl Streep in the "Woman's of the French Lieutenant". Taking them again for "Out of Africa" ​​would have been a big encounter, but he was still a relative unknown in Hollywood at that moment of his career. After all, the throwing of Hutton was reduced to the economy for price and poles (through The deadline):

"I thought, I couldn't depend on how the picture came out, though Sydney was such a great director. If the $ 17 million corner image did not work, it would make me trouble, but with Redford at $ 10 million more, the performance of the auxiliary markets was insured, no matter how it turned out.

Although not ranked among the absolute Worst best image winners of an Oscar of all time"Out of Africa" ​​is a pretty tedious thing. For such a luxurious mounted film that covers two decades of a person's life during a tumultuous period in world history, 160 minutes of the film pass almost without incident. The film is burning in life during Bliksen's journey to take vital materials to colonial forces after the war and a few dangerous meetings with the local wildlife, but these moments are short -lived as the narrative is once again returning to its picturesque Topor. Even the central romance between Bliksen and Hutton really doesn't go until the second hour, and Redford could not have much less interested. He looks part, but he sleeps through his performance, delivering his smuggling dialogue as if reading it from cards.

That's why Ereeremi Irons would have been much better in the role. There may not be an idol look at Redford, but he certainly complements it with his pure intensity and charisma. Casting iron as Hutton would significantly change the tone of the character, and perhaps the whole movie. The actor often brings an important quality of cold intelligence to his best characters, as we have seen in "Dead Ringers" and his winning an Oscar in the "wealth turnaround". Heton would become a more calculating presence, and I imagine "out of Africa" ​​would feel more like a "English patient" (with his resident of complex passions).

But instead, we got Mr -Big Bucks Redford, and his comatose performance is the worst thing about the film. Meryl Streep deserved far better, no matter what she thinks about her Danish accent attempt. It is in almost every scene and carries the whole film almost independently in the actor's deposits for more than two and a half hours. I am not always her biggest fan because I find Tad Hami in her recent roles; She also became the ultimate Oscar -bait actor, only needs to appear in a movie to get a nomination (see: "Florence Foster Enenkins"). "Out of Africa" ​​was still early in her career when she could command the screen with her presence without playing in the gallery. Redford and the rest of the film opened, but this is among the best performances on Comic.