Oscars Playback: When ‘Out of Africa’ and ‘The Color Purple’ had a polar opposite night

Welcome back to Oscars Playback, in which Gold Derby editors and Experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng revisit Oscar ceremonies and winners of yesteryear. This week, we cover the 58th Academy Awards in 1986, honoring the films of 1985.

“Out of Africa” and “The Color Purple” co-led with 11 nominations, but it was a tale of two fates for the epics. The former grabbed seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sydney Pollack, while the latter, which already missed a director bid for Steven Spielberg, infamously went 0-11. But the dominance by “Out of Africa” isn’t exactly the same as the ones by predecessors “Amadeus,” “Terms of Endearment” and “Gandhi.”

SEE Oscars Playback: When ‘Amadeus’ hit the right notes and Hollywood (really) liked Sally Field

The Oscars were in a very sentimental mood this year as Geraldine Page finally won Best Actress for “The Trip to Bountiful” on her eighth career nomination and 77-year-old veteran Don Ameche took Best Supporting Actor for “Cocoon.” Not to be outdone, Angelica Huston was named Best Supporting Actress for “Prizzi’s Honor,” making the Huston clan the first three-generation Oscar-winning family.

Elsewhere, we discuss co-host Robin Williams‘ ceremony-long trolling of Jack Valenti and more.

Timestamps:
Intro and ceremony thoughts (0:00)
Our favorite films of 1985 (8:51)
Best Picture (27:07)
Best Director (44:58)
Best Actor (58:41)
Best Actress (1:08:27)
Best Supporting Actor (1:15:42)
Best Supporting Actress (1:19:47)
Screenplay awards (1:23:51)
Final thoughts (1:25:25)

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