If the Academy wasn't going to give John Hurt an Oscar for his work in The Elephant Man, one of the greatest film performances of all time, it's safe to say that they're probably just never going to give him one. Exactly what does the man have to do to get a little recognition? Since his career began in 1962, the English actor pulled off several top notch performances, but has always somehow fallen short of the big prize. When he was nominated in 1979 for his work in Midnight Express, he was passed over for Christopher Walken in The Deer Hunter, a film that preyed on lingering antipathy for the hugely unpopular Vietnam War to win over audiences. Two years later, he was nominated for The Elephant Man, and any other year he probably would have won...only in 1981 he was facing off Robert De Niro as Jake La Motta, a towering performance that is considered to this day one of the greatest ever. John Hurt was a victim of bad timing, that's all, but the sad truth is that at 75, he's not getting any younger, and his window for making another truly great film is getting narrower and narrower with every passing year.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
