“Crash” wins best film in Oscar stunner

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “Crash,” the race relations drama
that has captivated Hollywood, pulled off a stunning upset at
the Oscars on Sunday winning the best film honor over heavily
favored gay romance “Brokeback Mountain.”

Philip Seymour Hoffman was named best actor playing
homosexual writer Truman Capote in “Capote,” and Hollywood
sweetheart Reese Witherspoon’s performance as country singer
June Carter in the Johnny Cash biographical film, “Walk the
Line,” earned her the Oscar for best actress.

“Brokeback,” about two cowboys who fall into a love that
spans decades, won three awards overall, including Ang Lee as
best director, Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry for best adapted
screenplay, and Gustavo Santaolalla for best original score.

Coming into the evening, “Brokeback” led its rivals with
eight nominations, more than “Crash” and George Clooney’s moral
tale “Good Night, and Good Luck” with six apiece.

“Crash” pulled a stunning upset because “Brokeback” won
most all of Hollywood’s best film honors heading into the
Oscar.

When its surprise victory was announced, an audience of
luminary moviemakers and movie stars at the Kodak Theater stood
in the aisles and cheered “Crash.”

“Crash” producer Cathy Schulman thanked Oscar voters for
honoring a film “about love, about tolerance, about truth.”

“We are humbled by the other nominees in this category,”
Schulman said. “You have made this year one of the most
breathtaking and stunning, maverick years in American cinema.”

Only moments earlier, Lee had accepted his trophy for
directing “Brokeback,” and it seemed certain his movie would
claim the best film trophy.

Lee thanked not only the normal list of agents, managers,
producers and other Hollywood handlers, but the fictional
characters in the movie who, he said, taught audiences “the
greatness of love, itself.”

“CRASH” COURSE IN WINNING

Along with best film, “Crash” won the trophy for best
original screenplay for writers Paul Haggis, who also directed
the movie, and for his writing partner Bobby Moresco.

“Good Night, and Good Luck” failed to win any Oscars, but
its mastermind George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote
the film, did win an Oscar for best supporting actor in his
turn as a world-weary CIA agent in oil drama “Syriana.”

British actress Weisz was given the best supporting actress
award for playing a social activist who is murdered for her
beliefs in thriller “The Constant Gardener.

A range of films won other trophies. Japanese saga “Memoirs
of a Geisha” was given three Oscars for costume design and art
direction and cinematography.

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the
Wardrobe” won for best makeup. “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp”
from “Hustle & Flow” was named best original song.

But in another surprise, African film “Tsotsi,” was named
best foreign language movie over favorite “Paradise Now.”

Following the plots of many of its message-themed movies,
Oscar took a decidedly political tone with winners noting
causes, and show host Jon Stewart cracking wise.

“We are a little bit out-of-touch in Hollywood,” Clooney
said. “I think that’s probably a good thing. We are the ones
who talked about AIDS when it was only being whispered … We
talked about civil rights … I’m proud to be part of this
Academy, proud to be part of this community, proud to be ‘out
of touch.”‘

Stewart, known for political satire, stuck to what he does
best — poking fun at politicians and Hollywood stars.

“Brokeback Mountain” was released by Focus Features, a unit
of NBC Universal, which is controlled by General Electric Co.
“Capote” and “Memoirs of a Geisha” were released by Sony
Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp. “Walk the Line” was released by
Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.. “Crash” was
released by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

“Syriana” was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of
Time Warner Inc.