Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn III

 It's a good thing The Lion in Winter takes place in an old drafty castle at Christmastime... 

via ironmaidenhead

...because if it were set in a lush, green forest, there wouldn't be a tree left to chew on by the time the end credits rolled. Between Katharine Hepburn—in her third Oscar-winning performance—and Peter O'Toole, and all the supporting actors (including a young Anthony Hopkins!) there's not a single silent moment in this movie. Bombast from start to finish. 

And I love it. I think, of the four movies that Katharine Hepburn won Oscars for, this might be my favourite performance. She is so thoroughly convincing as Eleanor of Aquitaine and goes toe-to-toe with Peter O'Toole (who criminally did not win an Oscar for this, or anything ever, cause nothing is fair) and all of her 'sons'. There's not a weak moment for Katharine in this film. From the moment her barge appears on the water in the opening scenes to the moment it disappears with her cackling all the while, it's pure performance. 

Maybe oddly, this is the image of Katharine Hepburn that appears in my mind when I think of her. Not her in her 1940s glam, but in costume as Eleanor of Aquitaine. There's a power to this performance, a commandment that you will watch her. It's hard to take your eyes off of her; even if you know how history plays out, you're still left wondering how she's going to get out of this latest predicament. 

Also, just as an aside, this scene kills me: 

gif by me

You could watch this six times to focus on each actor's reaction in this failed wedding scene, but the way Peter O'Toole shrugs up at the priest and then shuffles off screen to watch as the rest of them act like they're in a reality TV show slays me. The man should've won every Oscar he was nominated for.

As we know, Katharine tied for this win with Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl. They were nominated against Patricia Neal (The Subject Was Roses), Vanessa Redgrave (Isadora), and Joanne Woodward (Rachel, Rachel). I do love Joanne Woodward's performance in Rachel, Rachel, but I'd be hard-pressed to argue with the winners this year. They were both fantastic. 

DID I LIKE THE LION IN WINTER? I love The Lion in Winter. Not a bit of scenery left up after Katharine and Peter O'Toole were finished!
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Did you like The Lion in Winter? What are your thoughts on Katharine Hepburn's third Oscar win?

Keep up with all my Rewatching the Best Actresses posts here!