An X-Rated ‘Midnight Cowboy,’ a Boorish Bob Hope and a Divided Hollywood: Looking Back at the 1970 Oscars
variety.comBrent Lang Executive Editor It was supposed to be a night of celebration, but as the Academy Awards unfolded on April 7, 1970, there was a sense of anxiety and dissatisfaction gripping the movie business.
Much like today, the industry was being divided by changing tastes and sensibilities, struggling to remain relevant in a period of social upheaval.
Just before Bob Hope took the stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to the familiar refrain of “Thanks for the Memory,” John Wayne introduced the comic as “everybody’s friend.” But in an opening monologue, Hope made it clear to the audience that he was aligned with one ideological group in Hollywood.
And even as he smiled good-naturedly, the biting tone of his jokes revealed that he was none too pleased with the direction that the movies were heading in. “This is really a night to remember,” Hope said. “It’s such a novelty seeing actors and actresses with their clothes on.” He went on to crack: “This will go down in history as the cinema season that proved that crime doesn’t pay, but there’s a fortune in adultery, incest and homosexuality.” Looking back at the films that were up for top prizes at the 1970 ceremony, it’s easy to see what had Hope so animated.
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