And the Academy Award Goes To... 

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And the Academy Award Goes To...

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Paul Gambaccini traces the history of the Oscars and tells the story behind winning films

Paul Gambaccini traces the history of the Oscars and tells the story behind award-winning films

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And the Academy Award Goes To...: Series 5: Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy

Series 5

BBC Radio 4 - And the Academy Award Goes To..., Series 5, Midnight Cowboy

Dustin Hoffman's 1969 post-Graduate role as a sleazy pimp stands the test of time.

Dustin Hoffman as a sleazy pimp? Paul Gambaccini on the story behind Best Picture winner for 1969, Midnight Cowboy. From 2015.

An X–rated picture winning the Oscar for Best Picture? 

From squeaky clean, well-shaved 'Graduate', to sleazy pimp - Dustin Hoffman shows his acting prowess in John Schlesinger's well-deserved but shocking Oscar Best Picture from 1969. 

Paul Gambaccini recalls how it was not a surprise when 'Midnight Cowboy' won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1969 - not to mention gongs for the director, John Schlesinger, and screen writer, Waldo Salt.

But take a fresh look at this film, 45 years later, and it's obvious why it blasted its way passed the opposition at the Academy Awards. 

The film was rife with acting talent; a young Dustin Hoffman, messing up his clean cut reputation by taking on the role of a down at heel New York bum; Jon Voight as a naïve but optimistic hustler; Brenda Vaccaro as a lush, fur-coated party girl and Sylvia Miles hilarious in a short but lauded sex scene.

It also brought one of the most extraordinary scriptwriters, Waldo Salt, and one of the first 'out' directors, John Schlesinger, together with one of the least experienced, but adventurous cinematographers, Adam Holender - a moment of production chemistry.

Featuring fresh interviews with:  

Adam Holender
Sylvia Miles
Producer Jerome Hellman
Brenda Vaccaro 
Waldo Salt's daughter Jennifer
John Schlesinger's long-term partner, Michael Childers

Producer: Sara Jane Hall

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.

And the Academy Award Goes To...: Series 5

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Paul Gambaccini tells the story behind award-winning films

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