'Shakespeare in Love' steals show at Oscars

Associated Press Arizona Daily Wildcat Gwyneth Paltrow accepts the Oscar for best actress for her role in "Shakespeare in Love," during the 71st Annual Academy Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles Music Center yesterday night.

LOS ANGELES - In a night of surprises and upsets, the romantic comedy "Shakespeare in Love" won seven Academy Awards yesterday night, including best picture and best actress for Gwyneth Paltrow. Steven Spielberg's bloody World War II epic "Saving Private Ryan" won the prize for directing and four other Oscars.

Roberto Benigni, as an Italian Jew shielding his son from the horrors of the Holocaust in "Life is Beautiful," pulled off a stunning first - winning as best actor in a foreign film. The tragi-comic film, which Benigni also wrote and directed, won additional Oscars for foreign film and dramatic score.

"This is a terrible mistake because I used up all my English," he said, as he leapt to the stage for the second time.

Paltrow, never before nominated, was honored for her role as the object of a young Bard's affections.

"I don't feel very deserving of this in your presence," she said, sobbing, as she named her fellow nominees.

Judi Dench, who played the imperious but fair-minded Queen Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love," and James Coburn, the alcoholic, abusive father in "Affliction," won best supporting Oscars.

"Shakespeare in Love," which led all contenders with 13 nominations, also picked up Oscars for original screenplay, art direction, costume design and musical or comedy score.

"Elizabeth," another best picture nominee, won just one award, for makeup, while the fifth contender, "The Thin Red Line," Terrence Malick's comeback movie about WWII in the Pacific, was shut out.

"Saving Private Ryan" also took prizes for cinematography, editing, sound and sound effects editing.

"Am I allowed to say I really wanted this?" Spielberg joked as he accepted his second directing Oscar. His first was for "Schindler's List" in 1993.

Spielberg earnestly expressed gratitude to all families who lost sons in World War II, and addressing his father, a veteran, said: "Dad, this is for you."

The split between best picture and director marked the first time since 1989 the prizes went to different movies. That year, "Driving Miss Daisy" won as best picture, while Oliver Stone was named best director for "Born on the Fourth of July."

The unflinchingly realistic "Private Ryan" had looked as if it might become a runaway favorite early in the evening when it picked up the editing and cinematography, which are often precursors of best picture.

But "Shakespeare in Love," with its clever dialogue and showbusiness anachronisms, obviously entranced the Academy's voters. It was what Hollywood has seen little of in recent years: a literate, believable romance that had a lot of fun - not to mention beautiful and handsome stars.

In the longest Oscars awards show ever (four hours, two minutes), the most controversial moment came and went quickly, as director Elia Kazan - reviled by some for naming names during the McCarthy era - stepped out to accept a lifetime achievement award. Many members of the audience applauded heartily, some stood, while others, like actors Nick Nolte and Ed Harris, sat silently.

Besides Benigni, the only performer in a foreign language film to win an Oscar was Sophia Loren for "Two Women" in 1961.

Fittingly, it was Miss Loren who presented him with his first award of the night. The perpetually ebullient Benigni clambered over the backs of seats and hopped onto the stage after Loren openly rooted for her fellow Italian and announced his foreign film victory.