Fox
Oscar Nominations: 4
Picture, produced by Robert B. Radnitz
Actor: Paul Winfield
Actress: Cicely Tyson
Screenplay (Adapted): Lonne Elder III
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context
The major competition in the 1972 Oscar race was between Coppola's “The Godfather” and Bob Fosse's musical “Chicago,” with each winning 10 nominations. The Academy voters split the major awards between The Godfather and Chicago, which won 8 out of its 10 nominations, including Best Director.
The other three films nominated for the top award were: John Boorman's “Deliverance, with 3 nods; the foreign-language “The Emigrants,” with 4, and Martin Ritt's Depression era saga “Sounder,” also with 4.
It's noteworthy that for the first time in Oscar's history, two black actresses were nominated for Best Actress in the same year, the other being Diana Ross for “Lady Sings the Blues.” In 1972, Marlon Brando won the Best Actor for “The Godfather,” and Liza Minnelli the Best Actress for “Cabaret.”
