57th Academy Awards

57th Academy Awards
57th Academy Awards
Date	March 25, 1985
Site	Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Hosted by	Jack Lemmon
Produced by	Gregory Peck; Robert Wise; Larry Gelbart; Gene Allen
Directed by	Marty Pasetta
Highlights
Best Picture	Amadeus
Most awards	Amadeus (8)
Most nominations	Amadeus and A Passage to India (11)
TV in the United States
Network	ABC
Duration	3 hours, 10 minutes
	← 56th; Academy Awards; 58th →;

The 57th Academy Awards were presented on March 25, 1985, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, and were hosted by Jack Lemmon.

This ceremony marked the first time that multiple black nominees would win an Oscar, when Prince and Stevie Wonder won for their respective work on Purple Rain and The Woman in Red. Additionally, it was the only time that all five nominees in Best Original Song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

While presenting the Best Picture award, Laurence Olivier forgot to list the nominees and simply tore open the envelope to declare: "Amadeus!".^[1] Upon accepting the award on the film's behalf, producer Saul Zaentz had the presence of mind to mention the other Best Picture nominees during his speech to make up for Olivier's flub.

The Best Picture win for Amadeus was one of the film's leading eight wins, having also won Best Director for Miloš Forman and Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham, who beat Tom Hulce to the honor in what would become, as of 2024, the last time two actors from the same film would be nominated in Best Actor.

Other winners included The Killing Fields with three awards, A Passage to India and Places in the Heart with two, and Charade, Dangerous Moves, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Purple Rain, The Stone Carvers, The Times of Harvey Milk, Up, and The Woman in Red with one.

Awards

Saul Zaentz, Best Picture winner

Miloš Forman, Best Director winner

F. Murray Abraham, Best Actor winner

Sally Field, Best Actress winner

Haing S. Ngor, Best Supporting Actor winner

Peggy Ashcroft, Best Supporting Actress winner

Peter Shaffer, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium winner

Rob Epstein, Best Documentary Feature co-winner

Prince, Best Original Song Score winner

Stevie Wonder, Best Original Song winner

Todd Boekelheide, Best Sound co-winner

Dick Smith, Best Makeup co-winner

Theodor Pištěk, Best Costume Design winner

Dennis Muren, Best Visual Effects co-winner

Nominees were announced on February 6, 1985. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).^[2]^[3]

Best Picture	Best Director
Amadeus – Saul Zaentz, producer‡ The Killing Fields – David Puttnam, producer A Passage to India – John Brabourne and Richard B. Goodwin, producers Places in the Heart – Arlene Donovan, producer A Soldier's Story – Norman Jewison, Ronald L. Schwary and Patrick Palmer, producers	Miloš Forman – Amadeus‡ Woody Allen – Broadway Danny Rose Roland Joffé – The Killing Fields David Lean – A Passage to India Robert Benton – Places in the Heart
Best Actor	Best Actress
F. Murray Abraham – Amadeus as Antonio Salieri‡ Jeff Bridges – Starman as Starman/Scott Hayden Albert Finney – Under the Volcano as Geoffrey Firmin Tom Hulce – Amadeus as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sam Waterston – The Killing Fields as Sydney Schanberg	Sally Field – Places in the Heart as Edna Spalding‡ Judy Davis – A Passage to India as Adela Quested Jessica Lange – Country as Jewell Ivy Vanessa Redgrave – The Bostonians as Olive Chancellor Sissy Spacek – The River as Mae Garvey
Best Supporting Actor	Best Supporting Actress
Haing S. Ngor – The Killing Fields as Dith Pran‡ Adolph Caesar – A Soldier's Story as Sgt. Waters John Malkovich – Places in the Heart as Mr. Will Pat Morita – The Karate Kid as Kesuke Miyagi Ralph Richardson (posthumous nomination) – Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes as 6th Earl of Greystoke	*Peggy Ashcroft – A Passage to India* as Mrs. Moore*‡ Glenn Close – The Natural as* Iris Gaines Lindsay Crouse – Places in the Heart as Margaret Lomax Christine Lahti – Swing Shift as Hazel Zanussi Geraldine Page – The Pope of Greenwich Village as Mrs. Ritter
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen	Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Places in the Heart – Robert Benton‡ Beverly Hills Cop – Screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr.; Story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. Broadway Danny Rose – Woody Allen The North – Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas Splash – Screenplay by Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel and Bruce Jay Friedman; Screen Story by Bruce Jay Friedman based on a story by Brian Grazer	Amadeus – Peter Shaffer based on his play‡ Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – P. H. Vazak^[a] and Michael Austin^[4] based on the novel Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs The Killing Fields – Bruce Robinson based on the article "The Death and Life of Dith Pran" by Sydney Schanberg A Passage to India – David Lean based on the novel by E. M. Forster A Soldier's Story – Charles Fuller based on his play A Soldier's Play
Best Foreign Language Film	Best Documentary Feature
Dangerous Moves (Switzerland)‡ Beyond the Walls (Israel) Camila (Argentina) Double Feature (Spain) Wartime Romance (USSR)	The Times of Harvey Milk – Robert Epstein and Richard Schmiechen‡ High Schools – Charles Guggenheim and Nancy Sloss In the Name of the People – Alex W. Drehsler and Frank Christopher Marlene – Karel Dirka and Zev Braun Streetwise – Cheryl McCall
Best Documentary Short Subject	Best Live Action Short Film
The Stone Carvers – Marjorie Hunt and Paul Wagner‡ The Children of Soong Ching Ling – Gary Bush and Paul T.K. Lin Code Gray: Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing – Ben Achtenberg and Joan Sawyer The Garden of Eden – Lawrence R. Hott and Roger M. Sherman Recollections of Pavlovsk – Irina Kalinina	Up – Mike Hoover‡ The Painted Door – Michael MacMillan, Janice L. Platt and Robert Verrall Tales of Meeting and Parting – Sharon Oreck and Lesli Linka Glatter
Best Animated Short Film	Best Original Score
Charade – Jon Minnis‡ Doctor DeSoto – Morton Schindel and Michael Sporn Paradise – Ishu Patel	A Passage to India – Maurice Jarre‡ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – John Williams The Natural – Randy Newman The River – John Williams Under the Volcano – Alex North
Best Original Song Score	Best Original Song
Purple Rain – Prince‡ The Muppets Take Manhattan – Jeff Moss Songwriter – Kris Kristofferson	*"I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red* – Music and Lyrics by Stevie Wonder*‡ "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" from Against All Odds* – Music and Lyrics by Phil Collins "Footloose" from Footloose – Music and Lyrics by Kenny Loggins and Dean Pitchford "Let's Hear It for the Boy" from Footloose – Music and Lyrics by Dean Pitchford and Tom Snow "Ghostbusters" from Ghostbusters – Music and Lyrics by Ray Parker Jr.
Best Sound	Best Art Direction
Amadeus – Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Todd Boekelheide and Chris Newman‡ 2010 –Michael J. Kohut, Aaron Rochin, Carlos Delarios and Gene Cantamessa Dune – Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Kevin O'Connell and Nelson Stoll A Passage to India – Graham V. Hartstone, Nicolas Le Messurier, Michael A. Carter and John W. Mitchell The River – Nick Alphin, Robert Thirlwell, Richard Portman and David M. Ronne	Amadeus – Art Direction: Patrizia von Brandenstein; Set Decoration: Karel Černý‡ 2010 – Art Direction: Albert Brenner; Set Decoration: Rick Simpson The Cotton Club – Art Direction: Richard Sylbert; Set Decoration: George Gaines and Leslie Bloom The Natural – Art Direction: Mel Bourne, Angelo P. Graham, James J. Murakami and Speed Hopkins; Set Decoration: Bruce Weintraub A Passage to India – Art Direction: John Box and Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Hugh Scaife
Best Cinematography	Best Makeup
The Killing Fields – Chris Menges‡ Amadeus – Miroslav Ondříček The Natural – Caleb Deschanel A Passage to India – Ernest Day The River – Vilmos Zsigmond	Amadeus – Dick Smith and Paul LeBlanc‡ 2010 – Michael Westmore Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes – Rick Baker and Paul Engelen
Best Costume Design	Best Film Editing
Amadeus – Theodor Pištěk‡ 2010 – Patricia Norris The Bostonians – Jenny Beavan and John Bright A Passage to India – Judy Moorcroft Places in the Heart – Ann Roth	The Killing Fields – Jim Clark‡ Amadeus – Nena Danevic and Michael Chandler The Cotton Club – Barry Malkin and Robert Q. Lovett A Passage to India – David Lean Romancing the Stone – Donn Cambern and Frank Morriss
Best Visual Effects
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – Dennis Muren, Michael J. McAlister, Lorne Peterson and George Gibbs‡ 2010 – Richard Edlund, Neil Krepela, George Jenson and Mark Stetson Ghostbusters – Richard Edlund, John Bruno, Mark Vargo and Chuck Gaspar

Honorary Academy Awards

James Stewart "for his fifty years of memorable performances. For his high ideals both on and off the screen. With the respect and affection of his colleagues."
National Endowment for the Arts "in recognition of its 20th anniversary and its dedicated commitment to fostering artistic and creative activity and excellence in every area of the arts."

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

David L. Wolper

Special Achievement Academy Award

The River – Kay Rose for Sound Effects Editing

Films with multiple nominations and awards

Films with multiple nominations
Nominations	Film
11	Amadeus
11	A Passage to India
7	The Killing Fields
7	Places in the Heart
5	2010: The Year We Make Contact
5	The River
4	The Natural
3	Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
3	A Soldier's Story
2	The Bostonians
	Broadway Danny Rose
	The Cotton Club
	Footloose
	Ghostbusters
	Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
	Under the Volcano

Films with multiple wins
Awards	Film
8	Amadeus
3	The Killing Fields
2	A Passage to India
2	Places in the Heart

Presenters and performers

The following persons, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.^[5]

Presenters

Name	Role
Hank Simms	Announcer for the 57th Academy Awards
Gene Allen (AMPAS President)	Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
Linda Hunt	Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actor
Michael Douglas	Presenter of the award for Best Documentary Short
Kathleen Turner	Presenter of the award for Best Documentary Feature
Kelly LeBrock Lonette McKee	Presenters of the award for Best Makeup
Gregory Hines Amy Irving	Presenters of the award for Best Sound
Diana Ross Tom Selleck	Presenters of the award for Best Cinematography
Ryan O'Neal	Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actress
Gene Kelly	Presenter of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to David L. Wolper
Steve Martin	Presenter of the award for Best Art Direction
Janet Leigh	Presenter of the Scientific & Technical Awards
Candice Bergen William Hurt	Presenters of the award for Best Visual Effects
Glenn Close	Presenter of the Honorary Award to the National Endowment for the Arts
Kirk Douglas Burt Lancaster	Presenters of the Writing Awards
Jeff Bridges Ann Reinking	Presenters of the award for Best Original Score
Michael Douglas Kathleen Turner	Presenters of the award for Best Original Song Score
Jennifer Beals Glenn Close	Presenters of the award for Best Costume Design
Jeff Bridges Ann Reinking	Presenters of the award for Best Animated Short Film
Tom Selleck Kathleen Turner	Presenters of the award for Best Live Action Short Film
Shirley MacLaine	Presenter of the award for Best Actor
Gregory Hines	Presenter of the award for Best Original Song
Geneviève Bujold William Hurt	Presenters of the award for Best Film Editing
Cary Grant	Presenter of the Honorary Award to James Stewart
Plácido Domingo Faye Dunaway	Presenters of the award for Best Foreign Language Film
Steven Spielberg	Presenter of the award for Best Director
Robert Duvall	Presenter of the award for Best Actress
Laurence Olivier	Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers

Name	Role	Performed
Bill Conti	Musical arranger and conductor	Orchestral
Ray Parker Jr. Dom DeLuise	Performers	"Ghostbusters" from Ghostbusters
Deniece Williams	Performer	"Let's Hear It for the Boy" from Footloose
Ann Reinking	Performer	"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" from Against All Odds
Lonette McKee Willie Nelson Kris Kristofferson	Performers	“How Do You Feel about Foolin’ Around?”, “On the Road Again” and “Amazing Grace”
Debbie Allen	Performer	"Footloose" from Footloose
Diana Ross	Performer	"I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red
Academy Awards Orchestra	Performers	"They Say It's Wonderful" (orchestral) from Annie Get Your Gun during the closing credits

Notes

^ Robert Towne was credited as P. H. Vazak

References

^ "Oscars: The worst ever gaffes". The Observer. January 31, 2009.
^ "The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
^ "The Official Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Select "1984" in the "Award Year(s)" drop-down menu and press "Search".
^ "Here's complete list of this year's Oscar nominees". The Montreal Gazette. AP. February 7, 1985. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
^ Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 654

Sources

Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (5 ed.), New York, New York, United States: Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-3454-0053-6, OCLC 779680732

[Towne-Vazak-4] Robert Towne was credited as P. H. Vazak

[1] "Oscars: The worst ever gaffes". The Observer. January 31, 2009.

[Oscars1985-2] "The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2011.

[3] "The Official Academy Awards Database". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Select "1984" in the "Award Year(s)" drop-down menu and press "Search".

[5] "Here's complete list of this year's Oscar nominees". The Montreal Gazette. AP. February 7, 1985. Retrieved November 11, 2012.

[MFEO-6] Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 654

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