One of the shortest lists in show business is the roster of EGOTs: artists who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.
According to egotwinners.com, there are but 13, including Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli.
Mike Nichols won a Grammy for his sublime comedic performance with Elaine May; an Emmy for his direction of “Wit,” a 2001 HBO production that Roger Ebert liked so much he made room for it on his list of the 10 best films that year; an Oscar for directing “The Graduate,” and a Tony.
Actually, make that an incredible nine Tonys.
Many if not most of the headlines about the death of the legendary Nichols singled out “The Graduate,” and it is an iconic film, but I wouldn’t even put it among Nichols’ top half-dozen.
Not that I don’t recognize its place in history. The famous lines, such as “Mrs. Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?” and simply, “Plastics.” The timeless Simon & Garfunkel songs. But released in 1967, “The Graduate” was based on a 1963 novel, and it already seemed a little bit behind the times given what was happening in the world at the time. Not to mention the mere six-year age difference between Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman, which seemed pretty obvious on film.
But even if I don’t revere “The Graduate” as much as some, I’ve long been amazed at how prolific, how versatile, how gifted Mr. Nichols was. He was one of the all-time greats.
In chronological order, my favorite Mike Nichols films:
“Catch-22.” Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry did a masterful job of adapting Joseph Heller’s brilliant novel. There were numerous changes, but Heller reportedly admired the 1970 movie and even said he wished he had come up with some of the scenes Henry created. Though set in World War II, “Catch-22” spoke some universal truths about the madness of war, and how you’d have to be crazy to fly bombing missions, but that didn’t necessarily make you insane. Great work from Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin and Bob Newhart, among others.
In 1983, Nichols directed “Silkwood,” which stands with “Norma Rae” and “Erin Brockovich” as one of the great modern movies about a seemingly ordinary woman rising to the level of hero. Meryl Streep, who often worked with Nichols, strips away all movie-star trappings and disappears into the character of Karen Silkwood. As Karen’s voice grows increasingly louder about dangers at the nuclear power plant where she works, Nichols builds the tension in expert fashion.
Related
Mike Nichols, crafter of films and plays, dies at 83
Mike Nichols’ career began in theater at University of Chicago
LISTEN, WATCH: Twittersphere reacts to death of Mike Nichols
Streep and Nichols also teamed up for “Postcards from the Edge,” one of Nichols’ funniest and most colorful films. In this old-fashioned Hollywood tale based on Carrie Fisher’s darkly funny and frank memoir, Streep plays Suzanne Vale, the daughter of show business royalty, played by Shirley MacLaine. Who better than Mike Nichols to make a movie about movie people? Gene Hackman and Dennis Quaid are terrific in supporting roles. This is maybe Streep’s funniest performance, and she’s a hell of a singer as well. “Postcards” is further proof Mike Nichols could direct the hell out of any genre.
With “Primary Colors,” Nichols continued his mastery at finding popular, well-written, intriguing novels and turning them into smart, entertaining mainstream fare. When I read the book I never would have thought of John Travolta and Emma Thompson as thinly disguised versions of Bill and Hillary Clinton, but they were terrific in this shrewd, cynical yet occasionally warm-hearted satire. Nichols’ longtime partner in comedy Elaine May wrote the screenplay. That Mr. Nichols had so many long-term working relationships with so many great talents speaks volumes about the respect and love they had for him.
Nichols was also as good as anyone when it came to movies that were essentially fleshed-out stage productions. In “Closer,” Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen and Jude Law shine in a sometimes brutal story of love, betrayal, raw sexuality and the nature of chance. It’s one of Nichols’ toughest films to watch — almost designed to make you feel uncomfortable. But it’s yet another example of the incredibly wide range of colors on Nichols’ palette.
Another great political satire: “Charlie Wilson’s War” (2007). Once again, the casting is inspired — Tom Hanks as a playboy congressman from Texas, Philip Seymour Hoffman as a Greek-American CIA officer, Julia Roberts as a wealthy, politically active Texas socialite, and Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, both of whom were just emerging as familiar faces.
Throughout his career, Nichols was equally adept at working with the legends, and nurturing the careers of young talent. He was one of best directors film and Broadway have ever known.
