US (1973): Comedy/Drama
This filmization of John Jay Osborn Jr.'s novel ended up one of the surprise hits of the 1973-74 movie season. Timothy Bottoms stars as Hart, a brilliant but naïve Minnesota-born first-year student at the Harvard Law School. Like most of his fellow aspiring attorneys, Hart is in fearful awe of his demanding, ego-deflating instructor, Professor Kingsfield (John Houseman). He is not so much intimidated by Kingsfield, however, as to resist falling in love with the professor's pretty daughter (Lindsay Wagner). An eminent theatrical and film producer, Houseman won an Oscar for his first important film role (no, it wasn't his first film role ever; he'd played an unbilled cameo in 1964's Seven Days in May), launching Houseman on a latter-day acting career wherein he spent most of his time playing variations of Kingsfield. Houseman also recreated the role for a "Paper Chase" TV series, which ran first on network television in 1978, then on cable. James Bridges directs for 20th Century-Fox. The cast also features Graham Beckel, James Naughton, Edward Herrmann and Craig Richard Nelson. (Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)
3 nominations, 1 Award
· Supporting Actor 1973: John Houseman
· Writing (Screenplay based on material from another medium) 1973: James Bridges
· Sound 1973: Donald O. Mitchell, Lawrence O. Jost