Diane Ladd

    She left this world at 89 and left behind a career spanning 70 years and hundreds of movies and TV appearances. She liked to work and producers and casting agents were happy to have her available. Highlighting the movie career of Diane Ladd is not an easy job, but of course Mr. Movie will take a crack at it.

    As far as Oscar nominations, she struck out: 0 for 3. I’m starting with the three for which she should have won. In Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) she played Flo. The main character, Alice, is portrayed by Ellen Burstyn. Due to bad luck, Alice winds up at a Mel’s diner in Arizona. Flo is her funny, outspoken colleague. Ms. Ladd was nominated for Supporting Actress for  her role, but lost to Ingrid Bergman for Murder on the Orient Express. Ms. Burstyn did win the Best Actress Oscar. Ms Ladd's turn as Flo still charms after 50 years.

Wild At Heart (1990) is quite a ride. Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern are unlikely lovers Sailor and Lula, who dodge in and out of the law throughout. Diane Ladd is Lula’s mother, not exactly Mother Of The Year. In fact, she is considered the Wicked Witch of the West. Ms Dern is also her daughter in real life. Ms Ladd plays it to the hilt and earned her second Oscar nomination. Alas, she lost again, this time to Whoopi Goldbert for Ghost. The frantic pace of the film is not to all tastes, but if you watch it, just stay with it. The strange ending is reward enough.

Rambling Rose (1991) from the William Price Fox novel features a sweet Southern family put to the test by Rose (Laura Dern), a homeless waif who comes to live with them and be a maid and caretaker for Buddy, their little boy. Robert Duvall portrays the father of the Hillyer clan. Diane Ladd is credited simply as “Mother”. Rose is, to put it mildly, a distraction and disturbance in the home. Father tries to get rid of her while Mother stanchly defends her. Rose rambles indeed. Ms. Ladd received her third Oscar nomination for this film, but lost to Mercedes Ruehel for The Fisher King. This time I have to say Ms Ladd was robbed- what were they thinking?

Chinatown (1974) got a whopping eleven Oscar nominations. But won only for the screenplay. Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes who tends to stick his nose into places better left alone. The plot is all about the Water Wars of the 1930's, which ended up allowing Los Angeles to grow into a megacity. Faye Dunaway is the slippery Evelyn and John Huston is the sleaziest old man in town. Ms. Ladd’s role as Ida Sessions is decidely a minor one. 

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) is the scary adaptation of a Ray Bradbury short story which Bradbury himself adapted. Two young boys, Jim and Will, who are best pals and live next door to each other, slip out and find Mr. Dark’s carnival. It is indeed dark. Diane Ladd plays Jim’s mother, Mrs. Nightshade, and is one of the few normal characters in the movie. 

    All of these films are for adults.