George Cukor: Top Oscar Directors for Actors
Known as a refined “woman’s director,” George Cukor has had his considerable output either relegated to the sidelines or simply dismissed by those who like their directors macho and their films male-centered. Not helping matters is the general perception that Cukor was merely a hired hand for the likes of David O. Selznick at RKO and Louis B. Mayer at MGM, not an auteur following a clear professional path. Except, of course, for the (assumed) fact that he was a woman’s director — and we’re back to square one.
In truth, George Cukor was one of the most remarkable directors of the studio era. Like Elia Kazan, Cukor served his apprenticeship in the theater, thus developing into an excellent actor’s director. Actor’s. Regardless of gender.
Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Rosalind Russell in The Women
Because Cukor was gay, some have claimed that his sexual orientation explains his flair for directing actresses and for handling projects revolving around women. By having sex with guys, he is supposed to have somehow been more attuned to his “feminine” self, and thus able to bring out the best of Katharine Hepburn (in 10 films, including two made-for-TV movies), Joan Crawford (four times), Norma Shearer (three times), Marie Dressler (right, in Dinner at 8), Jean Harlow, and Billie Burke.
Also, Kay Francis, Lilyan Tashman, Constance Bennett, Ina Claire, Rosalind Russell, Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert, Jeanne Crain, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, Judy Holliday, Sophia Loren, Anna Magnani, and Teresa Wright.
And more: Greer Garson, Angela Lansbury, Ruth Hussey, Lana Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Claire Bloom, Shelley Winters, Jane Fonda, Glynis Johns, Thelma Ritter, Jean Simmons, Maggie Smith, Jacqueline Bisset, and Candice Bergen, among others.
The list is impressive, though one must remember that Cukor worked mostly at RKO and MGM, two studios that, while Cukor was under contract, relied heavily on the star power of their female stars. Other RKO and MGM contract directors, regardless of their sexual orientation, also had to handle star vehicles for Garbo and Crawford and Shearer and Hepburn, and so on.
Additionally, the “gay sensibility” nonsense ignores the fact — and that is a fact — that Cukor was equally adept at directing male actors. Clark Gable may have gotten Cukor fired from the Gone with the Wind set, but the Oscar list below includes Fredric March, Basil Rathbone, Charles Boyer, James Mason, Anthony Quinn, and no less than three male Oscar winners, James Stewart, Ronald Colman, and Rex Harrison.
William Holden, Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday
Cukor also guided numerous other male stars, including Spencer Tracy (five times), Cary Grant (three times), John Barrymore (three times), William Holden, Melvyn Douglas, David Manners (right, with Katharine Hepburn in A Bill of Divorcement), Laurence Olivier, Jack Lemmon, Aldo Ray, Gene Kelly, and Brian Aherne.
Also, Edmund Lowe, Lionel Barrymore, Edmund Gwenn, Herbert Marshall, Broderick Crawford, Robert Taylor, Maurice Chevalier, Lew Ayres, W. C. Fields, Freddie Bartholomew, Joseph Cotten, Yves Montand, Anthony Franciosa, Edmond O’Brien.
And more: Anthony Perkins, Wallace Beery, Joel McCrea, Phillips Holmes, Paul Lukas, Lowell Sherman, Neil Hamilton, Stewart Granger, Robert Mitchum, Dirk Bogarde, Lon McCallister, Steve Forrest, Peter Lawford, Scott Brady, Michael York, and Leslie Howard.
Perhaps by having sex with men, Cukor was able to absorb some of the masculine vibes of his partners. Or perhaps it takes a real man to do it with another. No matter.
In any case, Cukor himself received five best direction nominations: Little Women, 1932/33; The Philadelphia Story, 1940; A Double Life, 1947; Born Yesterday, 1950; and My Fair Lady, 1964. He won for the last film.
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Tags: A Double Life, A Star Is Born, Academy Awards, Aldo Ray, Angela Lansbury, Anna Magnani, Anthony Franciosa, Anthony Perkins, Anthony Quinn, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Basil Rathbone, Billie Burke, Born Yesterday, Brian Aherne, Broderick Crawford, Camille, Candice Bergen, Cary Grant, Charles Boyer, Claire Bloom, Clark Gable, Classic Movies, Claudette Colbert, Constance Bennett, Cyril Gardner, David Manners, David O. Selznick, Deborah Kerr, Dinner at 8, Dirk Bogarde, Edmond O'Brien, Edmund Gwenn, Edmund Lowe, Edward My Son, Elia Kazan, Film Awards, Freddie Bartholomew, Fredric March, Gaslight, Gay Interest, Gene Kelly, George Cukor, Gladys Cooper, Glynis Johns, Gone with the Wind, Greer Garson, Greta Garbo, Herbert Marshall, Ina Claire, Jack Lemmon, Jacqueline Bisset, James Mason, James Stewart, Jane Fonda, Jean Harlow, Jean Simmons, Jeanne Crain, Joan Crawford, Joel McCrea, John Barrymore, Joseph Cotten, Judy Garland, Judy Holliday, Katharine Hepburn, Kay Francis, Lana Turner, Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard, Lew Ayres, Lilyan Tashman, Lionel Barrymore, Little Women, Lon McCallister, Louis B. Mayer, Lowell Sherman, Maggie Smith, Marie Dressler, Marilyn Monroe, Maurice Chevalier, Melvyn Douglas, Michael York, My Fair Lady, Neil Hamilton, Norma Shearer, Paul Lukas, Peter Lawford, Phillips Holmes, Rex Harrison, Robert Mitchum, Robert Taylor, Romeo and Juliet, Ronald Colman, Rosalind Russell, Ruth Hussey, Scott Brady, Shelley Winters, Sophia Loren, Spencer Tracy, Stanley Holloway, Steve Forrest, Stewart Granger, Teresa Wright, The Philadelphia Story, The Royal Family of Broadway, The Women, Thelma Ritter, Travels with My Aunt, W. C. Fields, Wallace Beery, Wild Is the Wind, William Holden, Yves Montand
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George Cukor was a brilliantly director. I loved “A Star is Born”. Judy Garland was absolutely outstanding. She was the best in this film.
I wish there were directors like Mr. Cukor. We will NEVER see films made like that every again!