The actor and Navy vet Ernest Borgnine, who’s spent six decades in Hollywood starring in McHale’s Navy and voicing a part in SpongeBob SquarePants, is set to receive in January the Screen Actors Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award, something the Rhode Island International Film Festival already handed him. But Borgnine, 93, was a total meanie about Brokeback Mountain, a film he didn’t care for because, eww, gays are yucky. And now his eligibility for the SAG honor is being questioned!
The LAT‘s Tom O’Neil relives history:
While Borgnine’s work ethic is admirable — he has three films due out this year — his personal politics are less than laudable. Four years ago, he waded into the discussion about the merits of the movie “Brokeback Mountain,” the first film to feature A-list talent in a gay love story. As Borgnine told Entertainment Weekly, “I didn’t see it and I don’t care to see it. I know they say it’s a good picture, but I don’t care to see it.” Then he added, “If John Wayne were alive, he’d be rolling over in his grave!”
Such sentiments were widespread enough in Hollywood to cause “Brokeback Mountain” to stumble in the home stretch of the awards derby. The film was the front-runner after having been named the best picture of the year by 23 award groups, including the Producers Guild, BAFTA, Indie Spirits, Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., New York Film Critics Circle, the Broadcast Film Critics Assn. and the Golden Globes (where “Crash” wasn’t even nominated).
So far, the newspaper’s poll has readers favoring Borgnine receiving the award by a 63-37 vote. But shouldn’t the real question be: Borgnine might have never seen Brokeback, but has anybody seen Borgnine’s A Grandpa for Christmas? No? Any takers?
Tallskin
Ah, nasty old Ernest Borga Neeney.
Nah, don’t give the old anal-pimple an award.
////While Borga Neeney’s work ethic is admirable..
****LOL why does the crotchety old reactionary’s work ethic even get a mention? Who cares?
Mr. Enemabag Jones
but has anybody seen Borgnine’s A Grandpa for Christmas?
Twice.
This was hard for me, because I love Ernest Borgnine–“Marty” is one of my top 5 fave films.
You don’t like her. My mother don’t like her. She’s a dog. And I’m a fat, ugly man.
He’s done a lot of great work over the years.
I wondered how someone who showed so much emotion, and played a character who went through the kind of longing, and feelings of separation that Marty went through; how could he dismiss the exact same sentiment in Brokeback Mountain?
I suppose his being a born again Christian had something to do with it.
The strange thing is, I have NEVER forgiven Tony Curtis for what he said about BBM. And since then, I have never watched another Tony Curtis film
L.
The guy is effing *93*. I know many so-called senior citizens are supportive of LGBT people and rights, but let’s admit most belong to a different time – a different millennium, even.
I don’t care if he finds me repulsive because he’s not representative of my world today (and a good thing too.)
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
I hate what the crusty ole’ bastard said about the film only because he was spewing hate toward the Gays. However,if he said he didn’t like Brokeback Mountain because the film sucked,I would have agreed with him 100%. I went into that film expecting to see two old cowboys living happily ever after on the ranch growing old and Gay togheter. What it showed was two miserable guys who had miserable lives. One ended up dead the other miserable in his own skin………….
PS: Ya dumb fuck: If John Wayne were alive when Brokeback Mountain came out he wouldn’t be in a grave to do any kind of spinning :p
Kieran
I don’t see why Hollywood shouldn’t honor Borgnine with one of their myriad meaningless awards. I mean it’s not like Ernie said something that could be construed as anti-Jewish or anti-Israel right? What’s the big effin deal?
Joe
It’s an acting award, not a Humanitarian award. Who cares about Borgnine (I guarantee you, no one under the age of 30 probably even knows who he is) and who cares if he is given some dumb award that no one but him will remember?
ousslander
big deal he didn’t want to see the movie becasue he doesn’t want to watch gay love stories. Well we should drag him from his home and lynch him. The effing nerve of the man. All mention of him shoulfd be erased from all records.
declanto
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: If you recall, one of the film’s old gay cowboy pair ended up being dragged to death by his genitalia. Not an inspiring story,to be sure. Ernest Borgnine will eventually step up to face the biological solution to outgrown, outdated mores and opinions. Until then, he’s an interesting social artifact.
David
I don’t care if he doesn’t like entire groups of people. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions. I’ve never seen him preaching against gays, so as far as I’m concerned, no big deal.
I liked McHale’s Navy, haven’t seen him in anything else other than “The Devil’s Rain” which was one of the two movies that were so bad that I asked for my $$$ back (the other was the re-make of War of the Worlds).
Nevertheless, he’s an old fart, entitled to his own views, and when he gives his opinon when asked for it, so what?
Otherwise, if the pundits think he deserves a lifetime award, that’s fine with me. As the plastic surgeon once told a customer, “No skin off my nose.”
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@declanto: Thats what I am saying. I saw that film with a guy I had just started dating. By the way every person was raving about the “beautifull Gay story” I thought it would be a real nice love story, a perfect date movie……..*so very wrong!* :{
jason
“I’ve heard less disgusting things come out of Ernest Borgnine” – Sophia Petrillo, the Golden Girls
Queer Supremacist
Maybe we remind him of his very short marriage to Ethel Merman.
Just sayin’…
Ryken Zane
We just worked with Ernest Bornine on our last Indie Sci-Fi Film ENEMY MIND and did know he had these feelings about Brokeback Mountain.
Brian Delizareaux, who is the producer, of the film is also gay and was offended today after hearing the news. He worked with Ernest and I remember him saying how nice he was to be with. So it all comes as a shock.
Brokeback Mountain was one of Brian’s favorate films. Being gay in Hollywood can be hard even though it seams widely accepted in the country.
We dont’ know how he feels today. Maybe Ernest felt that way during the Oscars and things have changed. Either way it’s brought up a great deal of emotions.
Official Movie Site : http://www.enemy-mind.com
Ryken Zane
We just worked with Ernest Bornine on our last Indie Sci-Fi Film ENEMY MIND and did know he had these feelings about Brokeback Mountain.
Brian Delizareaux, who is the producer, of the film is also gay and was offended today after hearing the news. He worked with Ernest and I remember him saying how nice he was to be with. So it all comes as a shock.
Brokeback Mountain was one of Brian’s favorate films. Being gay in Hollywood can be hard even though it seams widely accepted in the country.
We dont’ know how he feels today. Maybe Ernest felt that way during the Oscars and things have changed. Either way it’s brought up a great deal of emotions.
Official Movie Site : http://www.enemy-mind.com
[img]www.enemy-mind.com[/img]
johnny
Yes man. I think queers are yucky too.
Christine
Most people don’t agree with Hollywood’s feeling about gays. He represented most people. People have all kinds of ideas. Why pick one thing that he believed? We need to let people be and think the way they want. It’s still a free country, for now anyway. He was a great actor and a good man. (I just found out he died. He died 45 minutes ago.) I’m a Christian and I love gays but I think it’s a sin just like lying is a sin. But it’s really complicated. So many guys should have been girls and visa versa. And guys or girls may look normal but inside they are different. Heterosexuals can be sinning horribly by adultry or just being addicted to sex. And I would be careful not to judge people because only God can judge. Only God knows what is going on in each individual mind and heart. I love gays. They have never done anything to hurt me. When we die we all have to face God. Am I better because I have a bad temper? I don’t think so. Sin is sin and “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We will be in his hands at that time.
bigboy82
Ernest was as good as it gets when you talk about a stand up guy that was in hollywood. If you don’t like his opinion about brokeback that’s tough shit. God isn’t interested in your opinion either and you can rest assured humpback mountain won’t be on the big screen in heaven !