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Spielberg's epic "War Horse" for DreamWorks came thundering down the pike with a huge premiere
back at Alice Tully Hall with posters of Lincoln Center's Tony winning theatrical "War Horse" with their
indelible puppets in the background. Steven paid homage to legends John Ford and David Lean and the
country fell in love with a horse named Joey and his fourteen stand-ins.

Studios worked their stars to the bone. Ironically, Harvey's independent French talent who lived in Paris
were not as available as their competitors, therefore Uggie became a super star igniting a pet war.

Christopher Plummer, who had best supporting actor in the bag promoted his Jack Russell, Cosmo.
Diminutive Scorsese was seen on TV on a small couch with his large Doberman, Blackie drooling on his
suit. Spielberg never got a chance to trot out his lead horse Joey, previously seen in "Seabiscuit" because
his ravishing reddish coat was now darkened for another role.

By December, as film critics bestowed their own awards upon many films, Stephen Daldry struggled to
finish "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" with a new score. There was buzz Daldry could be editing
the winner. Producer Scott Rudin juggled his astounding three films in one year from Daldry, Miller and
David Fincher directing "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

Daldry had received three consecutive directing nominations. In January, for his fourth film, he received
a best picture nomination, for a boy's emotional journey dealing with 9/11, and the nine films were
officially off and running. Forty-five film and media groups handed out awards leading up to Oscar night.

Wednesday, February 22

My airplane seatmate to LAX was Sony Classics Michael Barker. The night before Woody Allen had
shown Michael "Nero Fiddled", his latest film shot in Rome rumored to be his best.

When Woody won the Oscar Sunday night, for a record breaking 23rd overall nomination, he had just
finished pasta a Sette Mezzo on Lexington Avenue with art dealer Lorinda Ash and Soon-Yi. He went
home and watched the N.B.A. All-Star game. Soon-Yi watched the awards show on a delay in another
room. By the time Woody won, he fell asleep and Soon-Yi didn't want to wake him. The next morning
he went to the breakfast table alone and read in The New York Times he won. He had to think it was a
good omen and he would not catch a cold that day.

Before Michael and I flattened our recliner chairs for the big sleep, I told him I felt confident his Iranian
film, "A Separation" was winning best foreign picture. He told me "The Artist" would take best picture
and director. Actor was a tight race between Brad Pitt, Jean Dujardin, the "Clooney of France" and the
real George Clooney. George was essentially running against a version of himself, which only slightly
amused him.

The biggest dilemma was Viola vs. Meryl. Michael picked Meryl as New Yorkers did. "The Help" had
taken on a life of its own lead by vivacious Viola in LA. "The Iron Lady", a much criticized film showcased
Meryl's tour de force performance. Few knew at the last minute, on President's weekend Harvey's shout
out, "She hasn't won in 29 years!" resonated.

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