Oscar bait The Reader gets Dec. 12 release date

Studio mogul Harvey Weinstein's decision to release his company's World War II prestige drama The Reader  on Dec. 12 could spell trouble for Kate Winslet's Oscar hopes. The British actress, long hailed as one of the best of her generation (if not the best), has been an Oscar bridesmaid on five separate occasions. With The Reader arriving this calendar year, she will be competing against her other prestigious literary adaptation, Revolutionary Road, due out a mere two weeks later on Dec. 26.

The longstanding imbroglio between Weinstein and his fellow Reader producer Scott Rudin appears to have ended amicably—or, at least, Weinstein appears to have finally gotten his way. Rudin had maintained that director Stephen Daldry (The Hours) needed more time in the editing room to finish the picture, which also co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Bruno Ganz. Nicole Kidman was originally attached to Winslet's role, and production had to be delayed when she dropped out due to her recent pregnancy. Winslet, it turns out, was the first choice from the start and stepped in when filming on Revolutionary Road had completed. Beyond that, two of the film's producers—the late and great directors Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack—passed away while filming.

Under the new agreement, Daldry will get extra time for post-production and extra resources to make sure The Reader hits theaters Dec. 12. Some are saying all of this bad press will impact The Reader's Oscar chances, but the commotion seems to be centered on Weinstein himself, not necessarily the film. Weinstein has painted himself as a ruthless mogul only concerned with awards attention, which is in line with his reputation. In fact, Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke posted a supposedly authentic e-mail from Rudin, who wrote that Weinstein had bullied and harassed Pollack on his death bed to move up the film's release date.

Weinstein later said he'd give $1 million to charity if Finke could produce proof. She did.

If all of this does turn attention away from the film itself, it'd be a shame. Based on Bernhard Schlink's acclaimed novel of the same name, Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, an older woman who enters a passionate affair with a much younger man (German newcomer David Kross). When Hanna reappears later in his life, the man (Fiennes) learns the awful truth about her while she stands trial for unspeakable war crimes. Winslet's role, in which she ages several decades, has the potential to a devastatingly affecting tour de force. You know, just the kind of role that wins Academy Awards.

But the same can be said for Revolutionary Road, directed by Winslet's husband, Sam Mendes. Rumors have suggested that should Weinstein release The Reader on Dec. 12 as planned, she'll refuse to do press for the film in favor of her husband's latest opus. While it's unlikely an actress of Winslet's caliber is much concerned with awards attention, it does seem unwise in a publicity sense to release such two high-profile projects so closely together. (Incidentally, Rudin is a producer on Revolutionary Road as well.)

Should both films garner favor with the Academy, it's possible Winslet could be sold as best supporting actress for The Reader and as best actress for Revolutionary Road, since actors cannot be nominated twice in the same category. Jamie Foxx, after all, was the lead in Michael Mann's Collateral (not Tom Cruise), but he still landed a supporting nomination. Then again, two acclaimed lead performances in the same year didn't stop Winslet's pal and upcoming co-star Leonardo DiCaprio from being nominated for best actor in 2006 for Blood Diamond. Of course, they should have nominated him for The Departed, but that's another story altogether.

Related links:
News: Watch the trailer for Revolutionary Road
Review: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Variety: Daldry's 'Reader' gets 2008 release

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