Backup plan may win Eastwood another Oscar

Clint Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima" was this year's pinch-hitter, and it just might hit a home run. The film, the second of Eastwood's World War II duo, was originally set to open in theaters in early 2007, and thus not be Oscar-eligible until next year. But when "Flags of Our Fathers" (see page 25) flagged at the box office, "Letters" was quickly slipped into a December opening in key cities — and turned up as one of five best-picture nominees. Not bad, for a backup plan.

The film's four nominations include Eastwood's fourth as best director (following wins for "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby" and a nomination for "Mystic River"). First-time screenwriter Iris Yamashita was nominated, along with Paul Haggis ("Crash") in the original screenplay category, and "Letters" also received a nod for sound editing.

The film, a sensitive look at the battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers ("Flags" did the same thing, from the viewpoint of the U.S. troops), is almost entirely in Japanese: a rare feat by an American filmmaker that may well impress Oscar voters. But others may remember a war movie that was heavily favored for the top prize, and yet lost to a somewhat lighter film: "Saving Private Ryan," which fell to "Shakespeare in Love." My thinking: Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" is going to be this year's "Shakespeare" (although it'd be hard to think of two films more different). Eastwood? After winning last time out, the honor might just be in the nomination this time. But hey, I predicted "Ryan" to win years ago, so you never know.

OSCAR TRIVIA

To answer last week's trivia question: "Dreamgirls" follows in the tuneful footsteps of "Beauty and the Beast" (in 1991) and "The Lion King" (in 1994), each of which earned three out of five nominations for best song.

This week's question: Three of this year's acting nominees are playing teachers: Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson" and Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal." Who was the last person to win an Oscar for playing a teacher?

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com