Nicholson Cuckoo Oscar

I post this Oscar clip not necessarily for Nicholson's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest acceptance speech, though it is pretty charming; but for the noticeable absence of Pacino. This was the year after all, the man was nominated for Dog Day Afternoon. Generally, when other nominees fail to show up to the Oscars it is because someone else is already a shoo-in, and it seems that Nicholson was the general favorite to win that year. Now, not to take anything away from Nicholson's masterful performance in Cuckoo's Nest, but Pacino's turn in Dog Day was arguably the best performance of his career. It is astounding to me that it could have been taken as such a given that Pacino wouldn't even stand a chance. Perhaps it was because Nicholson's performance was the kind of show-boating exhibition generally favored by the Oscars. Who knows?

Then again, maybe Pacino was just busy that night.