*@$£! Foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker chases an Oscar for Armando Iannucci

Published on Tuesday 2 February 2010 21:57

SCOTS comedy writer Armando Iannucci found himself in the running for Hollywood gold yesterday, when he received an Oscar nomination for his award-winning movie In the Loop.

• Peter Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker, a foul-mouthed spin-doctor in the TV series spin-off film In the Loop

Iannucci is one of four writers nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, for the satire, based on his hit BBC political comedy show, The Thick of It, about the monstrous Malcolm Tucker, a foul-mouthed spin-doctor.

The 46-year-old Glaswegian also directed In the Loop, which starred fellow Scot Peter Capaldi – who plays Tucker – Sopranos star James Gandolfini and comedian Steve Coogan.

Reacting to the nomination on his Twitter page, Iannucci, with typical irreverence, said: "Bloomin' heck. In the Loop nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Bonk me purple."

The film, which is about the political machinations in the run-up to a putative military invasion, has already received a plethora of awards and nominations, including gongs from the Independent Film Awards, Scottish Baftas and the Chicago, New York and London Critics Circle Film Awards.

It is also in the running for two Baftas: Outstanding British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Scotsman film critic Alistair Harkness said the film had been a break-out success: "I think it's great. It was a nice surprise, it was quite a small film, but it has been his crowning glory.

"Iannucci's had huge success with In The Loop: it had it's premiere at the Sundance; despite being a small film it did relatively well at the box office. It just shows that you can make a British film that's funny, entertaining and about something.

"I think it's such a brilliantly crafted script – the whole film is about the use of language and how it can have severe consequences later on, because it's all about the origins of an Iraq-style invasion – and I think for a film like that to be acknowledged just now is fantastic for Iannucci.

The critic said the nomination alone would be a boost to Iannucci's career both here and in the States, but a win would have a lasting benefit. "It will certainly raise his profile in the US, though it was already quite high because of the success of In the Loop, but it will make it easier for his next project to get off the ground."

Other British interest came from Colin Firth, who was nominated in the Best Actor category for his performance as a grieving gay academic in A Single Man.

In the Best Actress category, Helen Mirren has a shot at a second Oscar for her portrayal of writer Leo Tolstoy's wife in The Last Station, and Carey Mulligan has been nominated for her lead role in An Education, adapted from the memoir of journalist Lynn Barber by author Nick Hornby, who also received a nomination for his screenplay.

However, the main talking point of the nominations has been the battle between science-fiction sensation Avatar and the Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker, which received nine nominations each, including best picture and director for former spouses James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow.

For the first time since 1943, the Oscars feature ten best-picture contenders instead of five.

Tucker's wit and wisdom

"All these hands all over the place! You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra"

"Feet off the furniture you Oxbridge t***, you're not on a punt now"

"This is a government department, not some f***ing Jane f***ing Austen novel! Allow me to pop a jaunty little bonnet on your purview and ram it up your…" (rest unrepeatable]

"Laurel and f***ing Hardy! Glad you could join us. Did you manage to get that piano up the stairs OK?"

"You sure you're working as hard as I am, cos I'm sweating spinal fluid here?"

"I told you to f*** off twice. And you're still here?"