Oscars: Spielberg’s Rope-a-Dope?

In the Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire, Muhammad Ali withstood round after round of Joe Frazier’s punches, leaning against the ropes, until Frazier was exhausted and Ali was still fairly fresh (if a bit sore) and Ali pummeled Frazier to the mat. The strategy was thereafter deemed the rope-a-dope.
Could Steven Spielberg have been doing the same thing in marketing “Munich?” He was extraordinarily quiet when the film came out, giving just enough interviews so that people would be somewhat aware that the movie was out.
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There was no response to the sundry political sniping at the film.
Now, “Munich” wheezes across the Oscar nominee line. And Spielberg’s fresh; now he can talk about this movie, which seems more relevant with every passing day. On the other hand, everyone’s heard as much will-“Brokeback Mountain”-be-accepted? as they can stand. Can “Munich,” by dint of being the biggest Best Film nominee with an outside chance of winning that people have likely heard the least about, finish with a flourish and snatch the Oscar from Ennis and Jack?

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