Alternate Supporting Actor 1947: Ranking

 The simple truth about this year is that there are not a great deal of performances that really stick out that need to be nominated. The lead performances just stand out with far more strength than the supporting ones. Even in a film like Odd Man Out, which has a solid supporting cast none of the supporting players hold attention nearly as well as James Mason's lead performance. That is the case for almost every film this year. I will instead just do five short reviews of some fairly random performances, since this year in film there just are not a great deal of supporting performances that stick out as something that really must be reviewed.

Kirk Douglas in Out of Past- Douglas gives an an appropriately devious performance as the film villain. He has a great deal of fun when his character is in control of the situation, but he dials it back properly when he is not. This is not on the level of Richard Widmark's work from this year, since Douglas is not in the film all that much. It is an effectively handled slimy characterization though, and Douglas adds a great deal to his film with his presence. 4/5

F.J. McCormick in Odd Man Out- Odd Man Out has a great deal of fine performances from Robert Newton as a lunatic painter to Robert Beatty's loyal man who tries to help the injured IRA operative Johnny McQueen (James Mason). My favorite though is with McCormick as a slightly daffy bird keeper who tries to profit from finding the operative, but is quite in over his head in the whole affair. McCormick gives a enjoyable performance, that lights up the latter half right when the film needs it. He is quite a bit of fun, and is an effortless comic relief. He also quite effectively brings about a conscious in his character even if it is hasty, McCormick believably handles it. In fact he eventually almost becomes a moral compass of all his own as he sees where the story goes. McCormick's final reactions to end are particularly moving, and powerfully handled. He frankly makes far far more out of his part than really ever seemed required of him. 4/5

Gene Lockhart in Miracle on 34th Street- Gene Lockhart is quite enjoyable in this film as the judge who presides over the trial to prove whether Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) is Santa Clause or not. His motivation almost entirely comes form his election prospects which he is reminded of constantly by his political manager (William Frawley, doing his usual thing but doing it well). Lockhart's reactions throughout the trail scenes are quite enjoyable, and I particularly enjoy his direct conversations both verbal and non verbal with Frawley's character. This is a nice enjoyable part of the film that is a appropriately entertaining. 3.5/5

David Farrar in Black Narcissus- Farrar's character in this film acts as a temptation for the Nuns who have recently come to the Himalayas. Farrar's performance is appropriately virile in his own way, and he makes the problems that develop because of him believable. The main reason for this is that a coldness perpetuates within his performance, though as he both seems to encourage as well as discourage Nuns to have interest in him at the same time. He is not incredible but he serves his function well within the film. 3/5


Charles Coburn and Charles Laughton in The Paradine Case- The Paradine Case is not a very remembered Alfred Hitchcock thriller for a reason. It is rather poorly handled, the leading performance by Gregory Peck does not carry enough of an internal conflict necessary for the film. There is some of Hitchcock trademark directorial flair but not enough to make up for the lackluster story. The film does have two great character actors in it, Charles Coburn and Laughton who besides sharing a first name also share similar ability to steal scenes through their witty styles. I would say though that Coburn always comes off as a much warmer personality, and Laughton as a colder one. In this film Coburn is the legal adviser for Peck's character. Coburn is his usually charming self, and does his best to add some life to the proceedings. Although he does not save the film he successfully steals all the scenes from Peck that he is given the chance to effectively bringing to life the great legal mind his character is suppose to be. Laughton is given an odd role in that he has a subplot that is bizarre and really does not go anywhere about his character seeming disinterested with everything. Laughton tries to do something with his part, and with his natural charisma does his best, but unfortuantely nothing really comes from the part due to the bizarre requirements of it. Coburn 3.5/5, Laughton 2.5/5

Overall Rank:

1. Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death
2. Kirk Douglas in Out of the Past
3. F.J. McCormick in Odd Man Out
4. Robert Ryan in Crossfire
5. Gene Lockhart in Miracle on 34th Street
6. Thomas Gomez in Ride the Pink Horse
7. William Frawley in Miracle on 34th Street
8. George Sanders in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
9. Arthur Kennedy in Boomerang!
10. Robert Beatty in Odd Man Out
11. Charles Coburn in The Paradine Case
12. Monty Woolley in The Bishop's Wife 
13. Robert Newton in Odd Man Out
14. William Hartnell in Brighton Rock
15. Lee J. Cobb in Boomerang!
16. Robert Mitchum in Crossfire
17. Edmond O'Brien in A Double Life
18. David Farrar in Black Narcissus
19. Philip Tounge in Miracle on 34th Street 
20. Fred Clark in Ride the Pink Horse
21. W.G. Fay in Odd Man Out
22. James Gleason in The Bishop's WIfe
23. Denis O'Dea in Odd Man Out
24. Porter Hall in Miracle on 34th Street
25. Art Smith in Ride the Pink Horse 
26. Charles Bickford in The Farmer's Daughter
27. Charles Laughton in The Paradine Case
28. Jerome Cowan in Miracle on 34th Street
29. Leo G. Carroll in The Paradine Case
30. Raymond Massey in The Mourning Becomes Electra
31. Louis Jordan in The Paradine Case
32. John Garfield in Gentleman's Agreement
33. Kirk Douglas in The Mourning Becomes Electra
34. George Cooper in Crossfire
35. Brian Donlevy in Kiss of Death
36. Leo Genn in The Mourning Becomes Electra
37. Sabu in Black Narcissus

Next Year: 1954 Supporting

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1960: Results

5. Gene Kelly in Inherit the Wind- Kelly plays with his type once again playing a loud showman, but this time with a deep rooted cynicism.

4. Charles Laughton in Spartacus- Laughton gives a nice enjoyable performance that creates a believable portrait of a politician who uses quiet methods of persuasion.

3. Fred MacMurray in The Apartment- MacMurray is quite good in role giving a commanding presence that revels to just the right degree in his character immorality.

2. Laurence Olivier in Spartacus- Olivier as usual gives a great performance here as the main villain of the film. He is effectively a tremendous force of evil, but as well still creates a three dimensional character out of the tyrant that is his character. 

1. Eli Wallach in The Magnificent Seven- This was a very close one for me, and yes I was ready to give Olivier by lead and supporting for this year. Wallach though is equally excellent in his role in the Magnificent Seven, and manages to do basically anything he possibly could with his role. Even with his role being very limited Wallach never makes it feel that way giving an extremely entertaining as well as being appropriately menacing as well.

Overall Rank:

1. Eli Wallach in The Magnificent Seven
2. Laurence Olivier in Spartacus
3. Peter Falk in Murder, Inc.
4. Peter Ustinov in Spartacus
5. Fred MacMurray in The Apartment
6. Steve McQueen in The Magnificent Seven
7. James Coburn in The Magnificent Seven
8. Peter Ustinov in The Sundowners
9. Roger Livesey in The Entertainer
10. Charles Laughton in Spartacus
11. Sal Mineo in Exodus
12. Gene Kelly in Inherit the Wind
13. Arthur Kennedy in Elmer Gantry
14. Martin Balsam in Psycho
15. Trevor Howard in Sons and Lovers
16. Herbert Lom in Spartacus
17. Jack Kruschen in The Apartment
18. Woody Strode in Spartacus
19. Ray Walston in The Apartment
20. Alan Bates in The Entertainer
21. Harry Morgan in Inherit the Wind
22. Brad Dexter in The Magnificent Seven
23. David Lewis in The Apartment
24. Albert Finney in The Entertainer
25. Richard Conte in Ocean's Eleven
26. Laurence Harvey in The Alamo
27. Charles Bronson in The Magnificent Seven
28. Tony Curtis in Spartacus
29. Richard Widmark in The Alamo 
30. Robert Vaughn in The Magnificent Seven 
31. Dick York in Inherit the Wind
32. John Wayne in The Alamo
33. Alan Young in The Time Machine
34. Joseph Wiseman in The Unforgiven 
35. Cesar Romero in Ocean's Eleven
36. Albert Salmi in The Unforgiven
37. Horst Buchholz in The Magnificent Seven
38. Charles Bickford in The Unforgiven
39. John Dall in Spartacus
40. Dean Jagger in Elmer Gantry
41. John Gavin in Psycho
42. John Gavin in Spartacus 
43. Sammy Davis Jr. in Ocean's Eleven
44. Dean Martin in Ocean's Eleven
45. Michael Anderson in The Sundowners
46. Akim Tamrioff in Ocean's Eleven
47. Chill Wills in The Alamo
48. John Ireland in Spartacus
49. Claude Akins in Inherit the Wind
50. Vladimir Sokoloff in The Magnificent Seven
51. The Rest of the Villagers in The Magnificent Seven

Next Year: 1999 Supporting 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1960: Charles Laughton in Spartacus

Charles Laughton did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Gracchus in Spartacus.

Charles Laughton portrays Gracchus the powerful Roman senator who is described as the head of the mob. He stands as the most powerful opponent to the wannabe dictator Crassus (Laurence Olivier), but he himself is not exactly opposed to certain vices like making somewhat shady deals to get his ends.Watching the film once again I must say that I ended up being a little less impressed by Laughton and more impressed with Peter Ustinov who Laughton appears in many scenes with. I must say in fact I upped Ustinov to a 4 and he now stands second place out of the nominees.

Laughton though is certainly is usually enjoyable self in the role of Gracchus bringing his usual sly manner and wit to the part that is fitting for Gracchus who is constantly playing the politics within Rome to try get what he wants. Laughton makes Gracchus a likable, quietly charming sort, although he effectively inserts the technically unsavory qualities of his character in the usual Laughton style. He is an enjoyable character when he is on screen and his scenes with Ustinov are particularly entertaining as the two play off of each other splendidly.

Laughton is properly believable though in the scenes of the political fighting. Laughton takes the opposite approach to Olivier in that he shows that Gracchus moves to get his way through indirect manner. He does not push his personality on the others rather Laughton shows a far more calm sort of charisma that shows the presence and strength of Gracchus in the political setting well. He creates an interesting contrast with the forceful performance by Olivier, and makes their scenes where they go head to head quite powerful.

This is not quite an incredible performance by Charles Laughton but it is most certainly is a good one. Laughton makes Gracchus a worthy opponent to Olivier's Crassus. He as well creates some of the most entertaining moments in the film through his fun scenes with Ustinov that are work especially well. This is a worthy performance that adds well to his film working well to make the political aspects of the story just as  if not more interesting than the slave revolt.  

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1960

And the Nominees Were Not:

Fred MacMurray in The Apartment 

Eli Wallach in The Magnificent Seven

Charles Laughton in Spartacus

Laurence Olivier in Spartacus

Gene Kelly in Inherit The Wind

Alternate Best Actor 1954: Results

5. Charles Laughton- Charles Laughton has a fairly simple role but he is consistently amusing in his performance.

4. James Stewart in Rear Window- Stewart manages to provide a realistic portrait who we can easily go along through the sometimes quite seedy world of being a voyeur.

3. Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai- Mifune gives a very big but also a very striking performance of a swordsman driven mad by his past.

2. Ray Milland in Dial M For Murder- Milland gives a strong performance by both bringing to life the fierce some hidden motivation of his murderer, but as well as easily adding an appropriate degree of humor in the role as well.

1.James Mason 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea- Mason gives a great performance of an iconic character by always bringing to life both the wondrous qualities to his portrayal in equal measure with his more violent aspects.

Overall Rank:

1. Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront
2. James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
3. Ray Milland in Dial M For Murder
4. Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai
5. James Stewart in Rear Window
6. James Mason in A Star is Born
7. Bing Crosby in The Country Girl
8. Kirk Douglas in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 
9. Dan O'Herlihy in Robinson Crusoe
10. Takashi Shimura in Seven Samurai
11. Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice
12. Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny
13. John Mills in Hobson's Choice
14. Paul Lukas in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
15. Gene Kelly in Brigadoon
16. Bing Crosby in White Christmas
17. Danny Kaye in White Christmas
18. Robert Francis in The Caine Mutiny

Next Year: 1937

Alternate Best Actor 1954: Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice

Charles Laughton did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Henry Horatio Hobson in Hobson's Choice.

Hobson's Choice is enjoyable film about a man who runs a successful bookmaking shop, but his world turns upside down when his eldest daughter marries one of his timid but talented employees.

Charles Laughton is no stranger for portraying somewhat tyrannical figures. All three of his Oscar nominated performances where portraying imposing figures. Here again Laughton portrays a man who at first seems in charge of things, but in reality this time Laughton's Hobson is not nearly as imposing as so many other of Laughton's roles. Here Hobson actually finds that he is not really all that much in charge at all in fact faces difficultly in controlling his very domineering daughter Maggie (Brenda De Banzie), and in a way Laughton sort of parodies his own persona.

Charles Laughton here is not at all commanding really with his presence this time, and in fact is appropriately buffoonish. Charles Laughton usually has humor in his roles even serious ones, but this one humor really is the primary factor of his performance. Laughton has quite a bit of fun in the role of being the rather doltish Hobson who despite his constant attempts to do so he is completely unable to control his daughters despite going off all the time about how he should be in full control. Laughtonr really was the perfect choice for the role since he can be the wannabe monarch Hobson yet still be quite likable in the role.

When Hobson is not trying to boss around his daughters and his employees he mostly spends his time at the local pub making fun of his daughters as well as getting about as drunk as he possibly can be. Although Hobson is said to be an alcoholic by the end of the film, and even starts to hallucinate because of it. Laughton though appropriately only ever portrays this for laughs, and Laughton is quite good in bringing out the comedy in these scenes. A particularly entertaining scene is as Laughton stomps around town eventually falling down a hole, all made quite amusing through Laughton hilarious expressions throughout.

This actually is a pretty simple role for Laughton as Hobson really has no transition, the character arcs really involve how the characters react to Hobson, and the choices they make. Hobson ends not really making any choices are than going along with what others tell him to do. This is not a criticism of the character or Laughton's performance by any means though as this works well for the film. Also I should note Laughton also shares leading status with John Mills as Hobson's employee who slowly grows a backbone after marrying Hobson's stern daughter.

Laughton really does mainly two things in the film try to act bossy and failing miserably, and getting drunk and suffering miserably from the consequences of stumbling around drunk. Laughton of course is very good at fulfilling both the aspects as well as he possibly could, and getting as much humor out of the role as he could as well. This does not stand tall along the greater Laughton works in any way shape or form, but it does allow Laughton to show off in a more saturated fashion his comedic abilities which are certainly worth showing off.

Alternate Best Actor 1954

And the Nominees Were Not:

James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice

Ray Milland in Dial M For Murder

James Stewart in Rear Window

Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai

065. Young Bess

065. (25 Feb) Young Bess (1953, George Sidney) 39



Jean Simmons determines that she'll be an iconic Elizabeth I in Young Bess, but her overwrought, unconvincing performance says otherwise. Having seen Vanessa Redgrave in Anonymous in recent months, it's interesting to see another person approach Elizabeth I in such a baffling way. While Redgrave went for senility, Simmons goes for brattiness. She really doesn't have a singular moment that distinguishes her as a capable actress, though she's clearly been great in other things. It doesn't help that this finds Elizabeth in one of her least interesting phases of life profiling her romantic interest in Thomas Seymour.

The print on TCM looks clean, so I'm fairly certain this was restored recently. Some of the brighter colors pop, but for the most part this is absurdly dingy. It makes this a peculiar nominee for Art Direction and Costume Design. Most of the costumes are downright dowdy, albeit detailed. Those from The Virgin Queen from two years later put them to shame. The sets regularly look like typical sound stage fare. Only a couple banquets are particularly noteworthy.

The Rosza score is about as subtle as a slap to the face. (That's a nod to a hysterical scene where Simmons laughs at Stewart Granger while he insists she stop where it becomes clearer and clearer he'll slap her to make her stop.) The only saving graces here are Deborah Kerr as a genial Catherine Parr and Charles Laughton reprising his Henry VIII.

Ruggles of Red Gap

Many thoughts occurred to me while watching “Ruggles of Red Gap” (1935), all of them happy ones: Charles Laughton was one of the movie’s greatest actors, Leo McCarey one of its best directors, and how in the 1930s Paramount was to comedy what Warner Bros. was to gangster films and Universal was to horror.

In 1935 Laughton had a year that most actors can only dream about: Captain Bligh in “Mutiny on the Bounty”, Inspector Javert in “Les Miserables” and Ruggles, the English butler who is dismayed to learn his employer, the Earl of Burnstead (Roland Young) has bet him in a poker game and lost.

His Ruggles portrayal may not be as flamboyant as Bligh, or as nuanced as Javert, but it’s every bit as memorable. His Ruggles is the ultimate gentleman’s gentleman who knows his status in life, and nothing will ever dissuade him otherwise.

That is, until he arrives in the town of Wild West town of Red Gap, Washington, with new employers Egbert and Effie Floud (Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland). Egbert doesn’t believe in any class nonsense, treating Ruggles as a friend rather than a servant, and introducing him to the Red Gap citizenry as Colonel.

Laughton engages in a marvelous piece of pantomime when he realizes with dawning dismay what his new owners are like. Egbert favors loud checkered suits, cold beer, hollering like a cowpoke on a cattle drive, and insisting Ruggles walk into a door ahead of him.

Except for some snobbish members of the Floud family, everyone in Red Gap treats Ruggles as an equal, and he slowly succumbs to the idea that he is his own person and not confined to his role as servant. In America, the possibilities are endless.

There’s nary a mean thought or idea throughout “Ruggles of Red Gap” and I thought it was just grand. Director Howard Hawks once said a good movie had three good scenes and no bad ones. Well, “Ruggles of Red Gap” has many good scenes, with a few standouts. One well-loved scene has the English Ruggles reciting the Gettysburg Address to customers in a saloon.

There’s another marvelously loose scene between the wonderful Leila Hyams and Roland Young as they perform the song “Pretty Baby” on the piano and drums, respectively. Parts of it look improvised, and I would swear that Hyams and Young are going to break out of character at any second. They seem to be having a ball and that’s contagious to the audience.

What a talent McCarey was in the 1930s. In 1929 he directed one of Laurel and Hardy’s all time masterpieces “Liberty”, with Stan and Ollie trying to change pants with each other on the steel girders of an under construction skyscraper. How they got in that situation is as funny as their antics on the skyscraper.

That glorious short is like a peek into what the 1930s would hold for McCarey. We have the Marx Brothers classic “Duck Soup” (1933); “Belle of the Nineties” (1934), one of Mae West’s best; the wonderful “Six of a Kind” (1934), a road picture with George Burns and Gracie Allen, Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland (again) and W.C. Fields; “The Milky Way” (1936), a good Harold Lloyd vehicle; the shattering drama of old age “Make Way for Tomorrow” (1937); the classic screwball comedy “The Awful Truth” (1937) with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne; and “Love Affair” (1939) with Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer.

Most directors would be thrilled to have one of those titles on their resume, but McCarey hit it out of the park consistently throughout the 1930s.

Apart from Bing Crosby’s Father O’Malley movies, McCarey seemed to disappear for long stretches in the 1940s and 1950s and I don’t know why. I need to see if there’s a biography of McCarey to find out what happened.

But we’re discussing the 1930s here, and McCarey’s grip on “Ruggles of Red Gap” is secure throughout.

It would be easy to make the Red Gap citizens a bunch of buffoons and be contemptuous of them, but McCarey shows great affection for their eccentricities. Imagine Mayberry in the Old West and you have an idea of what Red Gap is like.

As I said before, Paramount was THE studio for comedy in the 1930s. Lubitsch was there, as was W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers and Mae West. Claudette Colbert was making her name at Paramount at the time, in little gems like “Three Cornered Moon” (1933) and “The Gilded Lily (1935). Carole Lombard was also turning out wonderful films like “Hands Across the Table” (1935) and “The Princess Comes Across” (1936).

Paramount’s musicals were of a high standard – not only the Lubitsch musicals and “Love Me Tonight” (1932) (not Lubitsch, but it may as well be), but the early Bing Crosby vehicles hold up very well today.

All that talent seemed to rub off on each other and produced great movies. Almost by osmosis, it’s like all these people knew they were among giants and were determined to outdo one another. We the audience are the lucky recipients and it’s a testament to their talents that these films still hold up so well today. There’s something special about these 1930s Paramount films that continue to resonate.