Wednesday 22 October 2014

Alternate Best Actor 1967: Results

5. Richard Harris in Camelot - Harris is charming when he needs to be and knows how to bring weight to the dramatics, but can't completely overcome the weaknesses of the film.

Best Scene: Final reprise of Camelot
4. James Garner in Hour of the Gun - Garner is effective in portraying the intensity of this vengeful Wyatt Earp, unfortunately the film doesn't let him explore the role enough.

Best Scene: Earp's final kill
3. Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night - Poitier is a commanding and charismatic portrayal of his determined detective, and especially shines in any scene he shares with Rod Steiger.

Best Scene: At the chief's house.
2. Alain Delon in Le Samourai - Delon gives an excellent minimalistic performance as he does so much in the creation of the physical manner of his character.

Best Scene: The Samourai final assassination attempt.
1. Robert Blake in In Cold Blood - Good prediction Fisti. This came down to Delon doing so much with such a purposefully limited character and Blake making the absolute most out of great as he manages to give such a heartbreaking yet wholly chilling portrayal of Perry Smith.

Best Scene: Perry recounts a part of his life before his execution.
Overall Ranking:
  1. Robert Blake in In Cold Blood
  2. Alain Delon in Le Samourai
  3. Rod Steiger in In The Heat of the Night
  4. Sidney Poitier in In The Heat of the Night
  5. Toshiro Mifune in Samurai Rebellion
  6. James Mason in The Deadly Affair
  7. Sidney Poitier in To Sir With Love
  8. Scott Wilson in In Cold Blood
  9. Gene Wilder in The Producers
  10. Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke
  11. Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate
  12. Warren Beatty in Bonnie & Clyde
  13. Lee Marvin in Point Blank 
  14. Dudley Moore in Bedazzled
  15. Richard Burton in The Taming of the Shrew
  16. James Garner in Hour of the Gun
  17. Peter O'Toole in The Night of the Generals
  18. Peter Cook in Bedazzled
  19. Zero Mostel in The Producers
  20. Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice
  21. Albert Finney in Two For the Road
  22. Richard Harris in Camelot
  23. Robert Morse in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying 
  24. Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen 
  25. John Wayne in The War Wagon
  26. Spencer Tracy in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
  27. Omar Sharif in The Night of the Generals
  28. Sidney Poitier in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
  29. Kirk Douglas in The War Wagon
  30. Dick Van Dyke in Divorce American Style
  31. Robert Redford in Barefoot in the Park
  32. Richard Burton in The Comedians
  33. Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle
  34. Tadao Takashima in Son of Godzilla
  35. Akira Kubo in Son of Godzilla
Next Year: 1967 Supporting

And yes apparently the Producers is 67 by my rules.

18 comments:

Psifonian said...

1. Richard Attenborough, Dr. Dolittle (my win)

Aaaand that's it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Uhhhhhhhh... Since Producers is 67 by your rules, Kenneth Mars and Dick Shawn?

Matt Mustin said...

Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark
Donald Pleasence in You Only Live Twice
Dick Shawn in The Producers
Kenneth Mars in The Producers
Richard Attenborough in Dr. Dolittle

Robert MacFarlane said...

I remember you ranked Shawn higher previously, but I've always found Mars to be a highlight of the film.

Michael McCarthy said...

Can't think of anyone that hasn't been suggested other perhaps cast members of Far from the Madding Crowd. Also I was secretly hoping you'd end up ranking Newman over Hoffman (not that I dislike Hoffman's performance, I'm just a bigger fan of Newman's), glad to see that happened.

What are your ratings and thoughts for Toshiro Mifune in Samurai Rebellion and Robert Mitchum in El Dorado?

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

Cast members of Far from the Madding Crowd (especially Bates)
Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark
Warren Oates in In the Heat of the Night
Richard Attenborough in Dr Doolitle

GM said...

Alec Guinness - Comedians
Peter Finch - Far from the Madding Crowd
Alan Bates - Far from the Madding Crowd
Tony Musante - The Incident

Louis Morgan said...

Michael:

Mifune - 5(Mifune is outstanding as usual, and this is the best performance I have seen from him outside of Kurosawa. It's interesting as he once again finds new ground in his sword fighter character although this time he plays the older wise man in this case. Mifune terrific in creating this very subdued warmth to convey how much his character cares for his son's happiness to make it believable that he would sacrifice everything for it. He manages even more though and is quite good in suggesting his more frigid relationship with his wife who was forced upon his character. Mifune though is particularly amazing and heartbreaking when his character finally fights back. He brings such an intensity to the role but along with such heart. It's a great performance and as an extra bonus the film contains the most epic of all his showdowns with Tatsuya Nakadai, which is really saying something.)

Mitchum - 4(Well after double checking apparently El Dorado is in fact a 1966 film, well at least that expands that year a little for me. Anyway Mitchum always has an imposing presence that makes him a perfect fit for his role. He's surprisingly endearing though in his portrayal of his character's attempt to get over his alcoholism to be able to save the day)

Michael McCarthy said...

Nice, another great Mifune performance to see :) are you planning on reviewing his performance in Red Beard Louis?

Louis Morgan said...

Yes I intend to.

Anonymous said...

What are your thoughts/ratings on:
Lee Marvin in Point Blank
Dudley Moore in Bedazzled
Albert Finney in Two For the Road
Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif in The Night of the Generals
Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle

Deiner said...

Great job man! Louis can I have your thoughts and ratings on:
-Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark and Two for the Road
-Elizabeth Taylor in The Taming of the Shrew
-Glenda Jackson in Marat/Sade
-Vanessa Redgrave in Camelot

Anonymous said...

Also, Louis, what are your ratings and thoughts on Edith Evans in The Whisperers and both Jane Fonda and Mildred Natwick in Barefoot in the Park?

Anonymous said...

@Deiner, Louis has previously given his rating and thoughts on Hepburn in Wait Until Dark, you'll find them in the introducing post of Best Actor 1967 :)

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Ratings & thoughts on Richard Burton in The Taming of The Shrew.

Also, will you be reviewing Mifune in Sanjuro for '62 Lead.

Richard Attenborough in Dr Doolittle
Alec Guinness in The Comedians
Bates, Finch & Stamp in Far from the Maddening Crowd

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

Louis, what are your top 5 Teresa Wright performances.

Louis Morgan said...

Marvin - 4(An interesting performance to be sure as Marvin actually doesn't really do his usual tough guy act exactly. Instead Marvin plays the part in slightly as though his character is somewhat detached from reality. It seems odd but what Marvin does works and is particularly fitting with the overall tone of the film)

Moore - 4(Moore is very funny in the various roles he randomly fulfills, even though the single funniest moment in the film does belong to Cook. Anyway even though he's quite entertaining in each of the wish vignettes he actually managed to make me genuinely care about his character as well)

Finney - 4(Two For the Road was problematic for me as a film for me as I never felt it quite made the balance between its drama and comedy. It's not terrible at either, but it never quite makes it work as well as it should. Anyway this does limit the performances of the leads somewhat unfortunately. I say unfortunately because I quite liked Finney here and I really liked his chemistry with Hepburn. Their incredibly sweet together when their falling in love, and then believable embittered the rest of the time. It's good work from both of them I only wish the film had frankly utilized them a little better)

O'Toole - 4(O'Toole great at that psychotic stare. Even though he is lead though his role is pretty limited for the most part. Nevertheless he's quite chilling in his portrayal of a man of pure amorality)

Sharif - 3(Sharif is unfortunately saddled with an absurdly expository role. He just does not get to do much other than recite plot points. I still liked his performance as he was brimming with the right smug confidence to make it rather believable how his character would meet his downfall)

Harrison - 2.5(Harrison can be charming, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, but here I found him mostly dull in the role. Also I have to admit I've never been a big fan of his speaking through the songs style)

Deiner:

Thanks.

Two for the Road - 4(Basically the same thoughts as Finney)

Taylor - 4(She's quite funny as the shrew side as she's got a great look for that, I particularly enjoy when she scares the priest. I feel she loses the character a little bit in the middle as she maybe plays it slightly too seriously actually, but she makes up for that with her delivery of the final monologue. She's great as she subverts everything she's saying simply in the way she delivers it verbally and physically)

Jackson - 5(A very remarkable performance as she kinda gives two performances at the same time. On one side she gives that of the mental patient portraying the Charlotte Corday. She's fairly low key in this regard but effective in showing that obviously her character is not all there. In addition to that though she has her very stylized moments as Corday which are always oddly compelling)

Redgrave - 3(Like Harris she suffers from the jarring tones of the film, and excels less than him when given the chance. I still kinda liked her performance as she had a certain charm, but I never felt her Guinevere quite came together)

Louis Morgan said...

Evans - 4.5(I have to say I was a little surprised how she almost become non-extent for a good chunk of the last act. Nevertheless Evans gives a very good performance as she puts away any theatrics in her portrayal of the lonely woman. There's no big hysterics but rather just the sad truths of a old woman who's mind is slowly going away from being by herself for far too long)

Fonda - 2.5(She in no way managed to make me like her obnoxious character any more. In fact she was kinda a bad fit for Simon's dialogue which isn't exactly without artifice, and her voice does not exactly do a lot to alleviate that)

Natwick - 4(Natwick does much better in that regard. I usually enjoy her presence in things anyway and I found her performance to be the best thing about the film actually. Her role is very stock to be sure but she handles it well bringing plenty of charm without going overboard which could have easily been the case for such a character)

Luke:

Burton - 4(A little odd that Burton really did not have many major Shakespearean performances in film. Anyway Burton really knows how to make the words role off the tongue. He's quite the hoot in the role, even though Petruchio is basically a one note character. Burton makes that one note quite entertaining. Also like Taylor he quite delivers in the the last scene with his silent reaction that does show Petruchio finally being lead on)

I would say Mifune not especially likely for that year merely because it's pretty packed, and I'll probably want to spread the wealth around a bit.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar:

1. Shadow of a Doubt
2. The Best Years of Our Lives
3. Mrs. Miniver
4. The Actress
5. The Pride of the Yankees