Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago
Oskar Werner in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold
Ian Bannen in The Hill
Harry Andrews in The Hill
Ian Hendry in The Hill
Showing posts with label 1965 Best Supporting Actor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1965 Best Supporting Actor. Show all posts
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Results
Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago
Oskar Werner in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold
Ian Bannen in The Hill
Harry Andrews in The Hill
Ian Hendry in The Hill
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Frank Finlay in Othello
Frank Finlay received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Iago in Othello.
Frank Finlay portrays Iago who actually has more lines, and more scenes total that Laurence Olivier who portrays Othello. Iago is not a supporting character but leading along with Othello. The whole plot of the story revolves around Iago's plan to turn Othello basically mad with jealously.
Finlay's performance actually is probably the least theatrical in this film version. Basically no one tones down their performances from how they would portray the part in the theater, and the rather fail to utilize the medium of film. The reason Finlay really is the least theatrical probably comes down to the fact that Iago is a less theatrical character than many of the others, since he purposefully hides his emotions and true feelings, always acting collected to more easily influence others to fall into his plan.
Finlay though just is not the schemer I would like him to be. Yes he has that sinister stare, and head twist done, as well as the classic way in which he is always leaning over Othello's shoulder to convince Othello that Desdemona has done wrong, but I always wanted more from Finlay. There just not enough charisma in his performance really to make me fascinated with Iago. Yes Finlay appropriately makes Iago's front of confidant, frankly I wanted much more from his malicious interior though, and I really I still wanted even more from his front as well.
His interior maliciousness was lacking to me, I found not a great enough emotional drive in his plan. Yes there was a subdued hatred, but in his small moments alone Finlay could have perhaps really broken lose showing the true extent to Iago's feelings of anger and jealousy, but Finlay stays a tad too reserved. Also in his swaying of others Finlay is convincing enough, but never more than that. He never becomes a true unforgettable schemer, just a satisfactory one.
That really is the whole problem with Finlay's performance for me. Although he is consistently fine, despite a few small moments of overacting that are only ever extremely brief, he never is more. For example when he shares a scene with Olivier as Othello, Olivier always steals the scene with his weird but entertaining performance. I do not think it had to be this way, Finlay with charisma, or a greater emotional pull in his performance, could have made the scenes his but, he is never able to do this always making Olivier the most interesting performer.
Finlay is just fine as Iago, but only just fine. He has the language down well enough, but he never brings it to life as well as Olivier. He is a schemer sure, but never one on say the level of again say Laurence Olivier in Richard III. He conveys Iago's emotions technically, but never in a manner that makes his performance more than just suitable. He is able to be convincing enough, but he never is truly compelling in the role. He is never truly bad, but he is never truly great.
Finlay's performance actually is probably the least theatrical in this film version. Basically no one tones down their performances from how they would portray the part in the theater, and the rather fail to utilize the medium of film. The reason Finlay really is the least theatrical probably comes down to the fact that Iago is a less theatrical character than many of the others, since he purposefully hides his emotions and true feelings, always acting collected to more easily influence others to fall into his plan.
Finlay though just is not the schemer I would like him to be. Yes he has that sinister stare, and head twist done, as well as the classic way in which he is always leaning over Othello's shoulder to convince Othello that Desdemona has done wrong, but I always wanted more from Finlay. There just not enough charisma in his performance really to make me fascinated with Iago. Yes Finlay appropriately makes Iago's front of confidant, frankly I wanted much more from his malicious interior though, and I really I still wanted even more from his front as well.
His interior maliciousness was lacking to me, I found not a great enough emotional drive in his plan. Yes there was a subdued hatred, but in his small moments alone Finlay could have perhaps really broken lose showing the true extent to Iago's feelings of anger and jealousy, but Finlay stays a tad too reserved. Also in his swaying of others Finlay is convincing enough, but never more than that. He never becomes a true unforgettable schemer, just a satisfactory one.
That really is the whole problem with Finlay's performance for me. Although he is consistently fine, despite a few small moments of overacting that are only ever extremely brief, he never is more. For example when he shares a scene with Olivier as Othello, Olivier always steals the scene with his weird but entertaining performance. I do not think it had to be this way, Finlay with charisma, or a greater emotional pull in his performance, could have made the scenes his but, he is never able to do this always making Olivier the most interesting performer.
Finlay is just fine as Iago, but only just fine. He has the language down well enough, but he never brings it to life as well as Olivier. He is a schemer sure, but never one on say the level of again say Laurence Olivier in Richard III. He conveys Iago's emotions technically, but never in a manner that makes his performance more than just suitable. He is able to be convincing enough, but he never is truly compelling in the role. He is never truly bad, but he is never truly great.
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Michael Dunn in Ship of Fools
Michael Dunn received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Carl Glocken in Ship of Fools.
Ship of Fools is a film that lacks subtly and I believe Michael Dunn's Carl Glocken exemplifies this fact. He is a dwarf who breaks the fourth wall at the beginning and the end of the film to you know make the film "deep" by saying everyone is a fool, than saying it does not have anything to do with anything, but you know really it does wink wink, becuase you know it really is a very meaningful film you know.
Dunn's Glocken is one of those meaningful men in the film, he though is special with his ability to see the audience, making very perceptive, and observant of all those fools you know. Well enough you knows, Glocken is not part of the Oskar Werner/Simone Signoret storyline therefore he is stuck in an awful film. Dunn though has even more against him because he is stuck as simply a plot device and barely has a character to begin with.
Dunn mostly observes others while making the occasional "deep" response to them. He never does much more than that, and really his performance never makes more out of his one dimensional character than there is. It is not that Dunn is bad, but his whole character never amount to more than it is, which is only a plot device used by the director never a real honest person on his own.
Dunn's Glocken is one of those meaningful men in the film, he though is special with his ability to see the audience, making very perceptive, and observant of all those fools you know. Well enough you knows, Glocken is not part of the Oskar Werner/Simone Signoret storyline therefore he is stuck in an awful film. Dunn though has even more against him because he is stuck as simply a plot device and barely has a character to begin with.
Dunn mostly observes others while making the occasional "deep" response to them. He never does much more than that, and really his performance never makes more out of his one dimensional character than there is. It is not that Dunn is bad, but his whole character never amount to more than it is, which is only a plot device used by the director never a real honest person on his own.
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Tom Courtenay in Doctor Zhivago
Tom Courtenay received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Pasha Antipov/"Strelnikov" in Doctor Zhivago.
Doctor Zhivago depicts the Russian Revolution.
Tom Courtenay plays Pasha who at the beginning of the film is an idealistic revolutionary encouraging it through peaceful demonstration. He is also the sort of fiancee of Lara (Julie Christie). In his first scene Courtenay has the right honest earnestness in showing Pasha's belief in the Revolution, as well as in seeking his relationship with Lara. Courtenay has a great deal of genuine warmness and love he shows in this scene, which he appropriately establishes to rid out of Pasha later.
After his peaceful demonstration is ended by government troops violently Courtenay shows a changed Pasha when he meets Lara afterward injured from the attack. Courtenay is effective because he does not immediately show a completely different man yet. Courtenay shows that his earnestness has mostly been turned to anger, but that there still is a little of it left, and also that this anger is partially an instinctual reaction from the trauma of the attack.
In later scene for example when he runs into Laura who is going to attempts to kill Komarovsky (Rod Steiger). When he first runs into her there is still some of that love and earnestness left in him, so much that she helps her away after her attempt. Courtenay shows Pasha's old love for Lara is reduced greatly though by understanding that she had an affair with Komarovsky. In his silent scenes afterward there is coldness in the way he looks at her, only marrying her because of the love he once felt that has drifted very much away from him.
Except for a brief moment during World War I, he still shows the same earnestness of old when he leads the troops into battle. Afterward though Pasha shows up once more no longer Pasha, but calling himself Strelnikov. Courtenay is amazing in his single final scene where he shows how cold of a man Pasha has turned into. It works well because Courtenay indicated this change all the way through his performance beforehand, and what happened in the war is the appropriate cause for his final change into Strelnikov.
Courtenay is absolutely chilling in this final scene, and it is made especially effective because of the difference from the beginning to this scene. There is no warmness left in Courtenay's performance. There is only a hallow shell of a man, with only his violent mission left for himself. Courtenay is amazing here because he truly becomes a man who has loss any indication of his old self really, he shows there is nothing left in Pasha except for his hatred. His final scene fully realizes his whole portrait of the Pasha's fall, which Courtenay brilliantly worked toward throughout the entire performance.
Tom Courtenay plays Pasha who at the beginning of the film is an idealistic revolutionary encouraging it through peaceful demonstration. He is also the sort of fiancee of Lara (Julie Christie). In his first scene Courtenay has the right honest earnestness in showing Pasha's belief in the Revolution, as well as in seeking his relationship with Lara. Courtenay has a great deal of genuine warmness and love he shows in this scene, which he appropriately establishes to rid out of Pasha later.
After his peaceful demonstration is ended by government troops violently Courtenay shows a changed Pasha when he meets Lara afterward injured from the attack. Courtenay is effective because he does not immediately show a completely different man yet. Courtenay shows that his earnestness has mostly been turned to anger, but that there still is a little of it left, and also that this anger is partially an instinctual reaction from the trauma of the attack.
In later scene for example when he runs into Laura who is going to attempts to kill Komarovsky (Rod Steiger). When he first runs into her there is still some of that love and earnestness left in him, so much that she helps her away after her attempt. Courtenay shows Pasha's old love for Lara is reduced greatly though by understanding that she had an affair with Komarovsky. In his silent scenes afterward there is coldness in the way he looks at her, only marrying her because of the love he once felt that has drifted very much away from him.
Except for a brief moment during World War I, he still shows the same earnestness of old when he leads the troops into battle. Afterward though Pasha shows up once more no longer Pasha, but calling himself Strelnikov. Courtenay is amazing in his single final scene where he shows how cold of a man Pasha has turned into. It works well because Courtenay indicated this change all the way through his performance beforehand, and what happened in the war is the appropriate cause for his final change into Strelnikov.
Courtenay is absolutely chilling in this final scene, and it is made especially effective because of the difference from the beginning to this scene. There is no warmness left in Courtenay's performance. There is only a hallow shell of a man, with only his violent mission left for himself. Courtenay is amazing here because he truly becomes a man who has loss any indication of his old self really, he shows there is nothing left in Pasha except for his hatred. His final scene fully realizes his whole portrait of the Pasha's fall, which Courtenay brilliantly worked toward throughout the entire performance.
Friday, 23 September 2011
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Martin Balsam in A Thousand Clowns
Martin Balsam won his Oscar from his only nomination for portraying Arnold Burns in A Thousand Clowns.
I hate A Thousand Clowns which is about an obnoxious man named Murray, and his even more annoying nephew Nick who might be separated because Murray wont get a job.
A Thousand Clowns is a terrible film because it is one of those films that thinks it has a profound message but comes off as just pretentious, as well as because it is one of those comedies that after it tells its "jokes" you don't laugh at them, but oh boy do those characters laugh at them. Martin Balsam plays the brother of the obnoxious Murray, who also acts as his agent as well.
Martin Balsam is a character actor that I sort of like, not one of my favorite but he usually adds to a film rather than take away from a film. Here though Balsam cannot really overcome the material which is at hand. Although Arnold is considerably less annoying that Murray or Nick that does not stop him from begin pretty annoying himself. Although he is not all the time, Arnold has his annoying moments where Balsam overacts a great deal.
These overacting moments come really from the material where he finds Murray's antics funny or is required to bring attention to a joke that he has made as well. Balsam over does his facial reactions in all of these moments that come off as just obnoxious opposed to anything entertaining endearing. Balsam's performance is not entirely overacting though.
Balsam does have a few minorly better moments when he questions Murray's philosophy. There is certain degree of sensibility as well as satisfaction suggested fairly subtly within himself that refreshing in the face of Jason Robards' theatricality as Murray. Balsam though is only refreshing at best though, his performance still amounts to very little in the end, and in many moments fails to overcome the awfulness of the film.
A Thousand Clowns is a terrible film because it is one of those films that thinks it has a profound message but comes off as just pretentious, as well as because it is one of those comedies that after it tells its "jokes" you don't laugh at them, but oh boy do those characters laugh at them. Martin Balsam plays the brother of the obnoxious Murray, who also acts as his agent as well.
Martin Balsam is a character actor that I sort of like, not one of my favorite but he usually adds to a film rather than take away from a film. Here though Balsam cannot really overcome the material which is at hand. Although Arnold is considerably less annoying that Murray or Nick that does not stop him from begin pretty annoying himself. Although he is not all the time, Arnold has his annoying moments where Balsam overacts a great deal.
These overacting moments come really from the material where he finds Murray's antics funny or is required to bring attention to a joke that he has made as well. Balsam over does his facial reactions in all of these moments that come off as just obnoxious opposed to anything entertaining endearing. Balsam's performance is not entirely overacting though.
Balsam does have a few minorly better moments when he questions Murray's philosophy. There is certain degree of sensibility as well as satisfaction suggested fairly subtly within himself that refreshing in the face of Jason Robards' theatricality as Murray. Balsam though is only refreshing at best though, his performance still amounts to very little in the end, and in many moments fails to overcome the awfulness of the film.
Best Supporting Actor 1965: Ian Bannen in The Flight of the Pheonix
Ian Bannen received his only Oscar nomination for portraying "Rat Bags" Crow in The Flight of the Phoenix.
The Flight of the Phoenix tells the story of a group of passengers attempt to create a new plane to fly after their old one crashed making them stranded in the middle of the desert.
This simply is one of the oddest nominations ever in this category. I have no idea how the academy managed to single Bannen out in this film, and nominate him. First of all there were many many actors more deserving than Bannen in this film in many other films this year, secondly they could have nominated almost anyone else in the cast of this film and that person would have been more deserving, thirdly if they had to nominate Ian Bannen why would they nominate him for this rather than his far far far (all three are required) superior performance in The Hill as one of the few good men running a military prison.
I say all this because the very first time I watched the film solely to watch the film I did not even notice him. When I read he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, I could barely remember that he was in it much less recall what he really did in the film. Now that I watch it again, and purposefully watched it only to see him in the film, and I still had trouble noticing even when I was especially watching just for him. When I did notice him though all I saw him do was mugging to the camera as well as attempting to be comedy relief I guess by saying every line in an over the top fashion, never anything. This is just a bad, unmemorable performance that did not deserve to be recognized.
This simply is one of the oddest nominations ever in this category. I have no idea how the academy managed to single Bannen out in this film, and nominate him. First of all there were many many actors more deserving than Bannen in this film in many other films this year, secondly they could have nominated almost anyone else in the cast of this film and that person would have been more deserving, thirdly if they had to nominate Ian Bannen why would they nominate him for this rather than his far far far (all three are required) superior performance in The Hill as one of the few good men running a military prison.
I say all this because the very first time I watched the film solely to watch the film I did not even notice him. When I read he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, I could barely remember that he was in it much less recall what he really did in the film. Now that I watch it again, and purposefully watched it only to see him in the film, and I still had trouble noticing even when I was especially watching just for him. When I did notice him though all I saw him do was mugging to the camera as well as attempting to be comedy relief I guess by saying every line in an over the top fashion, never anything. This is just a bad, unmemorable performance that did not deserve to be recognized.
Best Supporting Actor 1965
Ian Bannen in The Flight of the Phoenix
Tom Courtenay in Doctor Zhivago
Martin Balsam in A Thousand Clowns
Michael Dunn in Ship of Fools
Frank Finlay in Othello
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