Alternate Best Actor 1968: Tatsuya Nakadai in Kill!

Tatsuya Nakadai did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Genta in Kill!

Kill! is essentially Kihachi Okamoto’s version of Sanjuro, though in this version two strangers get involved in a clan conflict over the corrupt and non-corrupt forces. 

We sadly finally lost the great Tatsuya Nakadai which is one of the great discoveries for me from this endeavor. Such a multi-fact talent, and here’s another one of his great talents as essentially Nakadai gets to take on the opposite of his parts against Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo and Sanjuro, where he played the chief villain each time, here he plays the hero who happens upon the situation. What’s wonderful is Nakadai’s take on the hero is completely his own and not for a second do you see him trying to replicate Mifune’s specific energy. Rather Nakadai brilliantly comes at things his own way, even the presentation of Genta where Nakadai very much plays into the idea of why everyone he’s around would falsely believe his Genta to be just a drifter of no note. As Nakadai has this casual energy that is just amazing here as every look from him is wonderful in creating truly the sense of a man just going along with life seemingly at this point. Offering a particularly enjoyable contrast to Hanji (Etsushi Takahashi), a peasant who wants to become a samurai who is almost hyperactive in his endeavor, Nakadai brings this passive energy, that is so remarkable because he is wholly charismatic in this totally unexpected casual demeanor. 

Nakadai is able to accentuate this ease of his presence where he brings the audience specifically into his sense of the situation where even as we see far more dramatic people going around as they find a small group in a clan is trying to weed out the larger scale corruption but the odds are against them, Nakadai brings an innate intelligence where every glance from him speaks so much into Genta calculating so much even as everyone either dismisses him or considers him of dangerous only in the sense of being a potential spy. Nakadai’s way of delivering every line of Genta basically allows others to think whatever they want as a “why not” confidence of someone who knows he’s got more than a hand up on everyone however entirely in his own way. Nakadai’s performance is a combination between being the hero and being hilarious however by playing the hero in such a path of least resistance sort of fashion. Where Nakadai brings the brilliance of the man though as someone who doesn’t want to force, making it so he does everything his own, rather amusing fashion. Something shown in the earliest fight scene where he’s tied up and maneuvers around within the action, where just every glance and even his physical way of walking about manages to be very funny, while also emphasizing the intelligence of the character. Particularly his pitch perfect exasperation when he sees the good members of the clan make a bad decision. 

Nakadai’s Genta acts in his own way like the samurai of Sanjuro, but again his way of directives is quite different, because the expectations of others is that he is this vagrant. So what we get instead is Nakadai’s deliveries which are all wonderful where he convinces people to do the right thing not through demand, but this very specific charisma of someone who seems to know exactly what everyone needs to do, though not for any particular reason. Nakadai lets us in on the fun which is particularly special where we get the moments where he considers certain options such as knowing there is a woman the good men might come to blows over and finds out that she’s heading to the men. Nakadai’s great in the way he speaks first with certainty but then when he hears the bad news, his immediate switch to a growing concern as he unravels more of the situation makes it so we are also benefiting from this knowledge that comes so easy to him. So easy to him that even when he’s surviving attacks from a semi-apologetic Hanji, Nakadai movements are so great as he manages to make it all look easy while also weirdly stumbling, as he is able to convincingly be this “accidental” expert in every quality. I especially love how even when his semi-friend is trying to kill him, Nakadai doesn’t react at being upset, rather it is with this knowing manner of someone using it to teach a lesson, not as a punishment but as a way to genuinely help Hanji out with his much sloppier path. 

We eventually do have moments where Genta is pushed into a corner and is forced to show his hand a bit. In those moments, Nakadai essentially becomes the man just simply cutting cake when using his sword and shows how naturally that Genta is simply beyond everyone in his skill even pressed to show off. His manner showing that his heartbeat maybe raises from below average to just average in these moments, as again Nakadai’s energy level here is so great in just how atypical yet convincing it is as such an atypical hero. We do get a key moment where we find out Genta’s primary motivation, where Genta was tired of the samurai life and particularly his own failure to weed out corruption in his own clan. Nakadai’s great in the scene because of how little he puts on it. Instead every word is simply the truth from his mouth, where there is a quiet underlying emotion of the sense of loss and even more so the strict imperative to do the right thing from now albeit in his own particular way. A way that gets more complicated when he gets caught and beaten for his efforts at a certain point, though saved by Hanji. I love it though when the barely received Genta comes up with the plan with Hanji and the good members of the clan, which includes Genta casually stating he will take down the lead villain of the clan, who also just happens to be the best swordsman of the entire clan. Nakadai’s performance again shows strength in ease, as even as he’s not trying to sell it, there is a strange even more powerful confidence in the ease of his conviction, as the essentially physically beaten down man says he’ll be the strongest man with the ease of man saying what he’ll have for lunch. Leading to a most unorthodox final battle where Genta utilizes the smallness of a room to disable his opponents use of a sword and commandeers a candle stick. Nakadai even in performing this action scene is great because again he manages this weird yet ideal combination between sloppiness and precision. Where obviously Genta knows exactly what he’s doing yet does it in a way where only he knows this, and Nakadai makes this all so effortlessly convincing while being comedic while never being a joke. Honestly Nakadai’s work here is so particular in its success because he is a total badass while being quite silly and what a natural combination he makes it. It is however merely another grand entertaining testament to the vast talents of the man who could be the most insidious of villains, or just an absolute delight of a hero as he is here. 

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Nicol Williamson in The Bofors Gun

Nicol Williamson did not receive Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a BAFTA, for portraying Gunner Daniel O'Rourke in The Bofors Gun.

The Bofors Gun follows a long night of watching a defunct gun and the power struggle that develops between a NCO and an insubordinate soldier.

Nicol Williamson is a fascinating actor to explore into his specific career which was one of perhaps a slow downfall. This as he fell towards a certain obscurity, even within his passing, despite the acclaim during his early career. This was not example of an actor wasting his talent, but one torn down by his own ego and vices. Looking into his life suggests two things, one that there ought to be a film about Williamson (even if in a perhaps everything except name fashion), and the strange similarities between himself and his character of Gunner O'Rourke within this film. One being rather superficial as Williamson himself took the rank of Gunner in his time in the armed forces, but more so in this figure that is O'Rourke, who may share a similar, albeit far more extreme, case of self-destructive tendencies. Now Williamson here is actually secondary lead to David Warner as the milquetoast Lance Bombardier Terry "Lance Bar" Evans, whose been recently promoted, and is given the strange duty of leading the men to "protect" the defunct gun. The problem is Terry is more interested in getting home to England by trying to avoid any trouble in the night, but for that there is one major thorn in his side. The thorn in his side being Williamson's O'Rourke who comes into the film, marching towards the duty, with a mocking walk, along with an outrageous cry as he takes his place along the line, Williamson setting up instantly that O'Rourke is likely to be a problem.

Williamson is brilliant from his first disagreement as he asks the purpose of their duty to guard the useless gun, from the non-existent enemy. Williamson asking the question with an intensity illustrating a false sincerity in questioning the need. There is in that already a sense of something else in Williamson's performance, something unnerving that goes beyond simply being cynical about his strange duties as a soldier. The following scene though is that of the greatness of Williamson, and in that perhaps something so unfortunate about his own career as an actor. This is in the following scene where he bullies another soldier into changing beds, without permission from Terry, nor protest. Williamson is this force of personality with such ease. He captures the moment with such a powerful force of space, of a man who in this reveals so effectively O'Rourke. This as a man of this fierce personality, however he uses it in a way only seemingly to tear down his environment for the sake of the action. Williamson, mind you, controls that environment with such effortless power, however with such limited purpose. Williamson showing a man who much succeeds in being larger than life, a quality potentially useful in a soldier, however with little purpose in this. As the men begin to mock Terry, to which he says little, Williamson brings the most pronounced insults as he mocks the bombardier. This with the most natural venom, and Williamson using those eyes of his to make even a mockery some severe act of a violent in a way, through how piercing they are alone.

It is rather fascinating just how striking Williamson can be in a scene even when laying on his back, just adding a few words of derision, as the men discuss Terry's position. Williamson's voice used to such potent purpose, as he makes O'Rourke's verbal attacks brutal, even in seemingly the most casual asides. Of course O'Rourke does go beyond even deriding Terry, as he attacks another of his disobedient soldiers for his sexual fixations, where Williamson brings this callous dominance seemingly of the proper soldier, however used without any sense of one. When it seems in this moment of mutual insult, Terry himself throws one casually O'Rourke's way. What follows is a truly astonishing bit of acting from Williamson, in his eyes shift from a casual disregard to a vile hate, as his eyes become that of killer all just within Williamson's work. Williamson is genuinely terrifying as this shift is so naturally realized as he appears to aim himself towards Terry. What follows though is an act of violence, not towards Terry, but rather towards himself as he grabs a hot coal for several seconds before declaring his disdain for all. Williamson is amazing in as he captures the violence of one man for another, externalized in the sharpness of his delivery, but internalized in his eyes that seem to indicate towards some deeper chaos within the man. O'Rourke retiring in the moment, in a way that Williamson suggestst as his only option, that seemingly would've otherwise resulted in his own breakdown or the violent end for Terry.

O'Rourke I'd say honestly is a role most actors would struggle with, not only because the part requires as striking of a presence as Williamson, but it would be so easy to make the actions of the man just random moments for the sake of performance. That is never even remotely the case for Williamson's work which crafts a logic in this seeming illogical man. This is as Williamson's performance captures this specific nature of the man vividly. This as any action comes from the same core that is the man.This is as even early on when he sings a jovial song, or seemingly jokes, there is even that this intensity Williamson brings to it. The attempt at something jovial seems real enough however Williamson's portrayal of it is this though still as some anguished act all the same. Williamson making O'Rourke's unwieldy state as a natural state of nature for where the man is. There is a moment where O'Rourke questions Terry's authority directly while also telling him he should essentially preemptively have him locked up. Williamson delivers the derision with the incisiveness in his words and his disregard in his eyes, however when speaking of the suggestion, there is nothing mocking in it. There is almost a cry for help in Williamson's portrayal that has this derangement within it, yet a sense of clarity as he makes the suggestion for Terry to not let him go be free into the night. Williamson in these two acts is able to reveal the man who is a particular dangerous combination as he most willing wishes to disobey, yet is as keenly aware of the problem of this.

The reason for this is briefly reflected in a moment where O'Rourke notes that the night will mark his birthday, as well as his time of turning to the age of 30. Williamson is simply incredible in the moment as his eyes capture a man truly looking into a nihilistic void as the man remarks how he'd never wish to turn 30. Williamson delivering this as a fundamental philosophy of a man, who as hostile as he is, Williamson alludes to within this a horrible depression.The rest of the night essentially becomes this prolonged suicide, that Williamson realizes with a terrible vividness. This as he does not portray it as exact, anything but as the man is both quite assured in his "mission" while not at all assured in the exact method. O'Rourke delivers this potent id within the man, that portrays a destructive style that means to destroy all in his path, himself included. Williamson delivers this emotional wretchedness of the man as he speaks of killing within the army, yet seems to be looking towards only an emptiness. His random destructive actions become of near animalistic violence. Not quite though as Williamson quite simply is outstanding in these scenes as it is not a singular emotion of violence, that is there, along with these moments of temporary joy, those that only delay a profound decay that Williamson returns to as O'Rourke basic expression. All other actions being these temporary delays towards his inevitable fate he has declared for himself. That depression that is brutally, yet powerfully depicted within Williamson's performance. This as he does not make this momentary lapse, but this seething quality of a man who has long determined himself, or at least his existence, to be useless. Williamson is amazing as the way he manages to show even a descent within this idea as the man becomes messier and drunker throughout the night. Williamson delivering the only respites towards O'Rourke's own depression, being his hate towards others.

Williamson creating this searing since of self-destruction as this crutch of anger towards others that he holds onto, as that intense emotion is the only relief from his own self-hatred. What oddly becomes the most off-putting moments are when O'Rourke attempts to return to joke, that become these unnerving asides in Williamson's portrayal, as the man willing almost to say anything given he intends to leave the world quite shortly. When Terry threatens to turn him in, Williamson delivers O'Rourke's lack of concern towards the consequences, as wholly earnest, as a man content to waste away. The final minutes of the film are this extreme that Williamson makes so vivid as he creates the mania of O'Rourke. This as he threatens Terry himself it is with a maniacal loathing in his eyes towards Terry, but just as much towards himself. Williamson brings a hostility to every one of O'Rourke's words to Terry, who attempts to talk sanity into him. Williamson speaks each word with a painful combination of treating the world as an abomination but doing himself with the same treatment. Williamson delivering this sincere outrage towards Terry's selfishness for his fixation on his promotion however he does not make it as this arbiter of justice, but rather a man clawing at anything he can find as he intends to lose it all. As he pushes Terry to name why he is suicidal as a game, I love how Williamson, as much as he is so despairing towards Terry's opinion, there is this as powerful desperation as though there is a glint of need that Terry would really be able to give O'Rourke a semblance of an answer for his own self-destruction. The final few seconds of Williamson work shows the sheer brilliance of his performance. This as he does not turn O'Rourke into a device to challenge Terry, but rather shows that this is very much O'Rourke own personal journey to the end. This as hateful as the man is, the humanity in his own suicide is kept ever prevalent in Williamson's performance. This as we see as he is about to stab himself, there is that vile hate again in his voice, yet in his eyes we see the profound sorrow in the man accepting destruction, not with ease, but with the suffering one would expect. This is a brilliant performance by Williamson as he manages to give one of the most captivating portraits of self-destruction committed to film, as he never makes this simple act, but a complex irrational feast of decay within the man's mind. 

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Results

10. Vincent Price - Witchfinder General - Price gives an interesting performance attempting to bring complexity to his morally compromised inquisitor, unfortunately the film decides to use him just as a one note villain.

Best Scene: Being convinced to give a reprieve.

9. Jean-Louis Trintignant in The Great Silence - Trintignant gives a good performance as he brings the steely gaze needed for his swift killer, along with a bit of pathos within his silence alluding to his motivations though he is a tad overshadowed by his more maniacal co-star.

 Best Scene: Silence remembers.

8. Malcolm McDowell in If.... in McDowell gives a good performance as he portrays the gradual breakdown of a student into essentially a psychopath even though if it might feel like a warm up to his more renowned turn as a juvenile killer.  

Best Scene: Killing spree

7. Burt Lancaster in The Scalphunters - Lancaster gives an enjoyable turn portraying the right comical frustrations within his more typical western hero, along with striking the right endearing chemistry with his co-star.

Best Scene: The final fight.

6. Lee Marvin in Hell in the Pacific - Marvin gives a memorable one man show as a man slowly losing his mind as well as a memorable two man show in realizing a most unique yet believable chemistry with Toshiro Mifune.

Best Scene: The curious showdown. 

5. Ossie Davis in The Scalphunters - Davis gives a very entertaining portrayal of his outgoing yet quietly cunning character, and again has great chemistry with his co-star Lancaster.

Best Scene: The final fight. 

4. Toshiro Mifune in Hell in the Pacific - Shares his scenes so well with Marvin, as well as stands out well with his own one man show as the refined soldier struggling through his ordeal.

Best Scene: Finding the magazine.

3. Max von Sydow in Shame - von Sydow as per usual creates such a convincing relationship with Liv Ullmann which is especially pivotal here as the two together offer such a natural and harrowing depiction of a married couple dealing with and being changed by war.

Best Scene: Killing a man.

2. Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West - Bronson more than fulfills the role of the badass gunslinger, he goes further though creating such an endearing and humorous chemistry with his co-star Jason Robards, then goes even further in offering such an underlying emotional poignancy to the film through his performance. 

Best Scene: The final duel.

1. Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer - This one for the overall came down two rather different performances though by both masterful in their separate intentions. Bronson being such a brilliant minimalist performance, and Lancaster being such a brilliant expressive tour de force. Both have their unique challenges and match every one of them. Lancaster's task is different. Bronson is an essential part to an amazing film. Lancaster though is the factor that makes his film work at all offering a reality and heartbreaking humanity to such a surreal concept. Once Upon a Time in the West would have probably still have been great with a lesser lead, but not as great. The Swimmer would probably have been a failure without what Lancaster does. Even with that somewhat flimsy reasoning though this is still sort of a toss up as I love both performances, but I have to choose one.

Best Scene: "This is my wagon"

Updated Overall

Next Year: 1968 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Malcolm McDowell in If....

Malcolm McDowell did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Michael Anderson "Mick" Travis in If....

If.... depicts the slow rise of a violent revolution but it is all based within a single English public school.

The film follows those discriminated being the under class men and those just considered undesirably by the elite students, which is ignored, encouraged, or also ignited by the staff. Malcolm McDowell plays "a" student in the school Mick Travis a role he would technically reprise in O Lucky Man and Britannia Hospital. I write technically because the character is only in name only. All three films are directed by Lindsay Anderson but the character is used to serve a purpose rather than being the story of a single man over three films. The latter two films are more alike, and would make more sense to be examined together. This film is set aside a bit more in that even though this film does have a surreal bent it is less extreme or at the very least less comical in nature than those films. This once stands more alone particularly due to the nature of Mick Travis in this film along with McDowell's portrayal of him, which is actually more limited than you'd expect. For much of the film his character is almost depicted as just one of the characters in the story, not necessarily given a greater importance. Early on we see him only as the student most likely to be different, arriving initially in the school sporting a ridiculous mustache.

For much of the film we are only given snippets of McDowell as Travis as the film focuses on several of the various other characters within the school, Travis is just one of them. When it cuts back to Travis McDowell portrays him generally with this general sort of discontent as though he is annoyed by the atmosphere around him and his main focus is that of finding some way in order to alleviate the problem. In these moments one thing does become obvious which is why Stanley Kubrick cast McDowell as Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange based on his performance in this film. In many ways his performance as Mick here feels a bit of warm up to playing Alex later on. In both films he plays rather atypical school boys though in this case he begins as a far less psychotic sort as McDowell very much stay fairly low key particularly early on where he is almost a supporting player. McDowell there is instead sort of personifies the discontent in the school through his portrayal of Mick's own behavior which slowly changes due to the increasing cruel behavior of the staff and some of his fellow students.

McDowell's performance realizes the gradual growing discontent in Travis as the film continues, though this is fairly minor arc since McDowell from the start shows Travis is already unhappy with his surroundings. What McDowell instead portrays the change as almost this loss of humor towards the abuse in a way. McDowell in the early scenes, and for much of the film portrays this cheeky comic sensibility in his reactions to his "oppressors" in the earlier moments which he also attaches to his initial rebellions which usually make up of basically pranks or fairly mild indiscretions. McDowell engages a sense of fun in that behavior early on as though Mick is not technically taking it overly seriously, in each reprimand though McDowell portrays a more severe reaction along with a growing intensity that makes Mick's transitions to more intense rebellious acts fairly natural. Now though most of his performance is attached to that arc there is the occasional pseudo reprieve of sorts such as when Mick goes out riding a motorcycle to a cafe where he meets a girl, named the girl. What follows is a surreal sequence which McDowell does well enough with in just being part of it in that he brings that certain physically mad energy in his performance that works well within that style. Much of the film though is just gradually portraying Travis sinking to the breaking point but the breaking point is a surreal affair. It's an insane bit at the end though to McDowell credit he does make the progression natural to a certain degree though not all the way. The breaking point though still is a jump further but again that goes in line with the way it is depicted to begin with. The rebellion is ridiculous as it goes from a prank to fully automated machine gun firing into a crowd with Mick as the leader of the murderous students. This final moment as it stands alone is a highlight for McDowell as we see him go full Alex DeLarge, as he brings that same chilling glee as he commits such a violent act. It's a memorable moment and it works well enough in terms of the character mainly due to the film embracing the surreal insanity all the more by the end. Where McDowell in that later film both acted as the humanity of the film, and thrived within its insanity, that's not quite the case here. He doesn't stand out in the same way, and not just due to screentime. He's occasionally engulfed by the film rather standing fully on his own as he does not master the tone in the same way. The character of Mick sometimes feels compromised which is never the case as Alex. It's a good performance, certainly a strong debut, but in the end it does feel but a warm up to his most iconic role.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Max von Sydow in Shame

Max von Sydow did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jan Rosenberg in Shame.

Shame is an excellent film that follows a couple through a war torn country.

The film follows Max von Sydow as Jan with his wife Eva naturally played by Liv Ullmann. The two seemed as though they specialized in playing married couples in a few years also doing so in Ingmar Bergman's other film from 1968 Hour of the Wolf, and later on in The Emigrants and its sequel The New Land. The reason for this seems rather obvious when watching the two together as they have such an authentic chemistry with one another. A chemistry that quite honestly covers whatever part of a married relationship they may need to be in. This is particularly essential in Shame since the two almost share all their scenes together and their relationship is rather symbiotic here. The film actually begins in an unassuming enough fashion as the two just go about what seems a normal day though in the normal day we do see what makes them who they are as a married couple. von Sydow and Ullmann have that ease in each other presence that offers the years together. The two though are equally effective though in sort of portraying the same ease in conflict as when they fight over their past difficulties that too feels so natural and so a part of what they've done to each other over the years such as Jan's infidelities in the past. The two though so elegantly create that rich history as they never define the relationship only on a single facet of their lives.

Their convincing portrayal of the married couple is essential to the film as the two together lead us through their experience through the war, which is depicted here in a unique fashion. The war never exactly happens, we see the military uniforms, the trucks, but it seems almost in the background until the other army begins to show up. This happens without warning with Jan and Eva finding themselves in the middle of it all. The two of them are excellent together in portraying the needed visceral intensity of the moments really as the film takes such a barrage of them which von Sydow and Ullmann have to stay with. Both actors capture the rapid fire confusion in the moment as they reveal the struggle just to keep up what is happening, portraying actually the fear with the lack of comprehension reinforcing the dire nature of the situation. One particularly effective moment in this is when they are suddenly approached by a propaganda crew for a interview and von Sydow and Ullman convey the complete loss of sense in their eyes and delivery as the barely know what is going on. Both are terrific in how natural they in revealing how unnatural the situation is. They are both just two normal people there not soldiers.

I love their physical performances in these scenes as the two of them show so well the two grip one another attempting to hold onto to each other for any source of solace and in the most harrowing moments reveal a particular striking connection than was not nearly evident during peacetime, hidden usually by their various squabbles. The two do not cheat the idea or show that this in anyway truly improves their relationship by any measure. What they instead show is the way the two basically come closer together the more dire the situation given that in their embrace the two show them searching for any comfort in the arms of each other. The two though reveal the desperation in this in that they do not always reveal any success in this act, only the attempt for it and to hold onto something throughout their trials. Again what is so remarkable about this is just how natural the two are together and make every scene have all the greater impact due to that. They pull the viewer right into their struggle as there never feels a hint of acting within either of their performances that offers such a strict authenticity in every scene. The create the needed focal point within every new purposefully random thing that comes from the war.

Now where their performances separate most strongly is within the portrayal of how each of them are changed as individuals through their experiences. von Sydow so effectively keeps Jan an average man in his situation, an average man who isn't quite a coward but also just wants to survive. There is nothing early on duplicitous in this whatsoever through the  genuine fear and confusion he portrays that almost overwhelms the man. This changes though when they are offered some reprieve by an official of one of their armies unfortunately the official requires sexual favors in return. von Sydow is heartbreaking in his depiction of the moment where the implications of this seem to finally dawn on him. The object grief he reveals is palatable as he so quietly just brings to life such earnest devastation in the man. A devastation that is not alleviated by Eva's cold reaction to his sorrow. This soon leads to the other army gaining favor again where they encourage Jan to execute the official. von Sydow is brilliant in the scene as his performances captures such an awkwardness in the moment of a sort of vengeance. He shows the anger within it but also the hesitations of a man who is not a killer. There is something so broken in his performance that fits so well to the average man doing something he should never had to do. The change to the harder man is not a simple transition but rather von Sydow makes it a horrible mess as it should be for a man like Jan. It seems he kills again and von Sydow makes sense of that because of this approach. von Sydow reveals a man on a edge that he barely even understands revealing just this impulsive reactions from moment to moment presenting someone trying to find a way past his breaking point. When Jan in finding his "escape" even suggests Eva need not come, von Sydow makes the brutality in the statement honest by showing it to come from the detached state for survival Jan has fallen into. von Sydow shows the narrow view of the man just looking for any way to depart from his troubles. Their return as a couple at the end is muted and haunting moment as Ullmann and von Sydow leave on the two with each other but lost in the turmoil of their experiences.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in The West

Charles Bronson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harmonica in Once Upon a Time in the West.

I must admit Charles Bronson's work in this film, which is one of my all time favorites, is something I've perhaps taken too much for granted given what he offers to the film. Bronson to begin with had some large shoes to fill in the form of Clint Eastwood as the man with no name in the dollars trilogy. Eastwood was the original choice for Harmonica in this film but turned it down leaving Bronson to fill the role of the man with no name only one given by someone else. Now in terms of the most straight forward sense Bronson proves himself capable of taking over from Eastwood from the very first scene of the film. That first scene being the greatest opener in any film where three thugs await Harmonica's arrival to the town at an almost deserted train station. Bronson appears in one the greatest character entrances of all time, though the film has three of those anyways, as the man with no name is announced through the playing of the instrument that becomes his moniker. Bronson makes himself known as well through his steely gaze that commands such a powerful presence. This leads to a truly unforgettable exchange where every moment of Bronson's performance may as well be of legend, as the man inquires about the amount of horses the thugs have who reply that they seem to be one short for the man. This leads to Bronson's head shake that may as well be a visual definition of badass followed by the verbal definition of it through his flawlessly, well for a lack of a better word, cool delivery of "You brought two too many" leading to a shoot out where the man is victorious.

From that opener alone Bronson proves that he will be as much if not more of the commanding hero than Eastwood. Bronson meets and surpasses the quota in that regard, but that's not all there is to a good man with no name. The man with no name is notable here as he's the only one of the principal characters to interact with the other four those being the newly arrived widow of a murdered family with important land holding Jill (Claudia Cardinale), the bandit Cheyenne (Jason Robards), the black hat killer Frank (Henry Fonda) and the underrated railroad baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti). As he stands in the middle, making the most pivotal moves perhaps, Harmonica though does not stand as this stoic uninterested hero and goes further with the role by doing so. The relationship that perhaps gets the most screentime is between Harmonica and Cheyenne the bandit, who actually names Harmonica in their first meeting at a trading post after Cheyenne has just escaped, violently, from his captors. Robards and Bronson together is one of the highlights of the film, which has many of those, as they make such strong use out of every single second they have together.

In that initial meeting scene there is an underlying intensity there due to Cheyenne's situation but Bronson and Robards make it a humorous meeting of two similar spirits who just are not aware of their similarity yet. Robards is great by playing with Cheyenne as calm and collected yet quietly frustrated by Harmonica which Bronson is brilliant at with his perfect smirks as he plays Harmonica slightly trolling the bandit while uncovering a bit information he needs. Their relationships grows so naturally in each successive scene, as the two help each help Jill, and a reason that this is convincing is the chemistry between Bronson and Robards. I love the way the two are when they meet again striking up just this understanding that is given this striking warmth, that is never stated even once, the two exude it in again expressing this mutual spirits. The two from then on, every scene they share, have this sort of rhythm to their performances that is such a delight to watch while establishing such genuine camaraderie between the two. They are fun simply to be around such as in the scene where Harmonica essentially explains the land plot in large bit of exposition which never feels dull through their flawless timing with one another.

My favorite moment in that scene being Bronson's encouraging delivery of Harmonica's addition of "They call them millions" as Cheyenne ponders on the money that could be made from the land deal. I could go on and on with those and two, and you know I will a little more. The two just have such an ease that makes their moments so enjoyable such as the little smile Bronson gives towards Robards when Cheyenne is rescuing Harmonica in a most curious fashion, or one of the best moments in the film when the two save Jill's home from a fixed auction by Harmonica turning in Cheyenne for the reward money. Again the two are just pitch perfect with Bronson offering the right smug satisfaction playing purposefully the jerk as he offers Cheyenne up. I have particular affection for Bronson's sardonic delivery of "They didn't have dollars in dem days" when Cheyenne mentions that Judas betrayed Jesus for a lot less money. Everything with those two is pure gold and those scenes belong to both Bronson and Robards. Neither overshadows the other the two just work in such beautiful harmony with one another as they make Harmonica and Cheyenne such an engaging and endearing pair.

Now having great chemistry with his scene partner was actually found in Eastwood's latter two collaborations with Leone as well, but there is more as the character expands beyond even what we saw from Bill, Manco and Blondie. Although Harmonica is a man with no name he is not a man without a purpose or a past. The purpose is found in helping Jill but also found in thwarting Frank's and technically Morton's plans. The pivotal factor in this is Frank which is very interesting. In much of Harmonica's interactions with these three Bronson brings effectively, very effectively, that badass cool but with a humorous bent as though Harmonica doesn't mind having a bit of fun while also saving the day. Bronson pulls that off with such ease but goes further with actually. In that he has that clever smile so often portraying this way Harmonica seems to get under the skin of his opponent Frank by seeming some how beyond the man in that way he seems to laugh whenever he messes with their plans. That is the front that Bronson often shows Harmonica has, which makes him an incredibly appealing hero, but again Bronson offers even more depth to Harmonica by going even further with the role.

Bronson's performance though is incredibly subtle in this regard yet so remarkable. Watching the film again Bronson proves to be so able in such minimalist circumstances given that Harmonica doesn't say too much. When Harmonica first meets Frank face to face again there is a moment, just a moment, before he attains his usual cool where Harmonica's face express a haunted man, an emotional pain that has laid there for some time. This is an idea that he keeps within his work that grants a greater poignancy to Harmonica's quest, that doesn't even quite seem the simple revenge it could be. That is found in a few later instances where Frank asks Harmonica who he is and Harmonica gives a different name every time, the connection between the names being that they are all men Frank has killed. When he says these names there is certain incisive sadness in Bronson's eyes as though Harmonica starring to Frank soul as he says the name as though his path for vengeance extends far past himself. What I love about what Bronson does with this is that he adds a honest vulnerability even while still being a proper badass.

He  alludes to that deeper trauma within his intention for Frank right until the final duel where he reveals it fully though silently. Bronson is brilliant in this scene though in his portrayal of this as just before the duel begins completely he has that smirk again with Harmonica happy in getting Frank just where he wants him, but when it is finally time for the act Bronson reveals a change. The scene depicts the flashback of when Frank killed Harmonica's brother, but Bronson also reflects this memory in his performance. The smile is gone as he looks into the void of the past, and Bronson expresses without a word the hole that loss left in Harmonica. This is a great performance by Charles Bronson because he manages to reveal this more emotional undercurrent throughout his work which never for a moment compromises his character. It only amplifies the hero and makes such a stronger impact through it which amplifies the power of the film. There is such poignancy he finds in smallest glance such as in his final scene with Robards. Harmonica doesn't say much in the scene, he doesn't have to Bronson's eyes as he sees Cheyenne's wound says it all and it is heartbreaking. This is outstanding work from Bronson as he manages to take what Eastwood did in those earlier films, which was impressive in itself, and takes it to even greater heights.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer

Burt Lancaster did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Ned Merrill in The Swimmer.

The late 1960's offers a peculiar stage in filmmaking, representative of the greater cultural changes of the time. In the final few years there was a strange state in how different the films were as there were the old Hollywood mainstays still, in fact the featured actor of this review's other vehicle of 1968 was in the more traditional western The Scalphunters. The Swimmer offers quite the difference in style, and is a style that only existed for those few years really. In that the new Hollywood was starting to or about to start to come into presence in the seventies yet there were those old Hollywood films that looked as though they could have been made in the fifties. There were also those films that were quite unique though as they represent some of those directors attempting change their styles or utilize the new techniques sometimes effectively sometimes not so much, leaving the films sort of between two periods. The Swimmer is one of those films as it has those qualities, and takes upon subject matter that in terms of the broad ideas was tackled in fifties yet its approach is quite different. This is fitting though to this film given that the story of a man who decides to "swim" his way home one summer day doesn't exactly suggest a most literal interpretation.

Although the film presents its events as literal, as in they do happen, the technique often falls into the surreal fitting to the surreal concept behind the story. This story though, and the film itself could devolve all into itself becoming an exercise or an experiment, possibly even a failed one if it were not for Burt Lancaster. If I may go on a slight tangent for a moment and think about the comparison of Lancaster and his friend and frequent co-star Kirk Douglas. That connection is not their only one given their breakout in the mid-forties and their similair careers as leading men. I have stood by my clear preference towards Douglas for his consistency as an actor, though this view has become grayer the more I see of Lancaster. Nothing will rid Lancaster of his lesser works, yet with him there is this individuality of his best work, a surprise of it, a rarity in that it seems as though it is only capable from Lancaster himself. Now to divert back to this film as this is an example of that, not just because of Lancaster's swimmer's physique, but there is something he does here that only seems like it could come from the actor.

The film opens with Lancaster's Ned as he dives to swim through a pool coming out to be greeted by a small group of friends. Ned was swimming in his friends' pool and seems to be on good terms with the people as they engage in very small talk. Lancaster's performance here sets up Ned very effectively as he seeds who he is, yet does not tells us who he truly is, yet. In that Lancaster creates the right ease of conversation as they speak about really nothing at all though Lancaster does emphasize a particular focus in Ned on the pool and swimming. When speaking about other things Lancaster shows enough of a comfort as Ned speaks of them, but switches to a far stronger passion in his words when discussing the idea of swimming. This becomes all the more notable when he speaks to his friends about the days of old and swimming down a stream in the summertime. There is such a powerful nostalgia for his words as Lancaster's eyes seem looking back to those old times with such affection, though perhaps just as a man reliving a good memory. This leads Ned though to come up with a rather strange idea.

The strange idea to make his way home by going from house to house for a swim in each of his neighbors' pools. When discussing this idea Lancaster carefully portrays this in that it can be taken one way, though with hindsight we'll learn it means something else. Lancaster at first though speaks of the idea with such earnest desire and that it seems like it might just be the fun idea of some free spirit having a good time on a summer day. There is nothing too alarming about Ned's plan, and Lancaster to his utmost credit seems to create a logic to it in his portrayal of Ned's nostalgic perspective. As he begins his journey, the journey itself seems suitable to this view as the initial swims are given this lust for life through Lancaster's physical performance. In every physical gesture early on, whether it is swimming through a neighbor's pool, or running alongside a horse there is such sheer unadulterated joy Lancaster reveals in the act. It goes beyond just a fun time though as the exuberance in every facet of Lancaster's being emphasizes the idea of a man living to the fullest, or so it seems.

As the swims continue as do Ned's interactions with the various people around the neighborhood and this seems a pleasant enough affair at first. One of the first groups Ned comes across is a group of neighborhood former kids including Julie who used to babysit his kids. This initial meeting is brilliantly portrayed by Lancaster because on the surface he continues as this man on his pleasant journey as he greets every one of them so warmly, and even races Julie in the pool for a good swim a few times. Lancaster though, in this warm greeting, though suggests a sadness, a subtle quiet one just as he reflects on just how old all the kids have gotten. He doesn't lose the smile on his face but in his eyes and within the words Lancaster alludes towards this hidden sorrow. Again it's slight, and it seems not too worrisome, but it's there. It can be forgotten soon enough as he goes off with Julie for awhile and she talks about her old fantasies of the past involving Ned, which leads to a future one from Ned. This is even made somewhat innocuous by Lancaster, despite being technically a creepy old man lusting a young woman as there is a purity to the request as though he is asking to live out a dream or perhaps the past.

Julie rejects the offer leaving what Lancaster depicts as a frustrated yet not broken state as he continues his journey. His next interaction with a few neighbors is a little salty, but he eventually comes across a boy near his empty swimming pool. This is a downright amazing scene for Lancaster which he uses to reestablish Ned's journey as something special, something hopeful. He takes the boy on an imagined swim, by miming the motions through the empty pool, and that joy of life resumes. As he speaks to the boy there is such palatable optimism that Lancaster brings as he speaks about wishing one's dreams true. There is such belief of this in that moment, and Lancaster shows the way Ned recaptures the spirit to live out this peculiar dream of his through his interactions with the boy which are genuinely heartwarming if inspiring. Lancaster shows the way Ned basically goes on cloud nine after this experience until this moment realization, where Lancaster perfectly breaks that certain gaze when Ned runs back to stop the boy since he believes he might try diving into the empty pool. In that moment Lancaster offers a strict reality, and I love the way he does this as it emphasizes a danger in dreaming.

From there on Lancaster's work further reveals what is going on with Ned as he continues his trek to less friendly waters such as when he crashes another party with less than welcoming hosts. Lancaster's performance effectively creates this conflict within Ned as he attempts to continue his own dreams even as realities keep confronting him. In the gate crashing party Lancaster turns on the charm on the hostess and a guest, though it doesn't do much for him, but it calls back to the beginning of the man who seemed to be enjoying life. The salty reactions though offer little, and Ned is bluntly faced with a bit reality again when he sees that the neighbors have a hot dog cart he used to own. This scene could easily fall apart but it doesn't because of Lancaster. He somehow makes this man pining for his old hot dog wagon absolutely heartbreaking since he shows such a loss in his resolve as he asks for it. Although it could be like a boy wanting his toy back, and in some ways it is, Lancaster makes it so painful to Ned as in the pleading he reveals just how much the item means to him beyond the object itself.

The journey does not get much better though Lancaster still reveals just hints of pleasure when he has the few chances to swim or run. Lancaster's physical portrayal is so pivotal as again there is something primal in these moments of the man attaching himself to the act as form of comfort. The comfort though is wasted though such as when Ned meets his old mistress at another pool, where Lancaster carries the overlying charm as he speaks about their old times together yet undercuts it all with the unease in his face as she reveals nothing pleasant about the experience. That terrible time leaves Ned with only one pool left the communal swimming pool, which he struggles into and as he swims through Lancaster finally shows not even a hint of happiness in that act anymore. Things only worsen when the locals harass the "rich man" Ned over his debts and his personal failures. Lancaster is devastating as he shows Ned without the net of his dreams even as he attempts to defend himself through false claims that reek of such desperation revealing just the pitiful soul Ned is in the end. The revelation being that in way Ned is kind of the crazy man walking around in his underwear spouting nonsense, he just happens to wear better. What we see when Ned gets home is just inevitability due to Lancaster's performance. This is outstanding piece of work by Lancaster as he makes the film successful by always providing a human element that stops the film from being overcome by its stylistic choice and its metaphors. Lancaster makes the human connection through his work which is incredible as he makes the viewer understand Ned's delusions and even creates the appeal of them. He makes sense even out of the central conceit by so brilliantly realizing who this man is in such harrowing detail. I love this performance as it is a masterful and deeply emotional portrait of man lost in both his dreams and his sorrows.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Toshiro Mifune and Lee Marvin in Hell in the Pacific

Toshiro Mifune and Lee Marvin did not receive Oscar nominations for portraying the Japanese Captain and the American pilot respectively in Hell in the Pacific.

Hell in the Pacific is an effective film, other than its needlessly bleak ending, about an American and a Japanese soldier during World War II being stuck on a desert island together.

The film features quite the starring pair with Mifune and Marvin, both real life veterans of World War II themselves, and thrusts them into a somewhat atypical film at least for the period. The film begins with both men already on the island, and with each man lacking the ability to speak the other man's language. The film opens with the two basically discovering each other where a battle of sorts takes place, though mostly for the collected fresh water on the island. The film though it was made by an English language production company and crew it technically isn't really an English language film per se. Both men speak and only really speak in their language. There is no preference made within the film, and there is no preference made in terms of who is the true lead so to speak. It is a very interesting set up since in a way it sets us with sort of two one man shows at once, though they do interact even that is very much internalized within the performances of each man for much of the film.

We have Lee Marvin perhaps one of the most "man's man" of the sixties as the American pilot and Marvin is sort of known for his particularly easygoing performance style even when playing technically intense characters. Marvin though is sort of the guy who just wears any hard edges so well within himself that it seems often like he does not need to try too much in that regard. That seems to free him up in a way to give perhaps a performance not always expected of the standard soldier which works very well here as the marooned man. Marvin establishes his role well in terms of the time that has likely been spent even before we meet the two men on the island. In that Marvin realizes the idea that the American has been here awhile right in his performance which lacks that outward intensity at times though he instead replaces that with this bit of insanity. Now this is not true insanity that Marvin shows but rather just the sort of partial madness inflicted on a guy who has been alone talking to himself for some time. In Marvin's delivery when he talks to himself there is a casual quality as though he's been doing for a while now to the point he doesn't give it even a second thought since he's been on the island for so long.

Then there is Toshiro Mifune, who despite being my favorite actor is not an actor who I have actively looked for his English language work. This mainly because, despite learning all the lines, he was often overdubbed poorly though since Mifune's voice is very distinct hearing anything else coming out of his mouth just seems wrong. Thankfully there is none of that nonsense here since Mifune speaks mostly in Japanese with just a few scant words in English in his real voice still. Mifune offers to begin with a more intense performance than Marvin, which is obviously something Mifune thrives with. Mifune's approach though is very much fitting to the Japanese man though given the different codes offered by their military with Mifune's character technically instructed to kill Marvin's character by the soldier's code. Mifune's approach fits that idea offering that killer instruction within his performance though he carefully mutes it ever so slightly. Mifune also portrays importantly the wear of the island in his performance as well. Mifune handles it as perhaps the second man to come though by depicting this underlying uncertainty in his physical portrayal of the Japanese Captain's manner. He has a certain fear in his intensity, as he shows the man looking for any surprises while trying to figure out his situation on the island.

The initial "battle" is very well played by both actors in that neither depict this as this cunning scheme by either man in order to get an advantage over the other. There is something more about it in both show there to be this desperation in every strike they take, and both portray that the men are as confused as when they attack as when they defend. Neither portray any hatred really in these early scenes but rather a defensive suspicion of sorts as they each make their moves against the other though usually only getting the upper hand for a moment. The two are great in the way they portray this seeking for connection even in these early stage such as in there technically most intense confrontation when they come for a duel of sorts the Japanese with a makeshift wooden samurai sword and the American with a knife. Marvin and Mifune both do well to depict a nervousness and confusion in their eyes as they reveal the men not wanting to fight to the death, while also showing that they don't know exactly what else to do either. They continue on the fighting even past this point but in the right awkward fashion. Mifune showing it as the Japanese soldier never really having an exact passion in capturing the American, just doing his perceived duty, while Marvin shows the American making a literal game out of it times almost joking around fitting to the somewhat aloof state he established that the American is in.

They eventually stop trying to best each other and begin attempting to deal with their situation of being on the desert island. The two though begin separated in this task and we are granted a bit more of each actor giving their own rendition of Castaway, just Wilson happens to be an actual person. Now in this rendition the two both thrive since they are both incredibly magnetic performers though in different ways. Marvin again continues to excel as the man who has kind of lost his mind as he brings such natural humor to the man pondering over his situation, and trying to decipher and work with his other "friend". Marvin does some talking, but often as mumbling though which wholly suits the role of the man who is more than a little lost both mentally and physically. Mifune on the other hand though conveys a greater resolve in the Japanese soldier, though is also comical in his own way as juxtaposed against Marvin's performance. Mifune though captures almost this rigorous devotion as the Japanese man attempts to prepare for his situation through this quietude of a man almost in meditation, only occasionally broken in his often amusing befuddled reactions towards whatever Marvin might be doing at a given moment. I have particular affection for Mifune's studious and calm re-raking of some sand after Marvin steps in it.

The two do begin to work together in order to make a raft to escape together and the actors work in creating the right type of chemistry with one another. The right type because there is always a certain disconnect in the verbal aspect which Marvin and Mifune portray fitting to two people who can't quite even say hello with each other to begin with, and their vocabulary doesn't improve all that much as the story progresses either. They work well in creating the physical interactions, that do actual create a chemistry there. The two begin to slowly have in through the subtle physical gestures and facial ques to create a convincing connection between the two. What is most notable though in this is how Marvin and Mifune reveal this growing ease in each other presence, as the two pull back on some of the aspects of their performances that defined the men alone, Mifune losing his intensity, and Marvin actually becoming less aloof.  Both actors are remarkable though since they do end up saying so much without really saying much of anything just by making this friendship all in the unsaid, and mutual devotion that each show is focused upon helping each other get off the island. When they manage to escape the island it i inspiring not only in the accomplishment but through how believable Mifune and Marvin make the two enemies become allies. The film though reaches its unfortunate ending where the men come to another apparently deserted island. Although their good feelings continue at first they get reminders of the war, by finding an abandoned army base, and the conflict begins again. Both actors make this a painfully believable transition as well with Marvin showing the American falling back into his own world again, and Mifune is rather heart wrenching depiction of the Japanese soldiers anguish as he looks upon various images of destruction against the Japanese in a LIFE magazine. The connection is gone as Mifune shows the Japanese man falling into his own sorrows  and anger related to the war, while Marvin shows the American unable to find any useful words to bridge the gap. I'd say the film could have ended with the two at the moment and would have been fitting to both characters and the terrific performances of the lead. The film though throws in an arbitrary final moment that unfortunately undercuts rather than amplifies the rest of the film. Thankfully there is the rest of the film though which contains to very impressive performances by Mifune and Marvin who both give intriguing one man shows yet manage to transition naturally into a unique two man show that results in a powerful portrait of two enemies finding common ground.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Burt Lancaster and Ossie Davis in The Scalphunters

Burt Lancaster and Ossie Davis did not receive Oscar nominations for portraying Joe Bass and Joseph Lee respectively in The Scalphunters.

The Scalphunters is a very entertaining western about a fur trapper and a former slave attempting to take on a group of vicious scalp hunters.

The Scalphunters fits into that apparently too rare sub-genre of the unlikely pair western, the western equivalent to the buddy cop movie. Like Red Sun and much later Shanghai Noon it takes the enjoyable formula of mixing two types that normally wouldn't go on a western adventure together. In this one we get technically the more typical western hero with Burt Lancaster's Bass who is just trying to make his living trapping yet gets cheated by an Native American chief who forces him to trade his furs for the slave Joseph played by Ossie Davis. Of course Joseph goes around claiming to be a Comanche Indian rather than a slave. There we have our set up but what needs to make this truly work is our two leads. First we have Lancaster who nicely is actually giving a bit of a mix of what are his two usual starting points of either the stoic man or the crazy one. Lancaster nicely plays this one in that Lancaster begins physically looking as though he may be a your more usual typical western hero but the moment he opens his mouth Lancaster strongly suggests otherwise. Then we get Ossie Davis who is usually quite the welcome presence in any film that he appears, this film is no different in that regard.

What sets any film of this sort apart, and what often determines its success is the chemistry between the leads. This is established well to begin with, through the very differing styles of the characters which are properly realized by both Davis and Lancaster. Davis brings this consistent energy as Joseph Lee portraying him as a man with often a smile on his face, but this is not a simple sort that Davis makes. There is always this certain glint that Davis brings to his eye, though more on that later. Lancaster on the other hand is entertaining by his method of portraying Joe Bass as this "hard man". Although technically speaking Bass does have the requisite skills of a western hero Lancaster skews this to begin with by having this comedic element with the character perceived toughness. Lancaster is terrific in the way he portrays the character's constant fussy state that cleverly undercuts the usual western type. After all Lancaster does indeed stand tall, he's technically the right type to begin with yet Lancaster purposefully subverts that by showing those frustrations, that Bass has over losing his furs and most things for that matter, in this sort of childish manner.

The two of them are great fun together in their clashing styles of essentially comedy. Lancaster so intensely portraying Bass while Davis carrying such an easy going approach to Lee. The two of them strike up that right type of antagonist friendship through that conflicting approaches. Davis delivering his long eloquent statements by Lee showing off his considerable skill as a orator, while Lancaster depicts such pained reactions at being unable to compete at the same verbal level is a particular delight. The two though importantly, even initially as the two try to get up on the other in some way, portray this underlying warmth between the interactions even when they fight. This is something just small in their interactions though it properly plants the seeds of a real camaraderie once the plot gets started.The plot being when the group of scalp hunters, lead by Telly Savalas's Jim Howie, not only steal Bass's furs themselves but also capture Joseph Lee. Although this might seem a somewhat swift separation of our co-leads, they thankfully have many more moments together throughout, but also get their chances to shine on their own as well.

Davis fittingly for Joseph Lee gets the most to say as he tries his usual routine with the scalp hunters in order to gain some favor, even though they plan to sell him when given the chance. Davis though again gives such a charismatic portrayal that he makes it wholly believable he would sort of win his captors over. Again though Davis even as he charms with his elegant ability with words, which Davis grants such an innately pleasant quality to, there is that glint in his eye still. That glint though revealed to be a definite cunning by Davis in Joseph Lee who is never quite as carefree as he makes him out to be. Davis does this even when technically Joseph is playing the part of the likable companion, as he brings this certain incisiveness in even his kind words, and always that knowing quality beneath his delivery. Lancaster's scenes are technically a tad more limited given that all he can interact with is his loyal horse yet he still makes the most of these moments. Again Lancaster sort of charges his performance the right way as he is quite humorous while convincing in portraying the perhaps misplaced intensity in Bass as he strives to get his furs back no matter what in a sort of vengeance more fitting to familial loss than monetary loss.

Thankfully though we still get the two occasionally meet whenever they have the chance which generally results in some marvelous comedic moments as Lancaster and Davis know exactly how to play off each other to make their friendship just so endearing. They successfully earn the weight that is granted as the situation becomes more severe and they both start to get into life or death fights. Lancaster and Davis give such an honesty to portraying the concern the two have for each other in the end, though they do this so well by playing these moments so quietly, almost as though the men are hiding their concern yet absolutely earnest in it. The two naturally come together as a real duo even though their final act really is a extended fight scene between the two, but they even manage to create this sense of good nature within that despite their frequency of going for the dirty blows. The two of them capture that remarkable ease in creating the right dynamic that makes all their fighting almost a show of affection, though it just be a most curious show. Lancaster and Davis just exude that fun right in their performances which is infectious to watch as well. The two  are a classic entertaining mismatched pair throughout the film, and really if the film chose to continue on their final quest I could have gone right along with them.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Jean-Louis Trintignant in The Great Silence

Jean-Louis Trintignant did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Gordon aka "Silence" in The Great Silence.

The Great Silence is a fairly effective spaghetti western, though its ending is more than a little questionable, about a bounty hunter who will only ever shoot in self-defense.

A common factor in any spaghetti western is the issue of dubbing and the various languages of those involved particularly the star who often was of a different nationality than the majority of the supporting cast. The Great Silence found a way away from any complications of this by having the lead character played by Jean-Louis Trintignant a mute. This is an interesting choice and makes the man named Silence a rather stoic hero even as stoic western heroes go. This forces many characters around Silence to describe Silence leaving himself mostly there for the most intense action. This actually goes to such a degree that one could argue that Klaus Kinski as the chief villain Loco, also a bounty hunter but without a code, is even co-lead with Trintignant since the film focuses almost as much on him as it does Silence. The casting itself also does seem to be an odd thing though with Trintignant certainly not the first man you'd expect to see in any type of western.

Trintignant though certainly offers quite the unique face for a western which obviously comes in handy for this part and it works in creating a certain atypical skew for the character. In that Trintignant carries a steely stare but not quite in the intense way you may expect. There is instead a certain detachment in his stare that actually does work effectively in creating both a menace in regards to the character but also suggests the state of Silence. This is as Trintignant does convey a certain damage right in the man as he portrays almost an underlying pain in Silence not as a man who is fine with his Silence but is rather pained by it. Trintignant handles this sort of detachment rather well as there is something innately broken within his performance while this also never seems to compromise his stance as sort of the hero to the western. In fact Trintignant makes something seem all the deadlier by that detachment as he guns down, not that he is wholly unfeeling, yet rather a no voice to speak any possible distress.

Although for much of the film Silence has the upper hand since he easily kills all who oppose him but this ends when he comes in contact with Kinski's Loco, who rather ironically is just a little too cool headed to get set off by Silence's attempt to pester him into a fight. This finally puts Silence off his course and Trintignant does successfully explore past the strictures of the type as the tides turn against Silence. Trintignant in these moments captures the more emotional rawness of his state through his eyes particularly in the scene where Silence thinks back to when his family was massacred. The film though again messes with its perspective a bit too much perhaps as it almost seems to become Loco's story and it is only in that view where the film's excessively bleak ending makes any sense. An ending where its silver lining is a bluntly stated message that reveals how the villains actions eventually led to good reforms down the road, which offers little solace. This does reduce Tritntignant's performance's impact a bit by the end of the film. He's still good particularly in revealing the final anguish in Silence in the final duel, yet rather strangely in the end Silence ends up being overshadowed in his own film by his rival Loco, and Tritnignant ends up being a bit overshadowed by Kinski.

Alternate Best Actor 1968: Vincent Price in Witchfinder General

Vincent Price did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Matthew Hopkins in Witchfinder General.

Witchfinder General is a flimsy pseudo-exploitation film about an inquisitor during the reign of Oliver Cromwell.

Vincent Price had perhaps a somewhat curious career progression as an actor. In that he started out in very much the prestige picture such as Laura and The Song of Bernadette, but eventually began to appear in a long series of b-movies often as a campy villain. There was more than a slight indication of this in his early work in that he would play often shady characters, but they were not quite the overt villains he came known for. This brings him to this film which itself seems a curious clash of the two phases of his career quite honestly. In that the movie is not quite sure what it wants to be in that it may wish to be a grim realization of the cruel witch hunters of the time, yet its approach very much focuses on the violence, and very little on the characters suggesting the tone more of a violent exploitative horror film. The characters for the most part are incredibly simple, there seems an attempt at further complexity at times yet this usually is forgotten in favor of more bloodshed.

Vincent Price stands in the center of the film as the man who wishes to become the Witchfinder General by uncovering witches all throughout England. Price seems set on his own performance at the very least, even though the film doesn't quite seem set on its own tone. Price goes for the more nuanced approach to the material, very much away from his usual campy type of villainy to portray the witchhunter Hopkins in a very quiet manner. Price is consistent in this in very much trying to impress some sort of reality on the film in his dark somber approach. Price's approach is actually a tad surprising since even in his earlier prestige picture work he usually would be a more flamboyant figure. Here though Price very much seeks to be the puritan really his character should be. Price whole physical manner is that of a hard and cold man. He is effective in this approach as everything about him has this coldness to him in his dark eyes always peering for some sort of weakness, and his straight forward delivery fitting to an official who is going about his task with proper precision.

The character is not quite so straight forward though as revealed early on by the first scene where he goes about interrogating a catholic priest, which involves having his men randomly stabbing the man's back supposedly looking for the mark of Satan. The priest though is granted a respite when the priest's niece offers to prostitute herself in exchange for saving her uncle. This offer is immediately accepted by Hopkins and Price does not depict any sort of conflict in the man over this. Price approach actually instead very much sets up the character as a man who is more than willing to abuse his position to get what he wants and there is never a second thought in his depiction. This again is effective though as Price is appropriately creeping in showing the complete lack of hesitation in the man as he goes from his violent interrogation of doing "God's work" at one moment then giving into lust with the woman the next. The film never really goes anywhere with this idea in terms of revealing the hypocrisy of the character instead he ends up just being basically a monster who needs to be defeated by the end of the film. Price stays consistent within his character throughout even in its more bombastic conclusion, more fitting to a traditional monster picture. Price isn't quite just the monster and is a chilling presence throughout the film. His performance though seems a bit misused in the end as it suggests a greater complexity but it never is allowed to explore this in any real detail. This is a good low key performance by Vincent Price, but the film prevents him from giving a great one.