Best supporting Actor 1941: James Gleason in Here Comes Mr. Jordan

James Gleason received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Max Corkle in Here Comes Mr. Jordan.

James Gleason plays Max Corkle the trainer to Joe Pendleton a boxer who has some big troubles when he dies at the wrong time. Gleason here plays Max Corkle in a fairly over the top way. He does the over the top way where he always seems to be going for laughs, and none really developed out of me from his routine. He acts all surprised over and over again when he meets Joe again in another body, and hears about all about Mr. Jordan Joe's after death guide.  

Gleason basically makes the same surprised face over and over again. He never does a single thing that is special at all in this performance, and anyone slightly competent actor could have played this part. There is simply nothing he does. He looks crazy acting surprised and confused and that is basically it. I suppose he is briefly sad over Joe's death but that is a short moment and barely even matters. It still is nothing special just like everything else in this performance. He just does this routine over and over again and that is nothing that needed to be awarded.