Saturday 11 September 2010

Best Actor 1955

And The Nominees Were:

Spencer Tracy in A Bad Day At Black Rock

James Dean in East of Eden

Ernest Borgnine in Marty

Frank Sinatra in The Man With The Golden Arm

James Cagney in Love Me Or Leave Me

8 comments:

Fritz said...

This looks like a really strong line-up. I don't mind Borgnine's win, her was pretty good. I think you will go with Dean, maybe with Tracy.

joe burns said...

Borgine will win, I feel. Don't know anything about this year though!

Anonymous said...

I thought 1937 won the vote?

Anyways, I've been leaning towards James Dean's over-the-topness in East Of Eden lately...but Borgnine was fantastic of course.

My ranking:
1. James Dean
2. Ernest Borgnine
3. Spencer Tracy
4. Frank Sinatra

Never seen James Cagney's film.

Louis Morgan said...

It was close but 55 pulled up in the final moments.

Tom said...

I predict Ernie :)

dinasztie said...

I really hope that Borgnine wins this. He should take this very easily. He's so damn heartbreaking, real and very-very touching. My Top 10 member. I disliked Dean and his movie. He was just doing a weak imitation of Brando. And that jus sums up Dean's carreer.

dinasztie said...

Oh, predictions...
1)Bognine
2)Dean
3)Tracy
4)Cagney
5)Sinatra

Criddic (Bryan Macklowe) said...

Totally disagree with your take on Sinatra. He was a very fine actor. Frank Capra once remarked that if Sinatra had concentrated solely on acting he could've been the greatest ever. I think his work in "The Man with the Golden Arm" is among his best. It was a film no studio wanted to make at the time, because of the controversial and dark depiction of drug addiction. Sinatra did a lot of research, even going to hospitals where real addicts were going through some of what his character does. He went more "method" in that sense than he ever did for other roles. His Oscar for "From Here to Eternity" was an acknowledgment of Sinatra's comeback, a down-and-out "song-and-dance man" who gave a creditable dramatic performance in a very popular film (it won 8 out of its 13 Oscar nominations). His role in "Golden Arm" showed he had some range. I think he does a commendable job. I would also recommend you see his work in the thriller "Suddenly," where he plays a thoroughly detestable assassin.

I also want to comment on "Love Me or Leave Me," which seems like a typical gangster part for James Cagney. He adds layers to a real-life character (the film is based on the life of Ruth Etting, played by Doris Day in her finest dramatic performance -- Happy 96th Birthday Doris!)

Personally I would give it to Sinatra over Borgnine, his co-star in the aforementioned "Eternity." But I agree that Robert Mitchum should have placed here.