Best Supporting Actor 1953: Frank Sinatra in From Here to Eternity

Frank Sinatra won an Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Pvt. Angelo Maggio in From Here to Eternity.

Frank Sinatra is Angelo who basically is just the friend who hangs out with Prewitt (Montgomery Clift). He likes his drinks and his parties and his character consists of very little more than that. Really played by Sinatra, Angelo is one obnoxious character  who I did not care for in the least, which means Sinatra fails quite obviously. Angelo is just annoying in every scene with his annoying voice, and his party guy mentality. I did not find him funny or care about his character in the least I was just bugged by him. In fact the first scene with Sergeant Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine) I more of sympathized with Fatso, and not just because Borgnine gives the better performance either. Because Sinatra as Angelo is far more annoying that Judson's piano playing ever could be. Angelo just always is bugging people and being obnoxious and is a character I really cannot stand. That is a major problem because the viewer is suppose feel very much for Angelo later in the film. Sinatra mostly just does his obnoxious behavior of look I am drinking and I am a wacky buddy character. That is until is final scene. He does not do the same routine but I really felt his last scene was poorly handled and was a pretty overacted scene by him. You are suppose to feel a loss from his exit in the film but all I felt was relief of no longer having to see his overacting. 

Re-watching the film I will say my old thoughts are a little harsh, but not too harsh. I still don't find Maggio incredibly endearing and I do think his final scene is definitely overacted. Where I think I didn't give him enough credit is his natural chemistry with Clift. That is where his performance does work to a degree as you believe their friendship and camaraderie more than enough. Where the two together do have this certain energy where you are granted their charge as a pair effectively and really the two getting pulled along as soldiers who find the fun in part within each other. Would I call it a great performance by any means, no, as again I do think his final moment is probably the weakest bit in the film, though softened by Clift's performance of the scene, but the rest of the time I think Sinatra is more than serviceable as the soldier whose mouth is bigger than his brains, though importantly you do believe him as this guy particularly as a friend to Prewitt.