Thursday 3 March 2011

Best Actor 1949: Results

5. Richard Todd in The Hasty Heart- Todd performance never gets the below the surface with his performance. He is okay overall, despite a fairly over the top accent, but never anything special.
4. Gregory Peck in Twelve O'clock High- Peck's sometimes dull, and unemotional manner, works for the role of General Savage. Peck has the right commanding presence in the film, and although his performance is never exactly interesting it does work for the film.
3. John Wayne in Sands of Iwo Jima- John Wayne gives a standard Wayne performance, as the tough commanding sergeant Stryker. Wayne is fine, and fairly effective especially in reaction shots, but his performance is never anything that special.
2. Broderick Crawford in All The King's Men- Crawford is terrific as the evil slimy Willie Stark, but his transition into the evil Stark from a the good Stark is haphazard. Also in his public persona scenes as Stark he lacked the right amount of charisma to make his ascension to power completely believable.
1. Kirk Douglas in Champion- Douglas begins in the film as an incredibly charming guy, but than slowly dissolves into a manipulative cold man. Douglas' believable and carefully done transformation shows to Crawford, and Todd, how to do a character transformation properly.
Deserving Performances:

James Cagney in White Heat
Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets

3 comments:

Fritz said...

I would have liked to see Crawford win but I am not surprised that Douglas is your pick. Great work!

dinasztie said...

Hmmm... Douglas must be interesting.

Anonymous said...

Douglas is great! Glad he was your pick.