Alternate Best Actor 1952: Results

5. James Mason in 5 Fingers- Mason creates an effective villain by emphasizing the cynicism of his character bluntly.

Best Scene: Diello finds out he's been had.

4. Laurence Olivier in Carrie- Olivier gives a strong performance playing a doomed romantic.

Best Scene: Hurstwood confesses his love to Carrie.

3. Michael Denison in The Importance of Being Earnest- Denison gives a hilarious turn that always has brilliant timing and brings the humor out of his material.

Best Scene: His reactions to the final revelations.

2. John Wayne in The Quiet Man- Wayne gives a winning performance that capitalizes on the best of his on screen persona.

Best Scene: Remembering the fatal fight.

1. Takashi Shimura in Ikiru- I should quickly say that I added what I thought was the best scene from each performance simply for fun. This year came down to Wayne and Shimura, although Denison was right behind them as I loved his performance as well. I have to say I hate and love these years as I hate to have to choose to between two performances I like equally but I hate to have to choose. Either way my choice goes to Shimura's powerful performance that is a heartbreaking and inspiring depiction of a dying man.

Best Scenes: "Gondola no Uta" the first and the last time.

Overall Rank:

1. Takashi Shimura in Ikiru
2. John Wayne in The Quiet Man
3. Michael Denison in The Importance of Being Earnest
4. Laurence Olivier in Carrie
5. James Mason in 5 Fingers
6. Dirk Bogarde in Hunted
7. Charlie Chaplin in Limelight 
8. Marlon Brando in Viva Zapata!
9. Orson Welles in Othello
10. James Stewart in Bend of the River 
11. Gary Cooper in High Noon
12. Carlo Battisti in Umberto D.  
13. Robert Mitchum in The Lusty Men
14. Kirk Douglas in The Bad and the Beautiful
15. Ray Milland in Thief
16. Burt Lancaster in Come Back Little Sheba
17. Alec Guinness in The Card 
18. Jack Palance in Sudden Fear
19. Michael Redgrave in The Importance of Being Earnest 
20. Shin Saburi in The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
21. Richard Burton in My Cousin Rachel 
22. Micheal MacLiammoir in Othello
23. John Payne in Kansas City Confidential 
24. Kirk Douglas in The Big Sky 
25. Charles McGraw in The Narrow Margin 
26. Gene Evans in Park Row
27. Spencer Tracy in Pat and Mike
28. Arthur Kennedy in The Lusty Men
29. Georges Poujouly in Forbidden Games 
30. Humphrey Bogart in Deadline USA
31. Serge Reggiani in Casque D'or
32. Danny Kaye in Hans Christian Anderson
33. Stewart Granger in The Prisoner of Zenda
34. Jose Ferrer in Moulin Rouge  
35. Gene Kelly in Singin in The Rain
36. Charlton Heston in The Greatest Show on Earth
37. Spencer Tracy in Plymouth Adventure 
38. Nigel Patrick in The Sound Barrier 
39. Robert Taylor in Ivanhoe
40. John Beal in My Six Convicts
41. Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show on Earth
42. Gregory Peck in The Snows of Kilimanjaro  
43. Robert Mitchum in Angel Face
44. Bob Hope in The Road to Bali
45. Bing Crosby in The Road to Bali
46. Dewey Martin in The Big Sky
47. John Whiteley in Hunted

Next Year: 1952 Supporting