Best Supporting Actor 2015: Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

Mark Rylance won his Oscar from his first Oscar nomination for portraying Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies.

Bridge of Spies hits the old fashioned Hollywood sweet spot in its depiction of the story of James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) an American Lawyer who tries to defend an accused Soviet spy.

The soviet spy is played by Mark Rylance who has been an extremely well respected stage actor though only recently expanded into film and television in terms of major projects, though he has been in both in the past. Rylance in 2015 received his most prominent roles in these mediums to date. The first being his television lead role as Cromwell in Wolf Hall, a performance that I would not be giving justice to by describing it in just a few sentences, and his role as Rudolf Abel in this film. Though Rylance is best known from the stage there's nothing at all theatrical about his work. The earliest scenes of the film we follow Abel as he is almost silent as he goes about his day as a spy. Now perhaps what one might be able to take as an indication of Rylance's background as a thespian though is how well he captures one's attention. Abel really is not doing anything of note in these scenes, other than finding a strange nickel with secret information, yet Rylance makes something inherently magnetic about him. Rylance then again is always doing much, though you'd never notice if you've never seen Rylance in anything other than this film, as he so naturally physically transforms himself in the role.

Rylance very quietly ages himself as he actually has a very distinct facial set he keeps that accentuates his aged features. In addition to that he projects a certain body language that carries that of an elderly man, but also a certain timid quality that seems an essential part of him, suggesting his years of being a spy who would have been careful in his interactions with almost anyone. There is something else that Rylance cleverly drives at with his performance, that is never really spoken in the open, is that Rudolf technically is always far more deceitful than he appears, after all Rudolf Abel is not even his real name. Rylance is terrific in the way that he sets up a man who would be unnoticed by most, and written off by many just because of how unassuming he always is. A great moment reflecting this trick, that Rylance is even pulling on the audience itself a bit, is as he's originally captured and Abel goes about destroying an important piece of evidence with CIA agents present. Rylance is unquestionably convincing in his portrayal of this as Rylance is so good in actually realizing Abel as the operator in this moment, as he so calmly takes care of his job that it's hard to notice that he even did it.

Of course Abel's time as a spy is short lived in the film as he is captured, and with no one willing to defend him the case goes to an insurance lawyer, Donovan, who also is quite hesitant to take on the case as well. Rylance's set up for Abel gives sense to his behavior as he refuses to divulge any information or even admit to being a spy. Rylance continues to be brilliantly enigmatic in the role as he makes Abel a very difficult man to comprehend fully, yet Rylance's portrayal never feels vague in the slightest. Rylance treads a fine line as his manner could just be assumed as a shy older man, or a cunning spy who is in fact deciphering everything going on through those tired eyes of his. Rylance even leaves his accent as an interesting curiosity as he delivers a slight Scottish touch to his accent that could be either the truth or just a certain layer of his cover. Now none of this is focused upon in terms of the main narrative by the film yet the detail Rylance brings to the role is remarkable, and adds a great deal to of substance the character of Abel. Rylance never leaves his Abel as a mere plot device, which he very, very easily could have been given how he specifically is used for the rest of the film. Rylance brings a so much more nuance to his depiction that he manages to Abel much more than that, and a captivating figure past the somewhat narrow focus we are given of him here.

Now that's a whole lot on just the earliest scenes of his performance but it is an essential part to the strength of his work as he makes Abel so much more, even before he set into the position in terms of how the story uses him. How the story uses him is technically in a more limited fashion, and in that was this is really a very old fashioned supporting performance in terms of both screen time and purpose. Once Donovan takes up the case the film keeps the focus most closely on him, and we see Abel through his perspective, where Abel is still quite the mystery. Rylance continues to be fantastic though in the role, and one moment I love early on is when Abel warns Donovan on what he might be getting himself into. Rylance brings a most incisive quality to his words that alludes to Rudolf's knowledge of the tensions involved in the Cold war. Donovan though has no desire to know the truth about Abel, after Abel denies taking a deal from the C.I.A. though and the view of him constricts a certain way, though this in no way makes Rylance's performance any less effective. Rylance deftly adjusts his performance to Abel in a way, doing what he believes is his sworn duty, in which is to remain as calm as possible while facing treason charges that very well might lead to his death through execution.

In this way Rylance again succeeds in somehow managing to make Abel an extremely endearing character of sorts despite what the charges are, or how bleak things look he will maintain his composure no matter what. Rylance is able to bridge this to being quite the capable comedic performance as well as he so wonderfully realizes Abel's dead pan demeanor through some impeccable timing particularly in his always amusing delivery of Abel's motto of "Would it Help" whenever Donovan questions this demeanor. At the same time though Rylance also manages to create a convincing friendship of sorts between Abel and Donovan. Rylance very smartly though eases into this idea, never giving Abel fully away, and actually only revealing his great capability of warmth after it becomes quite clear that Donovan only wants to give Abel a fair deal. Now if that's noy enough Rylance is also needed to add an extra bit of gravitas by verbalizing Donovan's personal struggle to defend Abel because of what is right, despite everyone is telling him he's wrong. This leads to Abel to tell Donovan a story from his childhood, about "a standing man" that he believes Donovan is similair to. The specific purpose of this scene very well could have fallen flat, if it were not for Rylance's absolutely flawless delivery of the monologue. Rylance brings the emotional power to the story with such ease to the moment as he vividly creates Abel's own memory through only his words, and absolutely brings the needed dramatic weight behind the moment for the film. Rylance has several challenges from the role, and he is required to fulfill them all despite him screen time begin somewhat limited, he is not present for a large chunk of the film. Technically there are several juicy scenes so to speak, but they could have come across as the most obvious of Oscar baiting given the shifts involved in terms of Abel's character. Rylance never allows this as he is able to be the elusive spy, the funny eccentric, the heartfelt friend, what ever is required of Abel. There is not a wasted moment as Rylance matches whatever a given scene requires him. I mean he even is heartbreaking as he somberly indicates to Donovan a possible terrible fate for himself, even though the film's own final text reveals that was never the case for him. Rylance makes every situation so honest, that it never seems odd that Abel is so many things. He flawlessly coheres all these various ideas for Abel into a single fascinating portrait of a man.