Alternate Best Actor 1951: Claude Laydu in Diary of a Country Priest

Claude Laydu did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a BAFTA, for portraying Priest of Ambricourt in Diary of a Country Priest.

Diary of a Country Priest follows a young priest attempting to deal with a parish, doubts and a physical ailment.

Claude Laydu, making his film debut, portrays the priest merely known as his title of the priest of Ambricourt, the town in which he has been assigned. Laydu, who was in his mid twenties when making the film, immediately evokes a curious dynamic within the film, as the man's manner is that of a older more burdened man even being so youthful in terms of his actual age. It is a fascinating place, though fitting to the character's state that is with trouble even before his trials have even begun. Laydu's initial scenes are the man going about his duties, while also habitually writing in the titular diary to relate his experiences and his internal monologue. Laydu's performance is an interesting one for a debut, in that so much of the film is a burdened upon his shoulders, that which is furthermore within an extremely subdued performance. Such thoughts though should be forgotten when witnessing the performance. This as Laydu's work immediately not only captures the spirit of the priest initial state, but simply seems within the man from the outset of the film. His work realizing this state of a quiet anxiety, that being the basic state of the man, this man who has a weight of the world, and perhaps even more upon his shoulders, yet still technically being such a young man. This even the idea of his physical ailment being ever present, though withdrawn and internalized in his work. This living pain being an innate train, just really within the glint of his eyes, when it is not manifesting more overtly to punish the man.

There is more to his performance that just that state of anxiety however though as Laydu portrays within his soft eyes this certain curiosity but also soulfulness. This being essential because as the man is suffering it is not that of a purely downtrodden individual. It is within this sense of interest that senses the man of the priest as someone whose burden is beyond the physical as he attempts to deal with affairs both the worldly and otherworldly within his mind. This reflected within his journal entries that Laydu performs with the sense of a solemn duty as though is respecting some sense of history and record, though that which he himself is confused for its exact purpose. The man's purpose though being paramount within this performance, and so much of the power of this work being within his reactionary work within the film. This as Laydu does deliver the expected empathetic sense within his presence, and compassionate eyes. The reactions though are not simplified by him, but rather particularly engaged within the film. This in creating in fact a greater sense of the pain of the man as no circumstance is merely just that in Laydu's work. There is rather this greater connection, or at least attempt of connection at congregation that creates that burden within the man. This as Laydu realizes a man who cares, however this is even with a difficult inadequacy in his conviction.

This in that his portrayal of doubt is a remarkable one, of his presentation of the man's state. This is not in a simple foundational doubt, but rather this striking sense of apprehension of this inability for comfort. Laydu's work is astonishing in the way he is able to lean towards an extreme emotional distress yet in this he never actually goes beyond it, yet never does it feel inadequate. He rather finds such an impact within the reserved nature of the man. When he hears of a death his performance is incredible in the way he creates the nature of the reaction. This in the onlooker could assume a certain detachment, however Laydu rather crafts a man who is too attuned towards humanity in a way. This as he borders immediately on falling apart entirely through any loss. This in the man whose examination cannot comfort him, as he too much feels for those he sees suffer, or even if he is not able to find quite the appropriate connection to it. Laydu's work finding the increasingly difficult state of the man who cannot exist without this connection yet the connection is in a way leading towards his death. Laydu creating this penetrating obsession of a unique sort of his eyes. An obsession of duty, as he speaks towards others so drawn within their world, which is so profoundly reflected in his eyes more befitting of an elderly man than a young priest.

The priest's connections do not reward him as he becomes strangely implicated within the death, and in a way as oddly ostracized more so than already existed the distance between the priest and his "flock". Laydu's own manner working in this near constant physical distance, though this too is fascinating in the intensity of it. This as the way he looks away is not a man who is truly alien, but rather forcing himself to be in this attempted state lest he suffer all the more or at least fail to fulfill his duties. Laydu's performance is one that even as he only listens in a scene, it is difficult not to watch him in a given scene. This as his performance has such a power within the man's terrible state. This as his words comforting, or critical others, along with his reactions to them, is that of a quiet ferocity in a certain sense. This as Laydu shows a man in a way who is both devout despite being a doubter. This as Laydu portrays the method as pure within the man, within that state of ever lasting spiritual anxiety, but also suffering through the lack of comfort that spirituality actually grants himself. Laydu's work is outstanding in the way he is able to create a certain, wholly sympathetic, hypocrisy in a certain sense. This in a man who is so fashioned by his beliefs, yet in the same way struggles to be a believer. Laydu's work then is this creation of an internalized chaos that is the man. This while being so reserved, yet never limited. This in showing the man's state of unwellness as ever present within the man attempting to live his calling, a calling he claims he cannot hear the voice of. It is a brilliant work as this strange quality is given sense, but also exudes so notably from his work. This as the man's journey is so tangible, while being so difficult. Laydu grants a real sense, understanding a poignancy within the man however. This in a portrait of essentially of the priest imploding within himself by being unable to reconcile his existence. The man dying from the inside, both mentally and physically. Laydu's work being a descent marked by that ethereal intensity, that always grants you a real sense of the character. This is never just an idea as Laydu's performance humanizes it in to such a truly stunning portrait of a most idiosyncratic self-destruction.