Alternate Best Actor 1950: Alec Guinness in Last Holiday

Alec Guinness did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying George Bird in Last Holiday.

Last Holiday ill follows a man who suddenly discovers he's terminally ill, with only a few weeks left he takes up residence in an expensive hotel.

Alec Guinness is probably one of the actors with the greatest range, in terms of the characters and genres he could successfully perform. This as ability with humor and drama is notable in the ease he has in either material. This perhaps made him then ideal for the role here. This as its description makes one think this is going to be something more akin to Ikiru, however it has a lighter approach than that film, though not without dramatic intention. This as the film opens we meet Guinness's George Bird which Guinness portrays well with that sort of modesty he can as an middle class English any man. This with just a minor affability if a purposeful evasion of an overt charm that would not be befitting of his character. When we meet the character who learns of his diagnosis Guinness's reaction is remarkable in portraying both the sense of disbelief wrapped within a despair in his eyes. Guinness crafting a man really faltering in his existence. This though as Guinness does something essential here in portraying the man who really didn't pay anything of mind has this slight alteration as he speaks to a single task. This to enjoy his final days, however even this Guinness speaks with a hectic lack of certainty. This presenting the man state of modest despair and the whole idea of his holiday being some attempt to stave off his fate in a way. Nonetheless George goes about his path of living it up at a expensive hotel far beyond his means and by chance finds a wardrobe that makes him seemingly appropriate to the expensive lodgings.

The story then teeters on ensemble however Guinness is always the focal point of the man George, whom the other hotel guests become fascinated with through his quiet reserve initially. Again Guinness portraying the man just trying to experience what he can, and initially keeps that modesty of man not quite within his element. Quickly though everyone comes to take to George, or be suspicious of him in some way. In this though George's luck seems to turn around to his needs and George becomes the man of town mainly by existing. Guinness is terrific though in then showing through this sort of reaction that empowers George as people speak to him with a random respect, Guinness presents a man realizing his strength of personality. Guinness has these wonderful little moments where he provides a bit of nuance in these moments. This where Guinness portrays almost a fascination in the moments where things finally seem to be going well for him. This creating a slight detachment of a man who has nothing to lose and in turn acts in a way he never would've before. Guinness provides this specific type of confidence initially. This in the man observes for a moment before reaction and crafts a slight sense of bemusement within it. This in finding a man almost laughing at his changing fortunes just as his fortunes seem to be at their lowest point.

Guinness realizes with such ease this arc of George though as his next phase really is as he goes from confidence through detachment through a true confidence as the man doesn't only become the talk of the hotel, he really becomes the man of the hotel. Guinness is wonderful in presenting then the more overt confidence, this without that moment of bemusement or wonderment. This rather the instant reaction on his part or even the insistence of it. Guinness shows a man taking charge of both himself and his situation. This as George not only seems to help himself but randomly provides guidance to others as well. Guinness portraying with such the natural grace needed to honestly depict this arc in finding this sort of man about town from the meek man we initially met within the film. Although the film then proceeds to end on a darkly ironic note, perhaps too dark as I don't think the film quite has the depth to know what to do with what transpires in the final minutes of the film. Still though it does grant one final scene with Guinness, and it is a moving one. This in simply portraying the sense of appreciation of life in the man as he speaks his last words, just as his the weakness in his voice and haunted eyes also convey the state of the man being at his end. Now part of me I'll admit almost takes this performance for granted as of course Guinness pulls it off, but that is more than anything is a testament to his talent. This in realizing a potentially tricky arc here with just that typical Guinness ease within his performance, and creating another memorable turn from the great actor.