Alternate Best Actor 1964: Ivan Dixon in Nothing But a Man

Ivan Dixon did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Duff Anderson in Nothing But a Man. 

Nothing But a Man is a remarkable film, particularly due to the era in which it was made, following an African American railroad workers romance with a school teacher. 

 

The film is notable as a dramatic film with a dominantly African American cast, but also as an American film at the time with a Neo-realist style film-making. The brief synopsis above might give the wrong idea that it is a traditional romance, which is not the case. It rather is interested very much life as is, and in this sense following two people coming together in a very vivid and realistic portrayal of a couple in the south. Ivan Dixon's performance is emblematic of the film's intention and approach. Ivan Dixon delivers a very naturalistic turn here really fittingly as nothing but a man I suppose. This as what we get in his performance in an authenticity in place. When we see him working the job of the day and hanging with his friends. It just feels like you too are hanging out with the men just by the natural way they interact and the sense of the day's work. Dixon's portrayal isn't to distinguish Duff from beyond himself, he's indeed just one of the guys and you get a sense of the man, his calm demeanor and really his effort in work as his effort in life. Dixon does make Duff innately likable, but not trying to throw an aggressive charm, just a low key earnest manner in the man. 

We see this further with his romance with a school teacher, and preacher's daughter, Josie Dawson (Abbey Lincoln). Dixon doesn't suddenly become Cary Grant, but he effectively distinguishes the man among his co-workers and the woman he is trying to romance. This though just as a man seemingly all the more earnest in his sentiment towards her. The two really have a low key but moving chemistry with one another. It isn't earth shattering but rather just works in the sense of authentic affection in their interactions with one another. This even within the moments of the relationship being challenged both actively by racist intruders and Josie's own daughter who questions Duff's nature. Dixon in the intruder scene is great by avoiding melodrama and instead just bluntly delivering the man's defense as he asks the men to leave. He doesn't posture rather showing a strict and quiet intensity in the moment. With her father the man illuminates his views, which don't involve a lot of religion, which again Dixon delivers so well by not putting too much on it. He rather suggests a man convinced in his belief not as a firebrand but rather as a man sure of himself. 

Dixon's performance works in a way through the consistency of the authenticity in his work. The consistency not being that he doesn't have changes, but rather whatever Duff is going through it feels honest to the moment. The scene of him going to see his son from another relationship, Dixon again limits how much he puts on it, however in his eyes there is the degree of exasperation of a failed relationship of the past. When speaks towards his fellow workers about sticking together, not really as union rep rather just a man hoping a best for all, Dixon's delivery keeps to that sincerity. There is a passion in his performance, but quiet and reserved fitting to the man Duff is. Dixon's work never feels too much or too little. In the latter half of the film as Duff falls into troubles due to his basically accidental union talk, he struggles to find a decent job afterwards. Dixon's work again conveys the state of the man taking the struggle just in the subtle wear within his expression. His moment of speaking against his father-in-law's words, Dixon again speaks straight and to the point. We see the same when he is facing a group of racists in his eventual job. Dixon naturally showing the greater frustrations of the man, however still keeping it pent within the man's state of trying to just live his life. This boiling over in moments of lashing out at Josie. Difficult scenes really however Dixon pulls them off well in making these rather brutal moments these terrible side effect of man attacking the thing he loves the most mainly because its the only thing he can lash against without consequences. Dixon finds the truth in that moment just as he does consistently through this film. His work existing again as a man going through a normal, though not easy, life, and punctuating each of these moments with the need authenticity. It's not showy work, but it's good work.