Alternate Best Actor 1979: George Burns in Going in Style

George Burns did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joe in Going in Style. 

Going Style is the original film about a trio of old-timers deciding to go on a heist. After seeing the original film, the remakers should hold their heads in shame in ridding all the power from this surprisingly potent story.

George Burns had one of the most unorthodox film careers not only returning successfully into films after 30 years, but doing so by winning an Oscar, and becoming almost a leading man at times, quite an accomplishment for a man late into his seventies. From what I've seen, Going in Style might be the most challenging of the roles presented to Burns in this later period. Of course, we get what made Burns that unlikely film star. You can actually put Burns down as one of the great singular presences of an actor, just in that there was only one Burns, and his style was very much all his own. His particular kind of deadpan, which he won his Oscar for, is so very specific in that it seems completely his own and does make Burns one of a kind as a performer. Coming into this film that is more so what I expected from him, and we certainly do get that side of Burns, and in prime form. Burns is fantastic in his comic timing as to be expected with his deliveries that are so specific yet like in the Sunshine Boys, they are so perfect in that strange specificity. Here we get that here in the earliest scenes really as Burns inquires about a young child standing way too close to him in a park, that is a classic Burns reaction, and we get a few of these throughout this film. Each is splendid on its own, and just in that regard, this could've been said to be another great deadpan turn by George Burns. 

An obvious difference in the setup for the situation though is that here instead of an antagonistic relationship like his with Walter Matthau in The Sunshine Boys, this film is built upon the relationship between three friends sharing the life of three old-timers seemingly with little more to do than go to the part, as Burns's Joe is joined by Al (Art Carney) and Willie (Lee Strasberg). The chemistry between the two is fantastic as they just have this natural ease in their presence together. They just have this innate sense of the connection between the three men, and the friendship between the three is a given within their performances. Indeed it seems like they could've been sitting in that park together for years. The comedic angle comes in when Joe comes up with the idea for them to run a bank heist together. This is creating the dynamic of Joe being the ringleader, Willie being somewhat hesitant to join in, and Al being a consummate sidekick in the endeavor. Their comedic dynamic is wonderful in creating this natural energy between the two, with again Burns being the key here in his exceptionally blunt delivery in explaining to the others guys not only the idea but the various steps in the planning. Burns being so direct in his way creates a particularly funny element of Joe seeming just going by the steps in his George Burns way, but now in terms of setting up a bank robbery. Making things like explaining that one needs to make sure the crowd fears them comic just because it is Burns's method is so matter of fact.

Of course, if this was merely an entertaining performance by George Burns, I probably wouldn't be reviewing it as I already covered him for his Oscar-winning turn in that vein. This performance though suggests maybe the Oscar should've looked back to Burns one more time with this performance because it truly challenges him beyond that presence of his, even if that presents itself as something quite worthwhile. Burns gives his most dramatic performance here and we actually get that even in the earliest scenes as he just seems the likable old man just somewhat confused by the young children playing sometimes. Burns is doing more with his silent work by creating in his eyes this certain sense of unease that doesn't have anything to do with this confusion, a certain sense of discontent in the man as though somewhat stuck in something he needs to get out of. Burns in his silent performance creates the motivation for the actual robbery as we see a man who needs some kind of change before he suggests it to his friends. His suggestion of course is based upon a more eager manner, and Burns's delivery is very enjoyable in just laying out the plan as being a good thing for them whether they successfully steal the money or get caught. But there is something more in Burns's performance that wasn't in the previous scene, a lack of that discontent is suddenly in him, and more importantly suddenly in his eyes, there is optimism, a sense of purpose. 

And what Burns does is show the sense of fun in planning robbery, where there is continued comedy through Burns's matter-of-fact delivery, but there is a lot more in the planning within his performance. The joy that Burns expresses feels very new to the man, at least new again to Joe, and you sense someone essentially living out a dream, and breaking out of his shell. The joyful nature of it is very pure, even as the act that they are committing is grand larceny. Burns's performance articulates this growth of life in Joe as they take each step toward completing the crime. Burns brings just the right combination here of emotions really in that while it is very entertaining just, there is this combination of confidence and really haplessness in the preparations, along with the sense of a man fully alive at the moment as they go about it. We see this as Joe does this it seems to give Al and Willie also more life and what Burns is great at is portraying this sense of friendship through his reactions towards his friends. Burns shows this beautiful sense of appreciation for the life his friends are showing, while occasionally undercutting, in the right way, in his moments of side-eyeing them just a bit when either they're a little too casual in their preparations, or eventually they might be getting into it a bit too much. Leading up to the robbery itself, which actually really is the end of the first act of the film surprisingly, where Burns is wonderful by brandishing this criminal swagger, even while he quite clearly still looks like an elderly man doing it all. 

Spoilers from here on. This is where the film truly surprised me as I genuinely expected the robbery to be the climax or at least the end of the second act, but that's the case, as well as that's where we really get to the truth of this piece which more seriously examines the pains of aging than you might expect. Then the film drops the hammer on you right after the seemingly successful robbery Willie dies, and instantly the film reminds you how much you've enjoyed these guys' banter that the missing spot is felt. Burns is terrific in showing with others the sense of Joe remaining stoic and firm in just trying to be more comforting than needing comfort. When alone though we see Joe as he looks at old photographs of a better time and Burns is heartbreaking as just in his face you see all the emotions that Joe is going through, from the love of looking upon his wife to the sadness of losing her and the sense true anguish as it all reflects the loss of Willie. The scene doesn't end even on a simple note though as Joe urinates accidentally, and Burns is amazing in so bluntly showing the quiet shame within himself, and really discomfort of dealing with the side effects of growing old. The film then shifts where Joe and Al decide to give most of the money to Al's friendly nephew and his family, and leave only some for them to attempt to live it up. This leads the two to go to Las Vegas to do some betting. In a sequence that actually reminscent of Ikiru, though not quite that brilliant, Burns is exceptional in portraying a similar sense of this troubled attempt at "living it up". Burns shows the man trying to have fun, in exploring this style of "living life" yet in his eyes there's always this quiet anxiety that denotes a certain hollowness of the act.

The hollowness of trying to keep the "thrill" going isn't the only issue as it seems like the police may be closing in, but worse Al suddenly dies too.  Burns's performance in this scene is absolutely devastating because it isn't only heartbreak he shows, but this kind of pressure and frustration as he rushes away almost as a man who really can't take any more pain from the deaths of his friends. Burns finds such a painful but poignant nuance in this moment of the man really seeing everything fade around him. There is such a tremendous power in Burns's performance that gives the real sense of the weight of each loss, not only in reflecting on the friendship gone but also in where it leaves Joe. One of the most moving moments actually is Joe on his first day really being alone, with no friends to see or sit with at a park, and Burns's usual deadpan state is erased with this quiet state of despair replacing it. A strange solace comes though when Joe gets arrested for the robbery and received a lot of attention as the authorities don't know what to make of him nor can they intimidate him. Burns's performance shifts here from great tragedy and again towards comedy, but it totally works in showing the man finding purpose again basically as this criminal, and attention from everyone around him. Burns is wonderful though in changing his demeanor to this comical cool of a man with nothing to lose and a wiseguy delivery towards the cops trying to find the money. Burns is fantastic in his final scene where Joe is now in jail in comfort, visited by Al's nephew, who in fact got all the remaining money. Burns is amazing in this scene as he brings this combination of the heartbreaking truth of Joe while also showing where Joe has found a lease on life via being a criminal. Burns describes his life before the crime with this blunt somberness and a real sense of a man trapped in the state of his age. When leaving the room though Burns is all swagger of someone who's found a path for his life as unusual as it is, now a man truly going in style. I love this performance. I always liked Burns, but this is a performance that shows he had an even greater talent than I knew. The entry point is his typical endearing presence but that is only a starting point in crafting this rather tragic and oh so powerful portrait of a man fighting against having grown old.