Best Actor & Best Supporting Actor 1977: James Caan in A Bridge Too Far, Harrison Ford in Star Wars, James Coburn & Maximilian Schell in Cross of Iron

James Caan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun in A Bridge Too Far. 

A Bridge Too Far follows the various exploits within Operation Market Garden, the failed wannabe final offensive against Nazi Germany. Within it there are various vignettes constructed by director Richard Attenborough, as a film that I would say is perhaps too inconsistent to be great, but is better than its original "overblown misfire" its reputation would suggest. But the inconsistency here isn't between bad and good, it's between fine and great. One such great element is in the side story of James Caan, an American soldier within the operation we see before the start of the offensive who is asked by a fellow soldier not to let him die. And from the beginning of his screen time, Caan tries to make as much use of it as he possibly can, in immediately granting the dynamic as this comforting figure to his fellow soldier not through any big action but rather through the calm in his presence. Caan plays it just right in terms of seeing the man accept the task but also has just the right sense of a kind of doubt in his eyes. Not an overt doubt in self, but rather this disbelief that he can personally ensure this safety of this one man though is willing to obviously try his best to do so. We next jump back to see Eddie as he's within the operation and we see his friend having suffered a severe injury while Eddie drives both of them in a jeep just barely avoiding German gunfire. One moment that Caan makes the most of is where he dodges a patrol by driving into the forest only for another group of German to stop in the same portion of the soldiers, even one German noticing him. Caan's reaction to the moment is just about perfect in the low key approach he makes to the soldier nonverbally of "hey man we're both human", which the soldier seems to briefly respect before Eddie makes his escape once other soldiers notice. When he arrives back at the makeshift hospital the doctor asks Eddie just to put his friend among the other corpses, and from here is where the greatness of Caan's performance truly comes out. And often is the case with Caan, he's at his very best when he challenges his presence as the macho force. That's the case here, because as much as we see him as a confident soldier, what is so powerful in this scene is the way Caan subverts this as he presses the doctor to look at his friend and even points his gun at the doctor to force the issue. Caan's amazing in his delivery because we hear the wavering and just barely holding it together as makes the threat. Caan shows the "tough guy" barely keeping it together just enough and the very real heartbreak in the man's voice just as he also brings such a fierce conviction in his eyes to force the doctor to check who is friend, who is still alive despite the injury. Caan brings this real power by combining the vulnerability of the man potentially losing a friend and failing to live up to his promise, and through the strength of the soldier who will follow through on that promise to the very best of his ability. The close of the scene is as the doctor has Eddie briefly arrested for 60 seconds before being released and commenting that he believes Eddie might've been bluffing. With Caan having one more great moment in the blunt honesty of his delivery following that showing that there was never a question in Eddie's mind that he would've killed even his own army's doctor for the sake of his friend. Although a brief performance, Caan makes a striking impact that stands as the highpoint within the film. 

Harrison Ford did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Han Solo in Star Wars. 

Re-watching Star Wars, without needless frame cluttering of CGI monstrosities and weird character slides, helped to illuminate once again how much George Lucas got right in what was his rather extreme gamble. There is so much that works about it that it is baffling in a way to compare so many of the decisions he later made as a creative, including the equivalent of if Vincent Van Gogh wanted to "improve" The Starry Night by adding sharpie drawn people randomly throughout the frame, which was against this very film. One of the keys to this success is casting, even with Leia's random English accent, where Lucas found an artful combination between gravitas, and earthiness. The gravitas delivered best by Guinness who sells every concept no matter how ridiculous it could be Guinness allows you to believe in the force and the past histories alluded to, the earnestness is really everyone because if the cast didn't portray it as though the character believed in the world nor should we, but there is also that essential earthiness where Harrison Ford is the most important cast member for. This is obvious from his first scene where he comes in as the potential pilot for Luke and Obi-wan, not as the pilot for some fantastical adventure but he might as well be a pilot for a World War 2 spy thriller quite frankly. Ford's approach is casual right from the way he's leaning, seemingly barely caring about the conversation and states his role as pilot as matter of factly as possible. Ford not giving a chance to be anything other than real, allowing you to accept the world and him, with this certain level of Steve McQueenesque cool where the cool exists through his blithe "I don't give a damn". Although sometimes misinterpreted as Ford not really caring about the acting, that is incredibly unfair and really just lacking observation of seeing what Ford does here. Because in that open he has the cool, even the confidence as Luke challenges just how good it is, but there's more particularly the way his eyes glow when Obi-wan offers a substantial payment. Ford's whole delivery though is so honest to creating a believable place as he names the trick of avoiding imperials and the price as any man would, let alone a "space man". But where Ford excels is instantly setting up really the nature of Solo the moment Luke and Obi-wan leaves as suddenly he's bursting with excitement and much more open with his partner Chewbacca, revealing a bit of his humanity actually by showing that there's a guy who just wants the cash underneath the calm cool we saw with Luke. Of course that's not all as he gets cornered by Greedo and we get Ford returning to that setting with his calm as he deals with a man ready to kill him, however there's also the smile of the swindler as he attempts to explain his previous loss of cargo. When we get to the pivotal moment, that honestly hasn't been overstated, as Han kills Greedo after being only threatened by him, where he coldly walks away merely tipping the bartender for "the mess". Ford's performance in the moment is essential as he is a genuine scoundrel in the moment, a cool one mind you, but one where the killing, even in semi-self defense is something he's comfortable with. And with just that first scene we have three different types of Solo, and Ford brings it all to life while being a singular man as Han, that despite the definite hero he will become, leaves the character distinctly grey against the obviously good Luke and Obi-wan. 

Where Luke is on the well known hero's journey, Han is on the journey of the scoundrel's redemption that honestly is more dynamic in terms of the emotions, as Luke always wants to be a hero and just finds his path to be one, Han doesn't want to be a hero early on and in fact is doing everything for the money or survival. We get glimpses of this as he rides with Obi-wan and Luke, Ford playing strength in his maneuvers with the Millennium Falcon, though with just the slight flashes of hesitation even foolishness that makes Han capable with just a hint of haplessness. Ford balances beautifully because he is cool but he's also very human by in no way being perfect. The pivotal moment on the journey is perhaps the moment of Han doubting the force, because the way Ford delivers it isn't dumb ignorance, as it might've been with a worst take, there is rather this seasoned cynicism he presents as more so a protection for himself from needing to truly believe in anything. Which results in his reluctance when they end up in the Death Star, trying to find a method of escape, with Luke suggesting they rescue Princess Leia. Something that Ford again brings a lot to even in the dismissiveness, which again he makes it as human as possible in speaking of the dangers, not emphatically but rather as the easy way through life. Only being convinced by the potential reward, something Ford plays with easy humor that tiptoes on scoundrel yet still keeps him likable by making the lighting up of his eyes so very honest. And that's the first turn because within the action is where we basically get Harison Ford the star revealing himself as he joins Luke to rescue Leia. Which is that Ford isn't just one thing ever in these scenes. He is the man of action when he leads the charge in one moment or genuinely helps Luke in the fight. He also subverts that wonderfully when running away from that charge not cowardly but rather in a very relatable moment of the sudden reaction of realizing you've bitten off more than you can chew. My favorite moment in this sense being when he tries to hold off the Imperials from coming by putting on a slightly high pitched voice and hilariously in his attempt to make an excuse particularly his just perfectly misplaced "how are you?" followed by his moment of unease realizing that wasn't probably the best ruse. He also gets to be the great romantic bickering lead when they finally meet the not all that much impressed Leia. Something where Ford just picks up such natural chemistry where he runs with the comedic frustration that plays off Fisher ideally. Through the course of the action Solo in different moments takes charge, acts slightly foolish and argues, however what Ford does is create a natural investment in the moment to convince us of Solo finding some reason to care as he progresses. This is most evident as they run from the Death Star and fight off the pursuing Tie-Fighters, where Ford is completely in the moment, invested and even joyful along with Luke as they battle together. Naturally leading to some over cockiness from Solo which Ford does so well because the way he manages to play it is completely look foolish however in a way that actually makes you like Solo more even though he's being a bit of a dolt in the moment. Same goes for the following moment where he ponders if he could ever get to Leia as a self-doubting but hopeful question in Ford's delivery, which Luke immediately shuts down. Once more Ford actually allows himself to be uncool, yet by allowing that he doesn't cancel out the other cool moments, rather he just makes Solo much more endearing. Which leads to the finale of the film which in a way Ford has to do the most in terms of a character arc out of anyone in the film, even though the focal point is more so on Luke embracing the force, I'll say what goes on with Solo has become the far more emotionally impactful element of the film for me. Where the battle with the Death Star appears to be a last ditch, if potentially fatalistic effort against the Empire, Han decides to just take off because of that. The key to making this moment work is again Ford's way of describing it as a passive grasping onto the safety of the choices he's long held, with the easy sense of really the basic reality of a man who has long chosen the cynical path because it is the safter one. Ford's delivery of "May the force be with you" to Luke says it all, as his tone manages to convey Solo's self-doubt and shame about his choice, though with the shame being found in the sincerity of phrase towards Luke as someone on the edge of caring but not quite there. Contrasting that to his line to Chewbacca a moment later where his "I know what I'm doing", lacks any sincere albeit cynical conviction, it is someone who is finally wavering on such choices. These two separate but pivotal line deliveries, along with the gradual change of Solo manner throughout earning the climactic moment, and maybe the most powerful moment of the film for me now, Solo coming back in the key moment to knock Darth Vadar and his fighters off Luke, to enable Luke to make the Death Star killing shot. I love Ford's performance at the moment because this is now Han absolutely living his best life as he's caring about something, and helping his friend at the moment. The excitement he brings isn't just the joy of the moment but the joy of someone finding something to fight for as he delivers on Solo going from the scoundrel to the hero. Ford delivers a great performance, a star making performance, that also creates a truly iconic character at the same time, but is more than that. As Ford wholly earns the transition of Solo from the self-interested man to the money maker, but also just the in-scene moments from the cool hero, to the comedic fool, he makes it all easy, while also making the whole world so much more tangible. Ford doesn't play the role as a "sci-fi" role, he plays it the man of the Earth who just happens to be in a space adventure, providing the essential grounding to the series to help make it so much more than just another adventure film and into something that changed the entirety of the American cinematic landscape. 

Maximilian Schell and James Coburn did not receive Oscar nominations for portraying Hauptmann Stransky and Feldwebel Rolf Steiner respectively in Cross of Iron. 

At the center of Cross of Iron are Maximilian Schell and James Coburn representing opposing views and natures as it comes to being German soldiers on the Russian front during the later days of World War II. Schell had a banner year in 77, where he was Oscar nominated for nomination juggernaut Julia, for his brief role as a resistance member who gives some quick bits of important info to Fonda's Lillian Hellman as she goes to see her friend in occupied Germany. While not a bad performance, an extremely limited one and a testament to the laziness of the academy as that was his most "darling" film, meanwhile Schell was far greater elsewhere. Even his performance in A Bridge Too Far is superior as well giving just the right hints of sympathy as one of the least evil high ranking German officers around, but both performances pale in comparison to his work here as the new Captain to the Russian front Captain Stransky. From Schell's first scene he makes a remarkable impression as he wears this face of glee upon his brow and speaks to the other cynical German officers Colonel Brandt and Captain Kiesel (James Mason, David Warner) who are both done with the war at this point. Schell's whole manner is of a man lacking any of that experience but is a man with a mission. When asked "why" he wanted to be transferred to the front, Schell first speaks the absolute truth of the matter where his delivery is perfect as he states emphatically that he wants "an iron cross". Schell says it with delicious intention where he can almost taste the notion, and seems almost waiting for everyone else to understand his desire for this, though this is instantly subverted as the Colonel offers a few of his own to him as he degrades the notion. Schell's brilliance is in the switch in this moment because as will be the case in his performance throughout, Schell never simplifies Stransky despite being the overt villain of the piece consistently by virtue of his performance. Schell's amazing in how he shrugs off the comment, because Schell plays it almost in the peer pressure social circle of the officers as he casually denies it as a kind of joke with not the most consistent conviction while returning to his prideful manner as though he's here to bring some kind of personal greatness to the Russian front. 

Contrasting heavily with Schell's performance is James Coburn in the lead as Corporal Steiner eventually Sergeant who is the leader of a unit, on the frontlines and living the war in its purest form. Coburn's performance here is a testament to just how much accents really matter to a performance. Coburn here kind of tries the German accent at times but mostly just is doing his normal accent but this in no way diminishes what works about his performance. The first aspect being Coburn's grizzled presence which is one of the best cinematic uses of it in this film. He just has that immediate sense of the man defined by the way and just comes across with the unique power of his experience. Coburn owns the wear to an extent and in turn is just commanding as to be expected, though commanding with the sort of reluctance that naturally combines with his command that defines the character. Coburn is utilized most effectively to be the "Man's man" type character in Steiner who is constantly working hard on the battlefield but the power of this performance exists beyond that. In fact the power of his work is particularly the opposite of it, as such as early on where Steiner and Stransky first meet, where the men are coming back from a battle where they took an extremely young Russian prisoner. The scene is great work from both, as Schell states the order with a coarse conviction of expectation of a proper Nazi officer while Steiner emphatically denies the order, which Coburn delivers with a calm but powerful conviction. A great moment for Schell comes within even the cruel ordering of it as the way he brandishes the gun has this innate awkwardness to it as a man who probably hasn't fired nearly as many guns as he claims, and then just the visceral fear he portrays when a mortar goes off near him, which doesn't phase the battle hardened men, naturally emphasizes this contrasting point between the men. Now as good as Coburn is at playing the tough sergeant, the real strength of his performance is outside of that realm, even when he is with the young Russian prisoner. Coburn naturally brings this understated warmth to his performance where there is never a question that Steiner cares entirely about the safety of his men and the one thing he wants to do is ensure their survival. 

One of Schell's best scenes is within the bunker of the unit where he spots one of the officers making a homosexual gesture towards another, and even Schell's performance of spotting the act is absolutely incredible. There is this predatory smile that appears on his face but also sudden potent intrigue to something he can make use of while maybe subtextually indicating something about Stransky himself. The following interrogation one has to think Tarantino and maybe as well Christoph Waltz might've taken into consideration when constructing the character of Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. Schell brings this same playing with tension not through overt menace but rather through playfulness. In this instance asking the two men about their knowledge of Southern France as some location for homosexual behavior. Asking with this jovial incisiveness as Schell asks as though Stransky himself is interested in a world without women as he interrogates the men, and maybe he is, but further Schell makes Stransky's methods imposing through the charismatic ease of his approach. The approach that in no way causes him to be any less menacing. As the unpredictability of it both creates menace and makes Schell absolutely fascinating to watch. Particularly as he jumps on one of the men's "agreement" with this maniacal nearly insane jubilation that he repeats and repeats each that Schell delivers with this increase of the tension, before cutting it through it with the direct and completely vicious declaration that the men would be killed for such behavior were he to become aware of it. The moment that again seems very much alike the opening scene of Basterds where Waltz executes a similar sudden switch so well realized. 

The real power of Coburn's performance as Steiner is consistently the humanity of his performance despite in simple terms, and also in terms of his natural presence, that of the military "badass". But that's not the defining factor of the performance even if it is what makes Coburn's work special, because it is the vulnerability that he brings to the role. The vulnerability isn't something that Coburn gives away easily but yet still does he feel so generous in his performance. Quite the trick to pull off but one that Coburn does with ease here. Because Coburn isn't wearing his heart on his sleeve yet never is it in doubt which doesn't seem like it should make sense but Coburn rides the line in the ideal way. We see this in an pivotal moment where Steiner lets the Russian soldier go with this quiet encouragement that seems so much more encouraging by the hard Coburn bringing this sincere gentle moment of fatherly warmth to the boy. Something that makes the moment where the poor boy gets gunned down by his own side in cross fire almost instantly play directly into Coburn's eyes in his reaction. His reaction is tremendous because the horror is internalized by Coburn in a way that while he is still most certainly pained and shocked but there is almost this glint of expectation of the moment as though he's used to it, it doesn't make it truly any less painful for him. The moment leading to an attack and a severe head injury that leaves Steiner with his brief respite in hospital. Although I would probably say these scenes are the weakest in the film, though not bad, they do reveal the constricted state of Steiner importantly as a man completely lost in the hospital, in part due to his injury, but due to being away from his men he can protect. He is not the badass in these scenes, he's just an injured man and Coburn doesn't hide presenting the quality of being wholly lost. He lets his presence lessen from the expectation and presents again an unexpected yet potent vulnerability. This makes the moment where Steiner quickly jumps at the chance to go to the front line completely believable as for better and more likely worse, the Russian front is Steiner's home. Something we see bluntly in a later moment where one of his men is going through ptsd, and the "man's man" Coburn brings such nuanced vulnerability and empathy as he says with such warmth that the man will never be alone again. It is a truly poignant, if ont beautiful moment, that is tremendous because Coburn genuinely reveals this unexpected side of himself of an actor that makes the moment that much more potent. 

The film's central conflict ends up between Stransky and Steiner though not in exactly the way you might expect. As Steiner is actually given a chance to get rid of Stransky by Brandt and Keisel early as they offer him the ability to refute Stransky's claims of heroism, to get his iron cross, and have Stransky punished. Steiner though refuses stating emphatically and even dismissively in Coburn's delivery that their conflict is a "personal matter". When Brandt and Keisel question this decision Steiner reprimands both them in a remarkable bit of performance where Coburn unleashes just a hint of the rage in Steiner as he speaks every word with such venom, noting that while the two officers are more enlightened than most they still represent the horrible regime he's stuck in. Coburn brings this specific passion, that is very much a 70's rebel moment, but stronger than many because of the intense reality of Coburn's performance and of course the fact that Steiner's words are so pointedly true. Back at the bunker near the front Stransky is very much the same though Steiner does confront him on the "why" regarding his ambition for the Iron Cross, presenting his own as a meaningless bit of metal. Schell's amazing in this moment because again he subverts the expectation of the moment however in a way that illuminates more to the "why" of Stransky even though he doesn't at all eliminate his villainy. Schell's delivery is frankly humble and even vulnerable as the Stransky from a Prussian aristocrat family admits he couldn't return home in such shame without such a medal. Schell doesn't suddenly make you care about Stransky but he potentially makes you see a greater depth to the man even if it is technically only further illustrating a flaw. 

The conflict comes to a head as the Russians make an advance which despite getting orders to the contrary Stransky does not inform Steiner of the strategic retreat. A great moment again for Schell in for a moment you see the pettiness but still a loyal soldier as Schell brings so much begrudgement as he indicates to inform Steiner, only to contrast that as he rips out the phone which Schell plays perfectly as this instinctual pettiness. Leaving Steiner on the front line with his men trying to find a way through the Russian army to get back to safety with his men intact. Which again here Coburn brings so much of that ease as you see the man of specific action at every point, I especially think he excels in the sequence where they find a group of Russian military women, where Steiner keeps focus to the point of admonishing his men for any inappropriate behavior playing his character's blunt morality as direct and just without exception. Steiner using his cunning to make it back to the German line only for his own army to shoot at his men, based on a suggested order of Stransky to another officer, a moment again that is just delightfully diabolical in the way Schell shows every bit of the intelligence of Stransky not for heroism but for duplicity as he comes up with an excuse that Schell reasons out with the right combo of logic and delicious deceit. The shooting leads to a massacre of much of his unit to which the officer says it was all Stransky and not his fault, and you have the greatest moment in Coburn's performance. Where we return to that same sense of when the poor young Russian died, where you see him haunted by the notion of the loss, maddened by it as just the senseless however as the moment continues we see a ferocity growing a ferocity that isn't of pure rage, though it is that to, but true unrelenting heartbreak as we see the loss of each man in Coburn's eyes, until he unleashes his wrath on the officer. Steiner afterwards continues his advance to find Stransky just as the Russians are advancing, and it is a fantastic scene between both men. Coburn brings this disgust but almost mixed with a tempering strange pity as instead of killing him he will instead take him to the fighting to finally get his cross. Coburn tells him where the "Iron Crosses grow" as a fool's challenge to the fool. Again Schell who is so perfectly smug in the moment if considering killing Steiner, but then allowing the challenge. Something that Schell conveys all in just his face going from one potential idea, to then allowing himself to prove himself as a soldier to Steiner Schell's face filling with unearned bravado of a man who will absolutely fight for his Iron Cross. Leading to the film's finale, which honestly works because of Schell and Coburn selling its final message even in abruptness. As we get to a point where Stransky has run out of ammo and doesn't know how to reload revealing just the non-soldier he's been the whole time. Schell is the perfect incompetent suddenly in every bit of fear and honestly as a buffoon as he handles the gun like he's never held one and even is juggling around his helmet like a total dolt. A moment that perfectly summarizes Stansky in the moment, which is contrasted perfectly by Steiner/Coburn's reaction of just bursting out laughing, his laugh being a pure moment of absolute joy at seeing just how incompetent his opponent has been and to see him barely able to even stand properly. A laugh though that goes beyond that as Coburn's laugh is a laugh at the entire hypocritical world he's existed in as a proper capper as man seeing the nonsense of it all for what it is. 

Updated Overall

Next: 1986 Lead