Alternate Best Actor/Best Supporting Actor 1953: James Stewart & Robert Ryan in The Naked Spur

James Stewart did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Howard Kemp in The Naked Spur. 

The Naked Spur is a terrific western about three disparate men trying to take in one outlaw with a large bounty on his head. 

Despite my love of Stewart as an actor I have somehow never talked about one of his most important collaborations in his career which was with director Anthony Mann in a series of westerns starting with Winchester ‘73 in 1950. These are not your standard westerns and this is a distinct set of performances within Stewart’s career. Long have I held It’s A Wonderful Life as this essential branching off point between essentially pre-war and post-war Stewart where there was a combination through the easy going “aw shucks” charm of the previous period while also alluding to the darkness that would come later with Mann and also two of his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, particularly Vertigo. Although interestingly I would say with the Hitchcock films Stewart is still utilizing some aspects, to tremendous impact, of his old presence very modestly, the Mann westerns are notable in that they feel almost like an outright purge of that spirit. As Stewart in this film won’t be saying “aw” or “shucks”, not once, and despite ostensibly playing our hero of the film, to describe his Howard Kemp simply as a hero would not be strictly accurate. 

That idea is quite evident from the opening scene of the film as even Stewart’s resting face here just feels burdened by life already and there’s no sense that he intends to charm anyone. Rather his eyes are evoking a man just on a mission to the point he comes across everyone with suspicion and Stewart, who really always had the most potent of intensity whenever he needed it, delivers that as an innate factor. As we first follow him as he comes across an old prospector Jesse Tate (Millard Mitchell), with suspicion first, Stewart delivers every word with an exact interrogation and every movement is to control the potential attack of the other man. Only when it is clear the man isn’t a threat to him that we get an offer from Howard to Jesse to help him catch the man he’s looking for. Although even in the offer Stewart is cold in just shaking the coins in front of Jesse with no desire to offer the man friendship, it’s simply a business transaction no more no less. Leading to less of a friendship or partnership as they ride together, Jesse wanting no danger and Stewart presenting only the most annoyed frustrations at the other man’s seemingly cowardly demeanor. 

Stewart reaches his man at the top of a rocky incline who seems to have an ideal position to ward off any attackers, requiring that Howard try some separate way up, however before we can get to that the two men run into a third man, a recently dishonorably discharged cavalry officer and sexual miscreant Roy Anderson (Ralph Meeker), where Stewart can do so much with just a glance and his expression the moment he sees the man’s papers Stewart’s quietly disgusted eyes immediately states just how Howard feels about this guy, despite Roy wanting to immediately help. A physical moment but I think a notable one comes when Howard tries to climb the rocky mound first but stumbles and falls. There’s nothing cool in Stewart’s performance, no humor even in recognizing his stumble, rather there’s fear, embarrassment even, and an unpleasant reaction that would likely reflect most falling in a dangerous situation in front of a random stranger who may or may not be on the level. Leaving instead Roy to climb up it successfully and corner the man who had been dropping rocks from above, leading to the introduction of the man who makes this standout among the Stewart/Mann westerns, Robert Ryan. 

Robert Ryan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Ben Vandergroat in The Naked Spur. 

Robert Ryan made his career out of playing various fiends, including many that I have covered here including his Oscar nominated prejudiced killer in Crossfire and the sadistic master d’arms in Billy Budd. From the moment we see him onscreen however the nature of this villainous turn from Ryan immediately reveals itself, which Ryan is having a blast with this role. When Roy corners Ben, Ryan turns around not with a grimace but the biggest smile on his face as he greets the man. Ryan is disarming, charming, quite frankly as his delivery is pretty casual as though, unlike Stewart, that everyone is his friend and almost seems to commend the man for getting on the drop for him, though this is the first trick as Ben’s companion Lina (Janet Leigh) sneaks up behind Roy giving Ben a brief chance to make a go of it. Almost being successful until Howard and Jesse make it to the top. Ryan begins to set sail with this performance where he bites into every scene so wonderfully as his whole demeanor as the captured man is defined by that confidence of his nearly ever present smile of a man who has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. His next one being the way he addresses his former acquaintance Howard. 

We get the first face off between Ryan and Stewart which in itself is fascinating as the actor known for playing the heel is so wonderfully warm in his manner, even if subterfuge, compared to the often quite charming Stewart only filled with a quiet rage that only gets stronger in Ryan’s perfectly needling yet so falsely genteel way of addressing Howard as “Howie” like they’re former best buds. Instantly challenging the setup as Ryan with glee lets everyone know he has a large bounty on his head and that Howard not only isn't a lawman he’s also in it for the money. Which gets to the crux of this film, and common to Mann westerns which while they are certainly evil, most everyone is a shade of grey, some stronger than others. In this instance not even the often heroic Stewart is a pure hero here. As we see Stewart face down not only Ben but also the two other men who worked with him to arrest him, and Stewart’s eyes are as intense towards them as Ben. There’s a viciousness to him that is wholly distinct within Stewart’s presence within these westerns, particularly this one as Stewart shows that calculation of potentially killing everyone to keep the money for himself, before coming down from that extreme. A process that Stewart for a moment suggests is easy and brings that genuine darkness into the moment for technically our hero. 

Howard is forced to take Ben in with the other two men splitting things three ways, though easier than it sounds as this film shares much with The Treasure of The Sierra Madre as the lure of the financial reward is more than a bit. And that’s where Ryan just runs off with so many moments of this film in presenting the intense deviousness that is Ben in his methods to survive. A performance where frankly he is manipulating everyone constantly. Ryan brilliantly layers his performance though as we have that surface smile where he is trying to disarm everyone. Yet he also essentially constructs a different type for everyone in the party for him to try to get what he wants out of the situation. With Stewart Ryan projects that pestering familiarity that not only denotes a history but also speaks in every delivery the man purposefully tries to push the man’s personal buttons whenever he can. For Jesse Ryan is softer with every expression being with a bit of phony interest in the older man and even a sense of deferment. Ryan’s delivery of his compliments to the old man on his prospecting skills while alluding to potential gold mines somewhere, all as Ryan makes it all look like Ben is genuinely impressed by the guy, though we ought to know better. With Roy, Ben presses his obvious instant obsession with Lina, and Ryan against shifting his expression a little to almost noble in his earnest request that the “good man” watch out for Lina around Howard. Meanwhile Ryan’s so great in his silent reactions where he conveys so effortlessly Ben’s moments of calculation and moments of direction intention just before he makes his various moves throughout the trek to turn him in. 

Stewart I think rightfully lets Ryan just run with the show in his way, presenting effectively and I think quite impressively as the man deferring in the right way. What Stewart does is reflect the sense of that pressure as Howard not only needs to concern himself with Ben and Lina but also the two other men who are supposed to be his allies. In turn having the moments of hard bitten decision where you just sense the powerful exasperation that defines a man almost tired of the moral lows of others. A state that is only broken when Howard gets shot and in a point of feverish dream where he hallucinates Lina as an old lover of his. Stewart’s remarkable in he has so much weight lifted within his work as we see the old Howard where we also in a way get the classic Stewart, although broken in fever, as the man pledges his promises to a memory. A memory that Ben takes no time in revealing the truth of, where we get an early taste for the truest form of Ben as he so caustically and with a real sadism in every word notes however Howard’s intended not only left him, essentially robbed him of his home. Which in turn becomes a point of exploitation as we see the key relationship of Ben with Lina. Ryan’s fascinating in what he does in his scenes with Leigh, which in no way are the true Ben. Rather Ryan presents an ideal believable Ben, as he desperately pleads with her to help the first time, as a man you can believe, maybe even a good man. The next time though you see more of this devil in disguise as it becomes clear he’s playing her just like the rest as he so earnestly reminds her to use herself as a woman to distract the men, particularly Howard whom she’s made a connection with. 

We get the main scene between Stewart and Leigh, where it is fascinating what Stewart is able to pull off in this moment as basically we see him present Howard potentially believing in humanity again as she shows him empathy. Stewart’s remarkable in the way he goes from a quiet suspicion to easing into some of his considerable charm as they keep speaking, a charm that is quite powerful here because it contrasts so strongly from the coldness before. Stewart doesn’t suddenly become “aw shucks” though as Stewart even in bringing some of his charm still shows an intensity where he is grasping at this hope in a moment almost with the same degree we see him in the moments of violent action, and while I would describe the romance as rushed, Stewart does it best to sell it as drowning man gasping for air. Unfortunately as Ben makes an attempted escape leaving Howard to think it is one more trick and return back to his cynical ways. Where the climax comes as Ben manages to fully trick Jesse into helping him escape with the promise of gold to prospect. When Ben gets the gun from Jesse, Ryan’s instant switch to the real Ben is amazing as he still portrays such joy, but now it is sadistic. I have particularly affection for his reaction for being described as literally devil, as Ryan doesn’t just have Ben accept the title, he owns it with aplomb. Ryan emphasizes the truly psychotic nature as he shoots Jesse down still with the same smile of a man who has no moral qualms whatsoever about killing and showing the true colors so brazenly and brilliantly in his performance. Ryan makes the most out of every second of his performance as Ben, as he makes him a master manipulator throughout, a villain that is just a true magnificent bastard and is simply just so much fun to watch. Which in a way I think is essential, despite being the main villain, as he actually lightens the mood to the right degree by having so much fun. Stewart, while in a way the more thankless position, I think smartly plays into that difference by offering a man basically suffering in this world of amorality. Leading to his final scene where basically he has a choice between Ben’s bounty and potentially a happy life with Lina. There’s just something particularly heartbreaking about Stewart when he of all performers breaks down, because it does feel so raw and fundamental and painful perhaps given he can be such a joyful presence. What Stewart delivers in this moment is the messiness of a man essentially nearly completely losing it, not because he's lost faith, but rather that suddenly there’s this chance to regain it. Stewart delivers the fundamental severity of such a realization and finding a hopeful moment to the end film on, though also a truly painful one. Stewart and Ryan make a great pair here where Stewart offers the tragedy of a man struggling with losing himself to a cruel world, against Ryan as thriving and loving the same cruelty. 

 (Stewart)

(Ryan)