Alternate Best Actor 1945: Results

5. Danny Kaye in Wonder Man - Somewhat disposable Kaye work, not bad, but he's been much better.

Best Scene: Police station.

4. Errol Flynn in Objective, Burma! - Flynn is almost entirely onto something as the more casual approach to playing a military commander, even if the execution isn't quite perfect. 

Best Scene: The death of the correspondent.

3. Roger Livesey in I Know Where I'm Going - Livesey's presence offers a very unique and effectively off-beat take on the romantic stranger type.

Best Scene: Boat ride home.

2. Pierre Brasseur in Children of Paradise - Brasseur brings such potent charisma portraying so effectively one man in the film not weighed down by anything rather elevated by it all.

Best Scene: Ad-libbing.

1. Laird Cregar in Hangover Square - Good predictions Tim, Omar, 8000's, Calvin, Matt & Tahmeed. Cregar delivers one final dynamite portrayal of insanity, this time though with a passionate edge that offers a sense of avenues he may have been able to explore had his career not been tragically cut short.

Best Scene: Final concert.

Updated Overall

Next: Reviews of Redgrave & Karloff.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Errol Flynn in Objective, Burma!

Errol Flynn did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain Nelson in Objective, Burma!.

Objective Burma depicts a platoon being sent on a mission to destroy a Japanese radar station. 

A performance by Errol Flynn I typically see is how much he relaxes in a part. As the more relaxed Flynn is typically the more his charisma comes out and the more you just believe him. When he's trying to actively sell something then that is where it comes off as the most phony and forced out of his performances. Flynn's performance here is notable then because it is perhaps his most relaxed in a way, though in a way that you might not expect either. In the early scenes it adds up enough where Flynn gives kind of an unknown accent, but regardless he stays with it, so I never minded it regardless. But what more so he brings is this ease about his whole performance that is remarkable in creating this innate sense of leadership in his Captain with his platoon by portraying the way the man always seems to be calming within his troops. What is surprising is that the calm is brought out by being this superman, rather Flynn plays the part as normal guy but a normal guy who just takes everything in stride. There's little comic asides that he doesn't sell like big one liners, but rather purposefully easing away at the tension of the obvious life or death situation they're all in. Flynn's performance is reassuring in the right way as you see how his Captain is commanding his men's spirit in a way by compelling them into going into the mission with a reserve that understands the stakes but is not overwhelmed by them. His work surprised me in that Flynn is often the leader and in this instance he did it with even greater ease, then the ease I expect from his better performances. 

 

When the mission actually begins is where I actually was all the more taken aback by what Flynn is doing in this performance, particularly within the war genre at this time. The platoon leader, or really any soldier at this time was usually within a certain kind of performance of the stoic leader, the fierce warrior, that sort of thing, where Flynn very much instead here plays him just like a guy on a mission, which is kind of fascinating in a way, and perhaps more pioneering than I imagine perhaps he even intended. With Flynn very much playing moments as casually as can be considered appropriate per the war setting, as he's not going into these big emotional swings rather he paints this portrait of consistency that is rather remarkable at times. Because it isn't that Flynn is playing it without thought or connection to what is going on in the situation, rather he is entirely is, but what is going on, is it is woven within his performance in this way that creates the sense of reality. There are moments where men die, even men are brutally killed in one sequence, and the Captain is always the man of calm. Flynn's performance though isn't as though he doesn't care, rather what Flynn does with some fairly modest reactions and internalized moments in his eyes, conveys that all that hardship is going through the Captain, he's just insisting on being strong for the men no matter what happens. His delivery here tends to keep that calm we had at the start, but he does change throughout, in that it is a bit more stressed within it, yet Flynn's performance conveys the intensity as pressure however not something that ever breaks him. Flynn's performance punctuates moments impressively with that subdued emotion, which consistently realizes the real horror of the situation, but without overtures. However, having said all this, I wouldn't say this is flawlessly executed as such, even if intriguing in its imperfect infancy of a concept. Perhaps part of that is the material which is close to something special, but not *quite* there, and even Flynn as well, who has tendency to stiffness if he doesn't fully believe himself, which is mostly avoided here, though not entirely. Regardless, a good performance on its own terms and worth taking a look at this performer.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Laird Cregar in Hangover Square

Laird Cregar did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying George Harvey Bone in Hangover Square.

Hangover Square follows a pianist and composer who slowly gets more demented as he moonlights as a serial killer.

The nature of this brief synopsis makes this sound like a very similar role to Cregar's performance as Jack the Ripper in The Lodger, the fact that George Sanders is pursuing him, and it takes place in foggy gaslit London only adds to this approach. BUT, it ends up being quite a bit different, one as the nature of this character's evil action, at least initially, are due to schizophrenic episodes. The schizophrenic episodes in a way gave the audience the Cregar they were expecting, almost as an appetizer with the way the film opens, although to be fair even as heavies Cregar was always finding new ways to play them. Here is such an example as he plays a man killing in the initial scene of a random murder to his episode with this specific intensity, though that is granting a chilling quality because of the sort of hollowness of Cregar's performance. He's just going about it as he would do almost anything as we see him killing a man in a fire and it is nothing more to him than just that, before wandering off where we see his George regain himself, and suddenly we see a very different performance, and really a very different looking Cregar as we see a far more slender man than we had ever seen him any films. In fact he almost nearly looks dashing all things considered, and even more so Cregar is allowed to play even more into the idea of sympathy, though I'd argue he always covertly provided sympathy to his fiends most of the time to begin with, but what we see here is a man with an affliction. Where Cregar plays wonderfully the genuine befuddlement as he walks the street wondering how he got blood on himself and is carrying a knife that he believes might've been used at some point.

When we see George contemplate this Cregar's reactions that of true thoughtfulness and even a dreaded horror at the idea that he might be an unknowing murderer. Cregar creating a potent kind of empathy for the poor soul in this moment, particularly as George's choice is to immediately finding Police Psychologist Dr. Allan Middleton (Sanders) in this instance, to try to get the man to prove he is a murderer. And it is indeed hard not to feel sorry for poor Cregar as he speaks every line with such sincere honesty as he speaks of all his fears for what he has potentially done and is trying to be found guilty. Only when it turns out the knife hasn't been used for a murder and that the blood was his own, is George saved from his guilt and Cregar presents the same sincerity in the character's powerful relief. Cregar brings an innocence even that is particularly wonderfully realized, even as it is turned on its head as poor George discovers yet another knife that would make him culpable for the crime. Cregar's reaction again is not of the monster by the sympathetic man, as you immediately sense the confusion in his eyes and even more so a genuine sadness to what he finds. Cregar this time not portraying the criminal element of Bone as something that compels him, rather something that haunts him deeply as a curse upon him. Cregar creating a change within his often played role of the evil man, this time the evil is something the man is unable to escape, and Cregar creates that penetrating and horrible sense of the madness just beneath the surface that the seemingly decent George would just love to be able to hold at bay if he could.

The film then progresses into something a bit more unexpected within the overall design as it becomes more so the good man, despite what we already know of George, getting pulled into the wrong world by a femme fatale, in this instance Netta (Linda Darnell) a pub singer, that catches his eye. Cregar's performance is terrific in being sincere, though sincere in a way that you wouldn't have seen in his other performances, in that he's not twistedly romantic, here he's trying to be genuinely romantic with Netta. This as he plays a song for her that he's written with her mind, and Cregar brings this great combination between confidence and vulnerability in these moments. The confidence as the man introduces the song with this ease as though music just is second nature to him, and there's that passion as just part of him as he plays for her. Contrasting that however is the interest he has in her where in his eyes it is of sincerity and he speaks only with this reserved shyness of the man trying to make something of this relationship, despite it becomes pretty clear she just intends to exploit him for his musical ability by writing "pop" songs for her, as opposed to the more extensive orchestral works that he's passionate for. Something that is additionally represented by the woman genuinely interested in George, Barbara who also supports his musical passion. Unfortunately George is caught up with Netta, where Cregar articulates so effectively the growing desperation that I think he is quite effective in that he doesn't immediately turn this into obsession. Rather he brings initially the real glint of hope and candour in his voice that is of a man who believes himself to be in love, even as Netta only will cultivate despair for him.

And this is where the film does get a bit unwieldy, however Cregar is great consistently. As first Barbara questions his actions causes him to fall into a triggered state of trying to murder her which fails, and we get a respite as George apologizes, unaware of trying to murder her, with a genuine sympathetic manner in his performance. But then Netta prods him once again for gain, and Cregar is terrific in showing his earlier passion going to this pent up rage and really the sense of disgust for both her and himself as he tries to return to his actual life of the passions he cared about. Unfortunately for him things go one step beyond as he goes into a state again, where he goes about murdering Netta, with the murder musical sting from Sweeney Todd to boot, before returning to himself one more time. Although this time he doesn't quite return to himself, and here's where the film gets sloppy however there is an anchor in Cregar. Cregar finds some actual logic within his own performance that seems to suggest that George himself is being driven crazy by all that's going on with him, even as he still is innocent of his worst crimes. Cregar portrays a difference as George goes off the deep end now, because before it was about that eerie calm in his murders, it is with genuine mania. A specific mania though that still denotes vulnerability in the man as he becomes no longer attached to any of the women but now his music, his original passion. In this Cregar finds something especially potent because when he describes his need to get to his concert over the accusations of murder, Cregar presents not as the man avoiding his guilt but rather this completely sincere desperate belief in his real love, which is for his music. His actions then give it his all to be part of his music, though as this self-destructive act that Cregar finds this sense of a man who might as well die with his music as his only solace in his burdensome life. And as he goes about playing his final concerto, Cregar is outstanding in the intensity he brings within the performance, that again though speaks to man trying to find this singular focus as the madness is all around him, to the point that singular focus too becomes its own madness. A madness filled with only passion and leading to a memorable climax, and unfortunately final act of Cregar's entire career, as he desperately and fearlessly continues to play even as the entire theatre burns around him. An outstanding performance, where Cregar once again proves his measure by finding a new avenue with a villain, but in this instance suggesting new pathways for himself beyond where he had been pigeonholed. Cregar leaving one final reminder of the tragic loss of his talent, with his all too brief career.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Pierre Brasseur in Children of Paradise

Pierre Brasseur did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Frédérick Lemaître in Children of Paradise.

Ah I return the the masterpiece that is Children of Paradise, now to complete my unfinished business, which I likely would've done if I had known Brasseur was going to be as good as he is, when I reviewed Jean-Louis Barrault as Baptiste Deburau in this film, particularly given the two performances, despite not always sharing screen time with one another, are reflections of each other in a way. Not as the expected antagonists, but rather two men who embody different natures both in the art of performance and the art of love. Brasseur's own performance being a stark contrast to Barrault, as we find him in the opening scenes of the film, which are absolutely brilliant in terms of the vividness of the world, and the tangible nature of every character we introduce, as we find his Frédérick just trying to find some way to break into the theatrical world. Brasseur's is just glowing with charisma here from the first instance where he asks to be let in with this slick sincerity though with a certain unquestioned sarcastic wit rolled into one as he cons, but does so with an obvious passion for the whole idea. When not immediately successful he happens upon the woman of many affections Garance (Arletty), where we get the complete opposite of what we will see with Barrault's Baptiste who is weighted down by his romantic intentions, with Frédérick, the man lives for romantic notions. Brasseur delivers every line with the utmost ease and as this natural flow of id almost in the notion of romance, as the man speaks with no barrier and his smile is burning bright with a not quite devious, but close to it, notion regarding Garance as he charms her quickly though briefly.

We follow him into attempting better in the world of the theater, where he attempts to find a job with the constantly stressed out theater owner who just wants successful productions but basically is weighted down by every possible chaotic event at every turn. Brasseur comes in with this manner of almost looking past everything, not quite as someone who is blind to it, he definitely notices it, but rather Brasseur conveys this sort of easy ambition of the man. Brasseur's performance having this effortless combination of the man who very much wants to perform, lives for it really, to the point he loves to casually reference Shakespeare like a proper fan, but presents it as the nature of the man. Brasseur expresses this specific love the stage, love of performance, but again, as against in contrast to Barrault, where we see this strict devotion to the performance as his mime where the craft is of this specified intensity, Brasseur brilliantly makes it all look easy, though never do you ever think he is less than absolutely as passionate for the art, it is just the different kind of approach to it. That difference between the men reinforced again as we see their approach to love, where Frédérick, is best described as really love just about every female he passes by, including seducing an older landlady, which is a scene that Brasseur plays so perfectly, because he is able to express this as just the id of the man. While there is lust to be sure, Brasseur doesn't make him sleazy or hideous, because his notions of true romance are true, but again, where Baptiste suffers for his love, Frédérick  is invigorated by it. To the point where each has a chance with Garance sexually, which Baptiste almost runs from for not being a perfect version of how he sees true love, Brasseur is great as Frédérick immediately jumps at the chance. Brasseur portraying again a lack of weight to the notion rather he lives for the flirtation, brimming with joy as he catches her eye and gets the go ahead to join her for the night, which we Brasseur expresses a man who treats the idea lightly, but not blithely.

The film has a time jump for its second half where we re-enter with Frédérick changed by becoming even more than he already was, as we see Brasseur who is just amazing in somehow naturally turning the already over Frédérick to an even more extreme version of himself, and making it not only work, but incredibly entertaining. Brasseur's performance I think is subtly genius in that he does exude a slightly older manner even if it isn't focused upon too much, but the maturity speaks more to now this man fully developed into himself with this confidence even greater than before. Where Frédérick was a man of charm, using the charm to try to get ahead, this is now the man who is ahead, is well aware that his charm works and speaks a man whose actions have only fulfilled his wants. Brasseur now brandishes his unabashed shamelessness about himself, presenting himself with this particularly intense power of personality that is particularly captivating every second he is on screen.  As we see him before rehearsing for a show, he is now a star of the stage, as we see him with two women hanging on him, and Brasseur exudes in every word and grin filled with a zest for himself, a man who wants to and is enjoying life. Even when angry creditors come to attack him, Brasseur's manner is a man taking it all in stride presenting Frédérick as merely accepting being him also requires a fight or two. We then are granted the performance side of Frédérick fully, where we had briefly seen him be slightly annoyed while playing a minor pantomime role in a Baptiste led production, here we see in full command of his art though to an Edward Norton level of ego as he comes into attempting to fix his dry uninteresting play, much to the ire of the play's creators. Brasseur though again is perfect in you see him certainly loving taking a few potshots at the unpleasant men, but at the same time his passion is very real, such as when explaining his changed outfit for the part does have honest logic to it, and within even still his smirk Brasseur grants conviction to wanting to put on the best show he can. Leading to one of the best scenes in this masterpiece where Frédérick performs to an adoring crowd by turning the straight drama basically into a parody, where he ad libs around the rote moments to make them work. Brasseur is outstanding throughout the sequence in again brandishing the performance of Frédérick essentially, and indeed selling this idea to us as he does the audience, and being as convincing as such. Being indeed hilarious in his manner of not taking any notion seriously with fourth wall breaks, he delivers with the utmost glee, and just being a pure delight that you'd likely be cheering for by the end of the production as well.

A unique scene for Brasseur comes right afterwards however where he finds Marcel Herrand's poet yet violent thief Lacenaire in his dressing room, who demands money, and naturally for Frédérick he takes it in stride. And in this sense you do get the charm offensive again where Brasseur very much presents a man who takes life in stride so a thief wanting to steal from him is just like anything else might happen so he brings the same jovial manner that he makes wholly convincing as he just wilfully offers to share his lottery winnings. Brasseur's manner I think is key here in that you do sense a slight concern in his eyes at moments when the man seems more threatening but only within his overall approach which is still as Frédérick just going about it as he does most things, with a love of life. Particularly as once all threat is gone, to the point Lacenaire even reveals another possible assailant working with him, who also happens to be a fan of Frédérick, Brasseur is incredible because you do see some genuine concern for a second, before going to the performer looking to hear a review of his performance from the men, where he presents that eagerness with the utmost sincerity, which is very comical sense he engaging with violent criminals, yet still entirely honest with how Brasseur presents the moment. Of course all his swaggering leads him to get shot in a duel, by unhappy playwrights, and afterwards what we get from Brasseur is a *slightly* more modest Frédérick for the remainder of the film. Frédérick ends up being the least important element in the last act, after dominating the opening of the second half, in fact is only accidentally into some dueling crossfire due a whole complex romantic cube that he's slightly part of. Regardless Brasseur still is a very welcome presence in every scene he is in, particularly when we do see him with his old companions from the first half, where Brasseur brings a remarkable warmth that is decidedly uncomplex compared to everyone else, showing a man still not weighted down, though now he delivers these words with just a bit more measure and sense of wisdom about them than before. Even when he expresses a slight bit of jealousy to the actual loves, Brasseur presents it as the man doing it all in good humor and actually brings this natural excitement as the feelings of jealousy he believes have made it so he can finally play his dream role of Othello. Where we very much exit him playing Othello to adoring crowds, and he gets a final conversation with some pompous men, where I think Brasseur is again great in the way he still has the ego no matter what, but kind of a less pestering eagerness. He still flawlessly delivers his witty asides to cut down the pompous men who dismiss Shakespeare, but Brasseur in the end shows the ego perhaps now is in service to a little greater goal than just his own enjoyment, not that one ever hated Frédérick even for that. And the entirety of this performance is an effortless delight, as he makes every moment he's onscreen shines, and provides the essential contrast of a man who is just as passionate and romantic as the rest of the characters, the difference is he always does it with a big smile on his face and glides through these notions as though he walks on air. 

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Roger Livesey in I Know Where I'm Going

Roger Livesey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Torquil MacNeil aka Kiloran in I Know Where I'm Going. 

I Know Where I'm Going follows an ambitious young woman Joan (Wendy Hiller) going on a trip to Scotland to see her rich fiance, though naturally comes across a handsome local.
 

Unbearded Roger Livesey plays that local, I feel that is an essential distinction to make, who we come across, and while this sort of tale is now extremely commonplace, less so at this time, also such follow ups were not written and directed by Powell and Pressburger. The great Roger Livesey I wouldn't say has his most challenging role here as this film is part travelogue, part romance, with a bit of light comedy but more than anything largely a light tone despite one fairly intense sequence late in the film. This isn't an example of the film pushing Livesey to the limit of any ilk, rather early in the film we see him as just a charming chap in Scotland visiting before needing to return to the service and running into  Joan who is the one driving the narrative up until this point. Livesey is an actor with a tremendous presence, one where his voice alone does a great deal of natural heavy lifting, as the man just commands space, however that isn't the focal point here. Here he's just going to be part of the space early on as Livesey plays Torquil with a casual manner and just general affability as he greets the young woman while showing her around a bit as she travels towards her fiance and he enjoys his leave from the war effort. Something that I do think is aided by the lack of beard on Livesey that makes him look much younger and just in general have a more boyish quality to this man who clearly has some love for this environment of his homeland. The whole focus here is just to be charming largely, which Livesey is in a fairly easy going way that he doesn't make much of it, he just very much is part of scenes with an innate ease as someone that it is hard not to find a little endearing. He's good in that he doesn't play the pestering alternative or anything of the ilk, rather Livesey very much presents Torquil as entirely innocent around Joan, even as it becomes obvious that the two share more than a little bit of chemistry with one another.

Hiller and Livesey in some ways aren't pushing their obvious raw intensity both have as a performers, this is much lighter fare for both of them, however neither uses that as some kind of excuse to simplify anything about this material. They both give distinct life to their characters, and in this instance creating a very naturalistic chemistry between the two. As what develops between them actually is very subdued on the whole, where we have the moments of growing connection but it isn't as sort of broad as was the more normal ilk as if say this was a Cary Grant romantic comedy where he needed to best old Ralph Bellamy, which in this instance Bellamy would neither be seen nor heard. Rather much of it is in the margins of their performance as they interact and at times don't interact as they go about their trip in the Scottish isles. Livesey's wonderful by not exactly playing his hand obviously at any point as this presumption that the man is trying for something rather you see in each moment this kind of jus generous smile and more than a glance towards Joan, balanced with moments of this certain earned judgment in his eyes as she seems to favor wealth over other qualities of life, at least in her titular expression. Livesey' s performance is just one that cultivates the connection and attraction with Hiller, with the ease that grows and the sense of quiet complications in the silences, and they completely earn the sense of the connection between the two. Which is particularly essential here as there is far less of a driven obvious focus about this, leaving to the performers to earn the romantic journey, which they do. 

Although much of this performance isn't dramatic, other than Livesey just having an innate dramatic quality to his work because of the power of his presence. The one minor detail of this seeming is his fear of going to the old ruins of his family that is said to be cursed but even this seems almost slightly flippant for a while at least. The power of Livesey though is called upon as Joan, mainly because she wants to get away from the obvious attraction to Torquil and to her financial safety of her planned marriage and bribes a poor local man to take her through a dangerous storm. Livesey's great in the moment of Torquil disgust with this choice at first bringing this natural sense of a combination of genuine disappointment that speaks to someone who he had hoped for mixed in with this real sense of care he clearly has for the local people. It is only when Torquil is told she's really running from him to avoid romance is when he decides instead to take upon captaining the boat himself. And Livesey is great throughout this sequence in bringing this visceral intensity that he's been holding back and bringing such a power in his sense of determination that creates the danger of the situation but with the confidence of a man who will make sure they all make it. He's captivating every second of this sequence, particularly in the moments of instructing Joan on how to save the boat, and we see them fully working together, albeit seemingly ironically as it is to get her to marry another man. Although this journey only makes them grow closer, which is still unsaid till their goodbyes which has a formality still but you sense the chemistry in the warmth beneath every word, until Joan wishes for a goodbye kiss. Livesey's reaction to this is absolutely pitch perfect, as you get such a great sense of surprise and immediate joy with the sudden turn from Joan, though she seemingly still leaves, and Torquil finally goes to the allegedly cursed ruins. A sequence that is where you see what great directors and great actors can do. As it is a man looking around ruins, which would be less if it were not filmed so beautifully, with such an atmospheric sense of place, and just Livesey being absolutely brilliant in showing the man soaking all the history in, particularly as he sees the actual curse, which essential is that of long lasting love. Livesey's reaction to seeing Joan come back to him, supported by an instrumental group, couldn't be more perfect in saying all that needs to be said as the romantic highlight of fully embracing his "cursed" fate. 

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Danny Kaye in Wonder Man

Danny Kaye did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Edwin Dingle and Buzzy Bellew in Wonder Man.

Wonder Man tells the story of two very different twins, one an entertainer who is murdered by the mob and as a ghost seeks out his intellectual brother to make things right.

Kind of wandering through Danny Kaye's oeuvre you could argue him as kind of almost an auteur actor in that you can see the films are so clearly tailor made for what he brings as a performer, rather than any other element. What that means is we very much always get some kind of Kaye variety experience within the film, though this varies from film to film, but have similar trademarks to each. This film in particular is very open in this concept as we see Kaye get to play two variations on this variety as the two brothers, and really several others as we open the film with the entertainer brother Buzzy Bellew. Where Kaye brings a vocal delivery as a boisterous devil may care sort, where he is outgoing at every venture we see him and really every scene he approaches with a different accent or kind of riff as a character who very much is always on. This is broad, but technically it is broad in the service of a broad character who is purposefully broad, so it all makes sense, particularly for a film of this ilk. I guess where there's hesitation on my part, is I don't exactly love these opening Kaye riffs as much as I often do from him, as his random Irish accent for a moment or his jungle musical routine, are all fine, but I don't think are overly notable Kaye bits, as Kaye bits go and while I wouldn't quite say grating, I would say I kind of had enough of the in your face Buzzy right before he gets murdered by the mob, having been a police witness.

Of course as is frequently the case I did not read the synopsis of this one before going in so there was plenty of Buzzy left over, but first we have to meet Edwin Dingle, the brother of Buzzy who we meet very calmly studying in his intellectual space, with a very deliberate subdued and shy delivery. Kaye often plays the hapless man who is a bit shy and bumbling, but this is a purposeful notch more in really emphasizing it to make Edwin also broad in his own way, but broad in the way he is so intensely modest. And again as I see Edwin, I like Kaye's bit well enough he's doing in this way, but I'm not exactly sold by it the way I was in The Court Jester or Me and the Colonel. Anyway the crux of the film comes in when Buzzy shows up as a ghost, for reasons unknown, and asks him to pretend to be him to still take down the gangster therefore continue as his performer briefly as well. Anyway, Kaye plays off himself, okay, in playing the sort of expected ghost hi-jinks, of others not being able to see him, and playing against himself with the big big Buzzy and the small small Edwin. It's fine, if not overly noteworthy in terms of the bits as they go. The timing is kind of there, as is the general idea, but the moments just aren't as funny as they could be or as prime Kaye shows them to be able to be. Although we actually get far less of this as you'd expect.

The film then goes into what should be a series of hilarious situations as Edwin is the fish out of water pretending to be the confident performer and also being threatened by gangster, and getting flustered by trying to deal with both his and Buzzy's love interests. Unfortunately all of this isn't nearly as funny as it sounds like it should be when you're describing it, as more of the film is spent on the musical performances and less on really getting into some genuinely hilarious situations of Edwin being pulled into multiple places. When Kaye is getting to play Edwin bumbling around trying to be Buzzy, whether that is with the women, or in failed performances, or in even police interrogation, he's at his best doing that fumbling around the lines and physical sort of sloppiness that Kaye does so well. He's a lot of fun in these moments, even if at times the lines just are "where's Buster", but Kaye brings an endearing energy. Less interesting though are the romances, neither that go anywhere comically or romantically. Or the performances of Buzzy when he possesses Edwin to perform, which just aren't Kaye at his most inspired, not that they're terrible, but they're just not great either. And I think that is much of this film, which is likeable enough, but never beyond that. The whole idea of Kaye playing twins, playing off himself as a ghost, playing against gangsters, sounds like the formula for a great romp, but it's only okay as a film, and not all that much better as a showcase for Kaye unfortunately. 

Alternate Best Actor 1945

 And the Nominees Were Not:

Danny Kaye in Wonder Man

Roger Livesey in I Know Where I Am Going

Laird Cregar in Hangover Square

Errol Flynn in Objective, Burma!

Pierre Brasseur in Children of Paradise

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Results

5. Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter- Although overshadowed by Celia Johnson Howard still fulfills his part well through his considerable charm and honest chemistry with her.

Best Scene: Alec and Laura declare their love for one another.

4. Cornel Wilde in Leave Her to Heaven- Best his actual nominated work in every way through his adequate work for most of the film and his powerful performance at the end.

Best Scene: His courtroom testimony.

3. James Mason in The Seventh Veil- Although his role is very limited Mason still steals it through his ability to make his character's bitterness something truly palatable.

Best Scene: Nicholas ignores Francesca's marriage plans.

2. Edward G. Robinson in Scarlet Street-Robinson gives a moving depiction of a meek man abused to the point of insanity.

Best Scene: Christopher is haunted in his room.

1. Jean-Louis Barrault in Children of Paradise- Barrault gives a wonderful portrayal of both his character's stage portrayal of a romantic mime, but as well the subtle differences found in the equally romantic and charming but much more flawed real man off the stage.

Best Scene: Baptiste recreates a mugging through a pantomime.

Overall Rank:

1. Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend
2. Laird Cregar in Hangover Square
   
3. Pierre Brasseur in Children of Paradise 
   
4. Jean-Louis Barrault in Children of Paradise 
5. Claude Rains in Caesar and Cleopatra
6. Edward G. Robinson in Scarlet Street
7. James Mason in The Seventh Veil
8. Roger Livesey in I Know Where I'm Going
   
9. Aldo Fabrizi in Rome, Open City  
10. Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter
    
11. Cornel Wilde in Leave Her to Heaven
12. Errol Flynn in Objective, Burma!
13. Robert Donat in Vacation From Marriage
    
14. Basil Rathbone in The House of Fear
    
15. Edward G. Robinson in Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
16. Rex Harrison in Blithe Spirit
17. Georg Rydeberg in Two People
    
18. Denjuro Okochi in The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
19. Marcello Pagliero in Rome, Open City
20. Robert Walker in The Clock 
21. Joseph Cotton in Love Letters 
22. Mervyn Johns in Pink String and Ceiling Wax
    
23. Henry Danielle in The Body Snatcher
    
24. James Cagney in Blood on the Sun
    
25. Susumu Fujita in Sanshiro Sugata Part II
26. Nigel Bruce in The House of Fear
27. Burgess Meredith in The Story of G.I. Joe 
28. Danny Kaye in Wonder Man
    
29. Robert Montgomery in They Were Expendable
30. John Wayne in They Were Expendable
31. Humphrey Bogart in Conflict  
32. Raymond Rouleau in Paris Frills
33. Paul Bernard in Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne
    
34. Zachary Scott in The Southerner 
35. Robert Young in The Enchanted Cottage
    
36. Robert Walker in What's Next Corporal Hargrove?
37. Dana Andrews in Fallen Angel
    
38. Dick Haymes in State Fair
39. Paul Muni in A Song to Remember 
    
40. Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh
41. Gregory Peck in The Valley of Decision
    
42. Stanley Clements in Salty O'Rourke
    
43. Alan Ladd in Salty O'Rourke
    
44. Tom Neal in Detour 
45. John Garfield in Pride of the Marines
    
46. Lawrence Tierney in Dillinger
    
47. Bing Crosby in The Bells of Saint Mary's 
48. Lloyd Nolan in The House on 92nd Street
    
49. Cornel Wilde in A Song to Remember
50. Dennis Morgan in Christmas in Connecticut
51. Arturo de Cordova in A Medal for Benny 
    
52. Gregory Peck in Spellbound
53. Russell Wade in The Body Snatcher
    
54. Hurt Hatfield in The Picture of Dorian Gray
    
55. William Eythe in The House on 92nd Street
    

Next Year: 1945 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter

Trevor Howard did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Alec Harvey in Brief Encounter.

Brief Encounter is beautiful handled film by David Lean about a married woman Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) who is tempted to cheat on her husband by a chance meeting with a stranger at a railroad station.

Trevor Howard would later play another potential man for a wife's infidelity in Lean's later less effective foray into similar subject matter in The Passionate Friends. Howard had a few things against him one being his character was a bit underwritten, as well as he had to create chemistry with the as usual fairly dull Ann Todd. It was not helped either that the film seemed surprisingly interested in the jilted lover and perhaps it helped him even less that he was portrayed by Claude Rains who ran away with that film without a question. This film though there is no Claude Rains to be seen, and instead of Ann Todd we get Celia Johnson. Johnson's performance is an incredible piece of work, and I have to say it is ridiculous she lost to Olivia De Havilland's forgettable work in To Each His Own.

Howard does not utilize his somewhat rough style I know him best for as he plays a gentle married doctor who befriends the housewife. Howard is very sweet and appropriately charming in his performance. Doctor Harvey is an idealist and Howard portrays this in his always enthusiastic and naturally suggests the compassionate side of the doctor particularly well. Dr. Harvey in himself is not an extremely complicated character by himself but Howard plays the part well by making the doctor rather pleasant company to be with so it is is not at all surprising that Laura would find him to be pleasant company as well. It is relatively simple work by Howard but he plays it just right.

A little more though comes from the chemistry Howard and Johnson create in the film. It is fairly interesting in the way they both play the mutually growing attraction and love each have for the other. Howard and Johnson just feel right together as there is such a great ease in the way they interact with one another. Both of them build the romance not on an overwhelming lust for one another, but such a strong affection for one another. When they are together neither of them play it as if they are trying to purposefully even have an affair so to speak, but rather each of them plays it as a powerful affection for the other's presence. They portray a constant empowering joy when together, and honestly create that drive that keeps bringing them together.

Trevor Howard gives a consistently good performance as Dr. Alec Harvey in the film, but it simply is Celia Johnson's film. She not only gets the stronger perspective, but she as well does make a more notable impact with her performance. It is her show from beginning to end, and there is not a moment where Howard comes close to stealing the spotlight from her. That is hardly a problem though in that Howard still fulfills his part quite well. What he must do more than anything is to properly facilitate her performance by creating a believable object of her affections, and to be a man that such a woman would consider forgetting family for. He fulfills this need well, and although he is not the best part of the film he is an essential part of what makes the film great.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Jean-Louis Barrault in Children of Paradise

Jean-Louis Barrault did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jean-Gaspard Deburau who went by the stage name of "Baptiste" in Children of Paradise.

Children of Paradise is a rather wonderful film centered around the theater world in Paris in the early part of the 19th century.

Jean-Louis Barrault in the first half of the film plays one of the promising men of the theater who specializes in pantomime. We are in fact first introduced to Deburau and his character of Baptiste when he casually witnesses a pick pocketing allowing him to exonerate the courtesan Garance (Arletty) through performing an act where he played out the pickpocketing without words. Throughout the film Barrault performs his part of the character that Baptiste plays on stage who is a bit like the Chaplin's tramp which is to say a slightly daffy, slightly silly, but very romantic creation. The film actually spends an ample amount of time in showing Barrault's performance as the recreation of this particular stage persona.

Barrault is incredible in any scene where he performs, especially his opening replication of the pickpocketing, and he never leaves us to question why Baptiste popularity would only grow with time because Barrault makes every moment of his pantomime completely compelling to watch. His movement is a splendid with his style that is almost a dance in its delicacy. Each act he performs has the tinge of comedic timing but in general this great beauty to his performance. There is such a charm in his portrayal of his character. In many of this older films where they would do such acts, sometimes it would feel a bit like filler in the film, but this is not the case here as every time Barrault takes the stage so to speak the film is still completely alive as he realizes the performance side of Baptiste so well and so thoroughly.

Although all of Barrault's scenes of the performance are splendid to behold and you could easily see how that character could carry his own film frankly we do see Deburau as himself from time to time when he is not performing. Barrault is equally great in these scenes as he adjusts himself quite artfully from the performance to the performer. Barrault is still very charming when he is in the everyday life of Deburau but the interesting part of it is that Barrault presents a very different man than the one he plays on stage. It is a different kind of charm that Barrault brings to this side of Deburau as it is much more realistic sort of charisma although still very fitting for an actor such as he. Barrault makes Deburau though most importantly a man opposed to the character he was on stage, and being a man there are far more obvious inadequacies to him.

Barrault makes Deburau a very endearing man as he tries to pursue Garance who he is in love with. Barrault makes Deburau above else an endless romantic again much like his character, but again it is interesting in how he does give the subtle differences in the style of the the man versus that of the character. Barrault shows Deburau's romantic side with a certain fervor and always as something completely genuine in his mind, but unlike when he is Baptiste Barrault does not show it to be a relatively simple emotion to deal with. When Garance gently rebuffs his attempts to romance her it is not just a slight sadness that Barrault portrays which would be fitting for the mime Bapitiste. When Deburau  himself reacts it becomes the much stronger feelings of bitterness that are much more fitting for the Deburau as a real man.

The second half of this two part film Barrault's role is somewhat reduced yet he still makes the appropriate impact whenever he is on screen. He's mime scenes once again are all notable and remarkable to behold, but in terms of Deburau's romantic life the film creates an interesting dynamic around Barrault's performance. Barrault as Deburau still continues to pursue Garance, even though he now is married with a son, as the hopeless romantic anyway. The film plays around Barrault work nicely making his actions questionable by showing what Deburau really is doing while Barrault appropriately portrays a definite selfishness in Deburau by simply continuing his course form earlier, and making it so frankly his romantic attitude just does not seem nearly as charming as it was before.

Jean-Louis Barrault gives two separate great performances that can be observed in this film. It would have been good enough just to witness his fantastic work in creating such an endearing and entertaining mime in his portrayal of Baptiste when he is on screen. Everyone of his mime sequences are very memorable and some of the best moments of this film, but there is indeed more to Barrault performance than that. Barrault is equally effective in portraying the artist behind the art. He brilliantly contrasts the real with the fake well making a fascinating and thorough depiction of both who the man is but also the character that the man creates. This is just a splendid work by Barrault which always succeeds in complementing the atmosphere of the world which surrounds him.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Cornel Wilde in Leave Her to Heaven

Cornel Wilde did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Richard Harland in Leave Her to Heaven.

Leave Her to Heaven is an effective film about a man whose life and those around him seemed threatened by a woman obsessed with him.

Cornel Wilde was indeed nominated for Best Actor in 1945 for A Song to Remember (which was forgettable, rim shot please). Anyway his performance was dullness incarnate and all the life seemed to be sucked out of Frederic Chopin. One could perhaps attach this to Charles Vidor's direction who also went on to suck out the life from Franz Liszt and Dirk Bogarde in A Song Without End (which felt endless). Well there is no Charles Vidor around this time so no accusations of soul stealing can be made. Well Wilde proves himself not to be some hollow shell here giving a considerably better performance than his performance as Chopin which naturally means the it's the one the Academy doesn't nominate, but I suppose that's just how it goes

The part of Richard Harland is a fairly simple one early on in the film as he meets with the mysterious woman Ellen (Gene Tierney) who instantly grows strong attracted to him, and even forces a proposal on him. Now this might be some cause to step back for a moment, but since she looks like Gene Tierney it's pretty easy to understand Richard's lack of hesitation.Wilde mostly on just needs to make us invest into Richard's story. Wilde's does do this as he he is appropriately endearing and charming in the role. There is not anything particularly special about Richard, but there is not anything wrong with him he just is a nice guy who cares about those around him particularly his handicap brother. Wilde brings the right enthusiasm and energy into the role that sets up Richard very nicely to make his fall have the right impact. 

Wilde does not play Richard as some sort of fool though and he is very good in his scenes with Tierney. They don't have the usual type of romantic chemistry but they really should not as this is not a normal romance in any way. Instead she seems completely entranced by his appearance as she notes that he reminds her of her father, which again is creepy enough all by its lonesome but Wilde makes it work by the way he plays his affections back. Wilde does not necessary really show that Richard is in love with her exactly, but rather is mutually entranced by her appearance although this time in a more basic sort of way. Wilde takes the right approach in doing so and he makes it believable that he would take so long to catch on as he helps create the allure of Ellen through his own performance that reinforces it.

Wilde is good in the earlier scenes fulfilling the part of Richard well, although Richard purposefully does not make too much of an impact overall as the film focuses on the insanity of Ellen's desires. This changes though when Richard finally finds out about some of Ellen's actions which even includes causing the death of someone. Wilde is very effective in his confrontation scene as he personifies the moral outrage in Richard with the proper ferocity. His best scene though comes after further developments and he has to end all speculation with a court room testimony. Wilde's is fantastic in his delivery of the final monologue bringing the right passion of his resolve to defeat Ellen's plan, but as well Wilde  brings a very powerful haunted quality within it that properly suggests how the whole affair has left Richard.

Well as usual you can leave it to the academy to make such a foolish mistake as nominating Wilde for A Song to Remember instead of this it is even more questionable when the nominations so that they indeed had watched Leave Her to Heaven. If they had not only would they have given Ray Milland, but they also would have made Wilde one of the better nominees for Best Actor rather than one of the worst. For my rating this time I have to basically average out things. He is about a 3.5 for most of the film but he brings the right life to the part and allows us to easily sympathize with Richard's dilemma but then in the end of the film when he finally gets the opportunity to completely soar he absolutely seizes that opportunity that would make him almost worthy of a five.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: James Mason in The Seventh Veil

James Mason did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Nicholas in The Seventh Veil.

The Seventh Veil is a decent enough film about the life of a suicidal pianist Francesca (Ann Todd), although the ending is certainly more than a little questionable.

Ann Todd was not much of an actress as there never seems to be much of a drive in her performances rather she often seemed quite content just to kind of be there. Luckily this does mean she would usually not be actively bad so to speak, and if there was a great performance around her she definitely would let that performance flow freely. That was certainly true for Claude Rains in The Passionate Friends, and here in this film we have the other Mr. Jordan, James Mason. Mason is only barely lead in this film and if one were to put him in supporting I would not raise much of argument. Nevertheless Mason has the second largest role in the film as the second cousin and legal guardian of Todd's Francesca.

Nicholas is a bitter man who who has a limp and seems to not care for much of anyone Francesca included. Although Mason wasn't particularly old at the time that never comes into play though as Mason makes Nicholas's palatable from the instance he is on screen. Nicholas is not a villain so to speak as he's more of a colossal jerk. Mason is one of my favorite actors though because of how he is able to enliven any scene he is in with his mere presence which he definitely does here. Many scenes require Mason just to come in and say a few cold dismissive words, really Nicholas could have been pretty forgettable, but Mason delivers every line with such an fierce cynicism that you can feel Nicholas's hatred toward the world as almost an underlying element in the film in every scene.

Nicholas is not all bad though as he finds that Francesca has a talent for the piano something he also knows although only well enough to be a teacher to Francesca. Mason is good in these scenes as well because he really does not lighten up still carrying that intensity as Nicholas just been bitter for too long to ever truly be happy. Mason does adjust his performance every so slightly to accentuate the passion that Nicholas does have for the piano, although even that he mostly hides in his fierce hatred of all things. Mason creates the right dynamic though to show how Nicholas would pressure Francesca to become a better pianist yet still never comes even close to becoming a good mentor. Nicholas always remains a pretty bad mentor and that is really part of the fun with Mason's performance.

I probably would not have said the film was decent enough if it were not for Mason's somewhat infrequent appearances in the film as he really does make the movie with his portrayal of Nicholas. He completely asserts himself  in terms of meeting the demands of the role which is to show how Nicholas could drive Francesca to suicide. Mason definitely brings the needed viciousness and coldness to show this, but he does manage to more than that in his usual Mason way as it is quite entertaining to watch him perform in the scene. My favorite of his being when Francesca tells Nicholas she is being married and Nicholas cuts her down by completely ignoring her. Mason is so brilliantly precise in the moment that even in seeming ignorance can Nicholas seem brutal in his coldness.

It definitely would have been nice if the film had been about Nicholas, or if the film had frankly spent much more time in creating the teacher student dynamic rather than rushing through it then there probably would have been potential for a truly great performance from James Mason. Mason unfortunately only has so much to work with here as Nicholas is both a bit underwritten and underused throughout the film, and this becomes exceedingly noticeable with the ending of the film when out of nowhere they decide Nicholas and Francesca were meant for each. Now Mason handles the final scene well naturally inserting just a little bit of regret within the bitter man, but he hardly could make that ludicrous revelation work. This is still very compelling work from Mason, and I do think the whole film would have been disposable if it were not for him.

Alternate Best Actor 1945: Edward G. Robinson in Scarlet Street

Edward G. Robinson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Christopher Cross in Scarlet Street.

Scarlet Street is Fritz Lang's followup to The Woman in Window which once again reunites Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Dan Duryea, who was Lang's go to guy for a slime ball in the mid 40's. The film is a fairly strong film noir of sorts about a sleaze ball couple trying to manipulate an older man. My only problem with it is that Robinson and Duryea are considerably more interesting performers than Bennett, although she is better here than she was in her previous collaboration with Lang.

Robinson is out of his most known mold again here as the overly aptly named Christopher Cross who is an aged cashier who by chance comes across a young woman after he stops her from an apparent mugging. Where Robinson in his earlier effort in Lang played his character as an old man who just really was too old to get involved with such a plot, here Robinson has a completely meek role which is certainly different than his usual type of character. Robinson though is very interesting in his performance and changes his usual screen presence. Where Robinson usually plays parts with a firm voice and strong intensity in him here Robinson appropriately switches to a weaker somewhat wavering speech pattern, and in general his physical state is far more retiring than usual.

Christopher is a rather pathetic sort who we find being pushed around by his wife constantly, and his only solace is to pursue the younger woman who he fails to realize is just trying to extort as much money out of him as possible for some feigned affection. Robinson manages to be quite moving as Chris because although his intent is definitely to commit adultery he makes it easy to see that all Chris is looking for is some genuine affection from someone which he never gets from his wife and thinks he can get from this young woman. Robinson plays up the meekness just enough so that Chris does not become a parody, but makes it it extremely easy to see why it is that Chris is so easily tricked by always emphasizing that desire for some sort of greater comfort.

The only time that Christopher seems truly happy is when he painting or discussing painting, and Robinson pulls away the meekness to exemplify a stronger passion within the man, although never stronger enough to really come right out and do something for himself. Robinson is very effective by giving the truth to the situation as Christopher continually is mistreated over and over again and he basically just keeps going more and more. Robinson makes Christopher's yearning something very strong within Christoper as there is always a certain earnestness within him, yet at the same time he shows it as something that weakens him as the yearning forces him to do basically anything that he will believe will finally fulfill him.

Robinson finds the right dynamic for Chris in his early scenes and builds the intensity until soon enough that Christopher finds he has been misused the entire time, which leads him to the murder. Although I do think the scene he is earned by Robinson I do feel Lang's does not quite give the scene the impact it should have by the way it seems to rushed. Technically it could have either been faster paced for the purpose of being more dramatic or slower to build to the moment a little more but Lang's takes a slightly awkward approach which weakens Robinson's performance a bit. Luckily though the film immediately picks up afterwards though as for once in the 40's a murderer not only gets away with it even allows another man to be executed for it.

Christopher despite avoiding execution hardly gets to enjoy much of it as he losing his wife, his job, and can't even take credit for his paintings that have become popular lest it lead him to the execution chamber. Robinson's is excellent in these final scenes of the film as he portrays the complete degradation of Chris as he has to deal with both the guilt of his crime but as well be haunted by the fact that no one actually ever cared for him. It is remarkable to see Robinson play such a vulnerable cahracter but he absolutely pulls it off and creates a palatable despair in his characterization making it so the ending the film has the needed impact that was a bit lacking in the murder scene. This is a strong piece of work by Edward G. Robinson and proves his abilities went beyond the fierce quick talkers he is known for.

Alternate Best Actor 1945

And the Nominees Were Not:

Jean-Louis Barrault in Children of Paradise

Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter

Cornel Wilde in Leave Her to Heaven 

James Mason in The Seventh Veil

Edward G. Robinson in Scarlet Street