Best Supporting Actor 1948: Results

5. Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc- Ferrer does basically nothing with his performance as the Dauphin, being an incredibly dull presence, while still being overly theatrical in his way of speaking.

 
4. Oskar Homolka in I Remember Mama- Homolka overacts very heavily in his scenes being far too obvious in his performance. I did like his last scene where he toned it down but that was not enough.

3. Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda- Bickford is good showing the transition of a father from believing his daughter to being dumb to truly loving her despite the fact the film and script are really built away from him.

2. Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish- Kellaway fulfills his role perfectly, he just seems right as a Leprechaun. Even though the part is not the most complicated Kellaway still gives a very nice performance.

1. Walter Huston in The Treasure of Sierra Madre- Huston tops the list once again, making him the biggest winner for me with three wins so far. Huston is just terrific from beginning to end, adding so much to the film with his energetic presence. He is brilliant at creating Howard the old prospector with his voice and manner, and creating the depth of character showing so much more to the character than what is spoken aloud. (Good Prediction Dinasztie) 

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish

Cecile Kellaway received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Horace, a Leprechaun, in The Luck of the Irish.

Luck of the Irish is an okay film about a man torn basically between the country values and the city ones.

Kellaway is a key to the Irish roots of the main character by being a Leprechaun named Horace he meets while there. Kellaway's character here is not the most complicated ever, he is a typical Leprechaun, and serves the purpose of pushing the old timey sentimentality sort of thing. Kellaway really is perfect in the role even if the role is not all too complicated. He just seems perfect as a Leprechaun, Kellaway who actually is not Irish just seems to fit the part so well anyways.

His whole demeanor and voice just work perfectly for the part. He just plainly seems and is the Leprechaun because of his manner. Kellaway never needs to be believed he just is, He is just nice presence throughout the film. His performance never becomes a great one but just a nice one which is what he needs to be. He needs to be a pleasant remainder of the pleasantries of the old country life in Ireland. Kellaways does this completely without fault, and makes a Leprechaun as natural as possible.

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Walter Huston in The Treasure of Sierra Madre

Walter Huston won his only Oscar from his fourth and final nomination for playing gold prospector named Howard in The Treasure of Sierra Madre.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a great film in my book, telling a fascinating story of three prospectors who find a lot of gold but find keeping it is harder than it seems, due to roaming bandits and the greed of one of the three named Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart in his best performance).

I clearly am I a fan of Walter Huston, giving him wins for both of his lead nominations. There is something about his presence and manner that I always enjoy watching especially when he is given a good character. In Treasure I find his performance is rather interesting and is usually not given credit for his technical prowess in this particular film. Huston played the Devil, and a rich businessman as believably as possibly, but here he plays a grizzled old down and out prospector and he is just as believable. I really enjoy his mannerisms in this film. He is perfectly made up in the film with the suspenders, and hair but Huston only adds to it using very effective voice and effective mannerisms such as his posture, and the way he squints his eyes, that only add to his character, and makes Huston even more believable as the prospector.

Huston adds a lot to this film as usually does (heck he even adds something in his 5 second cameo in The Maltese Falcon) his presence is always very strong and always adds some energy to his films. I feel he adds more energy than usual with his performance here. I love every minute he is on screen always making the scenes move along do to his movements and his perfect way of speaking. He never in this film lets a film become dull automatically begins Huston never is dull for single moment in this film. Huston has the several scenes where he is required to show rather extreme joy and loudness, in say the last scene where Howard is laughing or the earlier scene where he laughs at his fellow prospectors for not recognizing gold below their feet. These scenes almost have to be played over the top, but I still do not think Huston does. Yes he is laughing, dancing and loud, but Huston does this so well that it seems as a natural part of Howard's character opposed to it being an actor forcing it to be something the character does.

The greatest part of his performance involves the utmost subtlety form Huston which works marvelously. Howard is a knowing prospector and is the wisest of the three prospectors in the story even though he is not a genius. Huston shows Howard deeper knowing of gold, greed and men perfectly. From first the slightly more obvious time in his entrance scene where he tells everyone of gold, where Huston tells of Howard history setting up the character, to later when Howard knows more than the others about greed. From his first reaction to Dobbs' and Curtin's (Tim Holt) handshake, where Huston through his face shows Howard knows the trust of the men will not stand the test of greed well, to later when he is dealing with the fighting among the prospectors. Huston as Howard always shows a certain wisdom while still showing that his character knows he is not really that smart. He also excels at showing that Howard tries to do the right thing but still is not a good enough man to stand up for what is truly right. Huston does all this without saying a thing he shows it through his face which he without fault makes completely into Howard's face. Huston excels in every one of his scenes, and gives a very effective performance.

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Oskar Homolka in I Remeber Mama

Oskar Homolka recieved his only Oscar nomination for portraying Uncle Chris Halverson in I Remember Mama.

I Remember Mama is a okay film at times about Norwegian immigrants but a little too long, and never that good really.

Oskar Homolka plays Uncle Chris the somewhat wacky Uncle who is related to the main Hanson family of the film. Homolka initially comes into the film as wacky and over the top as possible. He yells all the time, gives over the top expressions and gestures, he is the only cast member from the original play, and it shows. He is almost always too theatrical in his performance, making wide eyed looks, and it never really works all that well. His character is suppose to be loud and a little over the top anyways but Homolka went a little too far with the way he handled a lot of his scenes. He was not particularly believable, and his whole demeanor really does not work. He is not terrible his wackiness works a little bit at times but on a whole it seems false. His last scene though feels a bit a different from the rest of his performance though. He tones down his wackiness and his over the topness for his one last scene. He actually does a good job in giving a heartfelt scene at the very end. He gives a very tender moment where he gives a very honest performance, that works well. The one scene, although is well handled does not really make up for his over the topness of the rest of his performance.

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda

Charles Bickford received his third and final Oscar nomination for playing Black McDonald in Johnny Belinda. 

Charles Bickford plays Black McDonald Belinda's (Jane Wyman) father. Black is a hard working farmer and at first believes her only to be deaf and dumb. He slowly changes his view after Belinda is helped by a caring doctor played by Lew Ayers. Bickford does a better job than I expected him. Black could have easily been portrayed as a one dimensionally harsh father but Bickford does not play him that way. He begins very tough on his daughter but he slowly changes as his daughter gains a greater ability to communicate.

I think Bickford does a good job of showing the change of his character, from to distant to more loving of his daughter even though the script forces him to do it rather quickly. He did do a good job of showing a little of that before she changed although keeping it rather subtle. He does a good job showing concern for her daughter and becoming proud of her. When later he finds out she is pregnant I felt he handled Black's reaction rather well. Of first anger and confusion, but then properly easing into trying to help his daughter. His reactions to when his daughter is giving birth are perfect. He shows his honest fear and care for his daughter. Bickford does a fine job throughout the film and I wish he was actually given a little more to do. Unfortunately Bickford's role kept fairly simple and is not given really enough to do. His transition is to short for Bickford to really do a great job and is only able to deliver a good one due to the short transition time. He is never bad though and is good throughout, but limited by the limits of the character.

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc

Jose Ferrer received his first Oscar nomination for portraying the Dauphin in Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc is a pretty poor telling of the story of Joan, that always seems unrealistic and over the top, and never becomes very interesting or very good.

Ferrer is not in the film for very much of the time but when he is he makes little to no impact. He plays a Dauphin who is a poor ruler in all regards who is incompetent and basically sells out Joan for his own gain. Ferrer shows the Dauphin's incompetence well enough but that is all he does well enough. I will admit he does not seem kingly at all or in charge and he is not suppose to. But Ferrer really does very little to show this except read the lines that say this. He does not really do anything with this performance at all. He adds no depth to his character, he is just the incompetent Dauphin in the script and he adds nothing to the character from there. He leaves everything really to the script never giving little hints to more or adding anything interesting about the character. He is a bit theatrical in his way of speaking yet somehow he is always incredibly dull at the same time. He made no impact on the movie at all and is one of the weakest parts in a movie that is already weak. Ferrer does not give a very interesting or well played film debut. He clearly seemed to be inexperienced in film acting and shows really none of abilities that would be seen in later films, such as his brilliant single scene in Lawrence of Arabia.

Best Supporting Actor 1948

And the Nominees Were:

Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish

Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc

Walter Huston in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda

Oskar Homolka in I Remember Mama

Who do you pick? What do you predict my ranking will be?