Alternate Best Actor 1969: Results

5. Michael Caine in The Italian Job - Caine gives an appropriately charming performance and that's all there really is to it.

Best Scene: Croker is confronted by Mr.Bridger's men.

4. Lino Ventura in Army of Shadows - Ventura gives an effective withdrawn portrayal of a man who's learned to live in the darkness involved in the methods of the French resistance.

Best Scene: The death run. 

3. Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider - Hopper makes the most out of a rather thin role, and benefits from particularly strong chemistry with his co-stars.

Best Scene: The second campfire with George. 

2. Jean Louis Trintignant in Z - Trintignant gives an effective performance by making a very precise impact in his rather strict role.

Best Scene: The magistrate interrogates the main conspirator.

1. William Holden in The Wild Bunch - Well Holden very easily stood out for me as the best of these nominees and the only person I had to think twice about against the top two from the actual nominees. Holden gives a great performance by being uncompromising in his intense depiction of a violent man while managing to find some poignancy within the man's moral code.

Best Scene: The remainder of the bunch celebrating after their "victory".

Overall Rank:

1. Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy
2. Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy 
3. William Holden in The Wild Bunch
4. Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
5. Jean Louis Trintignant in Z
6. Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
7. Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider
8. Peter Fonda in Easy Rider
9. Oliver Reed in The Assassination Bureau
10. Peter Finch in The Red Tent
11. Lino Ventura in Army of Shadows
12. Richard Widmark in Death of a Gunfighter
13. Elliot Gould in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
14. Dirk Bogarde in The Damned
15. James Garner in Support Your Local Sheriff!
16. Michael Caine in The Italian Job
17. Walter Matthau in Cactus Flower
18. Robert Redford in Downhill Racer
19. Michael Sarrazin in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? 
20. Robert Culp in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
21. Woody Allen in Take The Money And Run
22. Steve McQueen in The Reivers
23. Clint Eastwood in Paint Your Wagon
24. James Mason in Age of Consent
25. Richard Burton in Anne of the Thousand Days
26. Mitch Vogel in The Reivers 
27. Peter O'Toole in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
28. Kurt Russell in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
29. John Wayne in True Grit
30. George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
31. Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon 
32. Richard Thomas in Last Summer
33. Bruce Davison in Last Summer
34. Wendell Burton in The Sterile Cuckoo
35. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Hercules in New York

Next Year: 1969 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1969: Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider

Dennis Hopper did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Billy in Easy Rider.

I have to admit I was not the biggest fan of Easy Rider the first time I watched it, and a re-watch did the film no favors. At least one third of the film is just filler of the guys driving through various landscapes on their motorcycles with nothing interesting happening while they do it or how they do it, they just drive. Well there's always a song playing which appeared to be quite the dangerous trend in the late 60's early 70's, that being the pointless montage with a contemporary song. It would be fine if there were only say like two of these scenes, or if they were done in an interesting fashion but they're not. Really I can't even get behind the psychedelic Mardi Gras which is an indulgent as well as terribly dated sequence, and not in a good way. In addition anything involving the local hillbillies is way over the top with the violent ending the film being a very random and pretty cheap way to yell "THE END".

Well although I did not really appreciate Hopper's efforts here as a director or writer how about his performance? Well he plays the simply named Billy the biker buddy of Wyatt (Peter Fonda) who after making a considerable amount of money from a drug deal decides to enjoy their freedom on the open road with their destination being New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The dynamic between the two is simple enough as Wyatt is outgoing and willing to be friendly with those around them Billy is essentially the opposite. Hopper plays the role of Billy as though he has somewhat of a perpetual paranoia in regards to all things. Every outsider from them Hopper effectively shows the nervousness in Billy as the way he seems to constantly be watching them, and becomes particularly intense as well as agitated when they are near their secret stash of money within Wyatt's motorcycle's gas tank. Hopper does a good job of portraying the withdrawn nature of Billy and establishes rather well the way he almost seems to shy away from society.

He is good with Fonda as they do have a certain ease to create the sense of the camaraderie between the two. They handle it in a rather unassuming fashion, but it works rather well. When Jack Nicholson comes in a little later as an alcoholic lawyer he also joins the group rather well. Hopper's interactions with him are well handled as Hopper shows the vulnerability of Billy as he inquires intently why the establishment sort of world sees the like of them as a threat. Of course the film, even in between the long riding scenes, is not exactly the most complex story to begin with, that would be fine if it was consistently compelling but I would argue that it is not. Even the scenes that do settle for dialogue it usually is fairly standard often begin quite to the point. The film never bothers to get into much of anything in relation to the pasts of Billy Wyatt. In addition they only really have one major transition which is after the attack by the locals, and decide to continue in a somewhat questionable way. Even in that way Billy stays fairly consistence staying in his same manner of avoidance, and really Wyatt is the one changed by the event.

To be perfectly honest the part of Billy is pretty paper thin as written as there are no major changes, and what there is from the start is not exactly all that compelling. It is to Hopper's credit that he does manage to do something with the role. He realizes Billy as he is in an effective fashion, and does seem to go further than caricature in his honest reactions as the closed off sort of hippie. The fact that he is able to make Billy come to life at all is a testament to Hopper's talent as he at least makes you feel as though you've gotten to know him and makes him interesting enough thorough the film's story, even if that story is not all that interesting in itself. In terms of problems associated with film I can't say anything against Hopper's work as an actor. He gives a good performance as there is nothing to fault him with what he manages to do with the material he has, and he strikes up some particularly great chemistry with both Fonda and Nicholson. I would not have minded seeing those three as the same characters in frankly a better movie than Easy Rider is.

Alternate Best Actor 1969: Michael Caine in The Italian Job

Michael Caine did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Charlie Croker in The Italian Job.

The Italian Job is an enjoyable enough heist film, although I do feel it could have more fun with the colorful gang aspect. I mean why even have Benny Hill if you're going to barely use him?

Michael Caine plays cockney crook Croker who's just after being released from prison looks to find a new heist. He finds that in the form of the message of a dead man who gives him the plans on how to rip off an armored car in Italy. After some difficulty in convincing the powerful incarcerated mobster Mr. Bridger (Noël Coward) he heads the plan, with a fairly large team, to go through with the complicated plan while avoiding the Italian mafia who are very much opposed to it. This is not exactly the most complex part Michael has ever played as Charlie is just a carefree crook not at all like the ruthless crook he would play just two years later in Get Carter. Caine's performance is really just all about his charm. He's certainly likable enough in his happy go lucky manner as Croker goes about the early steps of the job, and even smiles his way through a beating at the hands of Mr. Bridger's men after he dared to interrupt his time in the bathroom.

Caine has some down moment of sorts when he's just going through the plan which he handles just fine I suppose. There are also the few moments where he interacts with the mafia boss. Caine is commanding enough in these scenes to deliver some intensity to the standoff and in turn deliver a bit gravity though this almost seems like a pointless effort since the mafia ends up factoring very little into the final conclusion of the film. Most of Caine's performance is strictly based around his charisma, and it is not like he even has really a comic presence here so to speak it's more lighthearted than anything else. Caine is charming here though in his usual slight smile Michael Caine sort of way. As charming Caine performances go I would not necessarily call it his best, as I found him more charming in The Man Who Would Be King just for one example, and that film also bothered to give him more to do than this film does. 

The whole third act of the film barely features Caine actually in that the actors barely factor in when the film depicts the heist. It keeps everything really about the images associated with it and there really are not any character moments for most of the final act. Something finally does happen though in the film's literal cliffhanger ending. It's still pretty limited stuff though but Caine certainly delivers his "great idea" line quite enjoyably. It's a fun little moment to end things on and is rather fitting for his performance which is a fun little performance. Considering the film decides to limited Croker's as a character about as much as it can he still manages to to make something out of almost nothing in terms of material. Caine is entertaining with what he does have, and what he does do works for the film's breezy tone. This is a great distance from his best work as an actor though it is a decent enough showcase for his movie star sort of appeal.

Alternate Best Actor 1969: William Holden in The Wild Bunch

William Holden did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Pike Bishop in The Wild Bunch.

The Wild Bunch is an effective film about a group of violent outlaws attempting to find a big score while being hounded by railroad men and losing their place in the increasingly civilized nature of the west.

William Holden is perhaps best known for his portrayals of endearing yet usually somewhat morally questionable or at least sardonic protagonists in films like Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, and The Bridge on the River Kwai. As the head of the group named the Wild Bunch it may seem Pike Bishop might be in a similar vein for Holden. The opening scene though bluntly corrects that false notion as the opening credits are listed as Pike and his crew make their way through a town dressed as soldiers to carefully approach the town's bank. Holden presents Pike as obviously quite determined as his plan seems to being going on through his head as he approaches the target. When he and his men make their move into the bank Holden ends the credits and really opens the film with his vicious delivery of "if they move kill em!" towards one of his men referring to the unlucky individuals stuck in the bank. Holden carries himself with a brutal intensity as in his voice there is the sense of the lack of mercy in the man, and Holden expresses the fact that Pike does not care one iota for the lives of the innocent bystanders.

Holden does not hold back in the opening scene realizing that Pike really is not that rather lovable outlaw that could have been the lead in a western, even in a western of 1969 with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid being very much in that vein. Pike is a hard man and Holden plays him as such. When all hell breaks loose due to an ambush of railroad men accompanied by a former member of the Wild Bunch Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan), the bunch themselves in no way seem concerned about collateral damage. Holden portrays Pike only as a professional in the moment keeping his head with a fierce determination, while in no way expressing much sympathy for all the random people being gun downed in the carnage. Holden brings the remorselessness of a true killer in his performance. Holden does not just simply go along in the action scene but instead always reinforces the nature of Pike through his uncompromising manner. Holden's work matches the violence of director Sam Peckinpah's vision, as he creates Pike Bishop as a man formed by this violence, and as a man who could possibly exist within such a world.

After their bloody escape they have lost more than one man, with one of the men having escaped with them though having been shot in the face while being unable to see. This leaves Pike having to mercy kill the man.  In the moment Holden does not portray it as a great emotional toll on Pike to do this exactly at least in the way one would think. Holden is incredibly effective in the scene as he does not show this as Pike being some sort of psychopath, but rather as very much hardened by his life of doing such things for so long. This is not to say that Holden plays Pike as strictly unemotional in this regard. Holden is excellent in this scene portraying such a searing exasperation in Pike as he has to kill the man. Holden exudes the wear his time as an outlaw on Pike brilliantly as you see in his face years of bloodshed without really anything to show for it. There is a remarkable moment when Pike fails to mount his horse the first time and as he is insulted by his men briefly. Holden's reaction is a perfect as he shows Pike's moment of resignation to frankly being past his prime and having to live with it.

Holden is terrific because he is able to find Pike's particular place in his life as an outlaw. This is essentially summed up after the opening heist where they successfully take the loot and make their escape, though not with rather severe casualties and finding out that all they stole were washers planted in the place of the gold. Holden's performance presents Pike in very much the same way in that his best days are behind him though he's not done yet, after all he still has not been caught. Holden still has the presence and the command in the part making it absolutely believable that Pike is still the leader of the group, and still capable of pulling off a difficult job. At the same time though Holden does bring a whole certain desperation about Pike. He's somewhat pained and Holden suggests that the life is much harder for him than it ever was before. Holden's especially good in his portrayal of the enthusiasm Pike has for the job. Where some of the other members clearly revel in it, there is only ever a temporary glimpse of happiness in Pike, showing that Pike does not necessarily even get much of a thrill out of life anymore. 

Although Pike is an outlaw and really a coldblooded killer technically speaking he is not without a certain code. That code being for his fellow members. There's an honest warmth in the quiet scenes between Pike and his right hand man Dutch (Ernest Borgnine), as they realize the understanding between the two which is even though they live rough lives they are loyal to each other. This creates one thing that does bother Pike in his failures is leaving men behind which is how his old ally Thornton went to jail and came to work for the railroad. Holden brings a surprising poignancy to his silent moments where remembers Thornton and the other people he has left in the past. In the moment Holden brings a genuine sadness in Pike as Holden expresses the way Pike is haunted by these mistakes of the past. Holden finds this as a powerful guilt in Pike throughout, and carefully shows that is something that pains him to his very core since he really is not living up to his personal beliefs. There is one particularly strong moments where Pike defends Thornton which Holden delivers with a considerable passion that seems fueled by his past.

It is really up to Holden to give sense to the final act of the Wild Bunch. They finally have a successful score by helping out a questionable Mexican general, although it leaves one of their own captured although that's entirely his own fault. Holden first is perfect in the scene where they try to celebrate at a brothel nearby and Holden is rather moving actually by showing that Pike still can't find happiness within his accomplishment or even himself. Holden through this makes the final actions of the group convincing as their walk to save their last man is Pike finally truly fulfilling his sense of honor. Holden in the scene shows Pike perhaps at his most determined, and his most assured as he is being a man of his word. Holden really has a very tricky part here given that it would be easy enough to make Pike so despicable that he is too off-putting to watch. What is so compelling about Holden's work is that he no way sugarcoats Pike's character. In portraying his more vicious moments Holden does not compromise showing Pike as the final man he is. Holden is perhaps all the more intriguing in that he is able to create sympathy for Pike through his honest portrait of the man's personal code.

Alternate Best Actor 1969: Lino Ventura in Army of Shadows

Lino Ventura did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Philippe Gerbier in Army of Shadows.

Army of Shadows is a most intriguing film depicting the inner workings of the French resistance during World War II.

Army of Shadows, which incidentally took until 2006 to find a U.S. release even finding itself high up on many critics' top tens that year, takes the approach of narrowly following a few members of the French resistance that operated in the darkness. The primary figure focused upon, although not the only one, is Philippe Gerbier played Ventura. The film opens as he is being sent off to an internment camp for problematic French although a camp that seems almost a safety measure to stop them from being further along to Nazis control. The film at first even seems as though it may be about Phillipe's life in the camp. Ventura plays his role as particularly unassuming as he portrays Phillipe as very much a calculated man who in no way seems fearful of what the camp has to offer. Ventura presents basically Philippe as a man in wait just examining his surroundings and waiting for his chance to escape. Ventura supports properly what his character does as eventually Phillipe takes action which involves fatally stabbing a guard then proceeding to run as fast he can back into the city to hide.

After his successful escape Phillipe first course of action is to work with a few of his fellow resistance members to execute a traitor in their midst. Ventura keeps essentially the same reserve for much of his performance which works in creating the way Phillipe operates as a man. Ventura's whole approach works in that he establishes the manner in which Phillipe deals with the fact that they must resort to rather extreme and shadowy methods to maintain their organization. Ventura expresses through Phillipe as a man who is always somewhat aloof in his manner. It is not that he does not care, but rather Ventura shows that he is basically trained himself to not care. This gives sense to the essentially heartless way he goes about the killing of the man as he and his associates openly discuss the manner in which to kill the man who is well in earshot. Ventura's performance realizes the nature of the man that likely he has realized over some time which is that he never has too much of a connection to anything, which allows him to make the tough decisions required to maintain their resistance.

Although I don't hesitate in anyway to name Ventura as lead, the film does focus on several individuals in the organization sometimes moving with them instead of Phillipe as it examines the various tasks each person must take, and how they react to their responsibility as well as deal with the constant threat of death and torture. The film always comes back to Ventura's Phillipe who acts as a steadfast individual within the group. Ventura always keeps a certain level of cold detachment. It is not even though he acts inhuman, but rather he presents him as a man who very much knows his duty following it without much hesitation. Even when he stays over in London briefly for supplies Ventura still presents Phillipe as determined and staying very much heavy with responsibility. Ventura's quite good though in portraying as the method of still essentially a normal man in a particularly intense situation. Ventura still has some very well handled subtle moments such as his quiet fear when he must reluctantly jump out of a plane to return to France. All of these moments are well momentary as Ventura presents him as fixed in his path.

Ventura's emotional moments are sparse and even then they are all that emotional. Some of the more emotional moments Ventura allows is when he reacts with a great deal of happiness from a surprise visit from the head of the organization, or when he portrays a blunt dismay when one of the most brilliant operators has made a foolish mistake that leaves them all potentially compromised. Ventura snaps in and out even in these cases he still keeps Phillipe only just barely losing his manner. It is interesting in that technically his most volatile scene is when captured and set up with others prisoners to run from gunfire by guards as a sick game, the scene ends up about being unemotional. Ventura stays steadfast, and convincingly so as he almost botches a rescue attempt by bothering to maintain his reserve as he at first refuses to run from the guards. It's an intriguing approach and he allows to be rather believable that Phillipe would barely bat an eye as he organizes the plan to kill one of their very best. It's a good performance which stays strictly with the nature of his constrained character almost wholly without a moment of compromise.

Alternate Best Actor 1969: Jean Louis Trintignant in Z

Jean Louis Trintignant did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning Cannes, for portraying the examining magistrate Christos Sartzetakis.

Z is an excellent political thriller depicting the assassination and investigation into said assassination of a popular leftist.

Jean Louis Trintignant could easily be argued as supporting in the film, and I would not argue that point long considering her only has a brief appearance for about the first third of the film where he is very awkwardly introduced to the entourage of the politician. I'll argue for his placement though simply for the second half where the investigation takes place as it fairly closely stays with the magistrate as he attempts to decipher the facts. Trintignant's role is unique in the film in that he is in no way politically charged unlike the doomed politician and his supporters who are constantly charged with their outrage and philosophy, or the men setting up the assassination who are consistently charged by their passionate hate for what the politician stands for. The magistrate on the other hand has different concerns. This shown early on in the awkward meeting which Trintignant plays as well as he no way expresses support to their anguish, nor does he suggest any malice towards. Trintignant actually does well by showing that the magistrate hardly feels anything towards them.

The magistrate does not pop back in until after the assassination and he is called upon to investigate what the authorities want at first to be deemed an accident. I must say I cared very little for Trintignant's turn as basically the quite observant lead in The Conformist just one year later, although here Trintigant is far more effective in this understated sort of role. Trintignant manages to make himself compelling by conveying the magistrate as someone taking in the information to decipher what exactly happened. Trintignant does well with a strong incisive glare towards everyone who speaks as it is clear the magistrate is not there to take sides but find truths. Trintignant is technically the one character who has an arc in the film although not in the usual manner still. This is not a personal emotional arc that Trintignant presents rather a strictly professional one. Trintignant never shows the magistrate lose his reserve exactly. He keeps himself consistent as a professional above else as the magistrate wants to find out what happened because it is the right thing to do as well as his job, nothing else is needed for him.

The magistrate even begins taking it as an accident, and adjusting statements that claim it otherwise since there is on hard evidence of the assassination at first. Trintignant does well to keep a certain reserve as he expresses both the magistrate particular method of deriving information as well as his personal distance from the case. Trintignant carefully portrays the actual arc of the magistrate because it is technically a somewhat detached transition. What Trintignant does well is create the calculation within the magistrate and is convincing in the gradual way he realizes the magistrate figuring out what happened. When the magistrate starts allowing to be called a murder Trintignant earns it through his subtle though quite honest reactions to every bit of information that is known. Of course it is not merely about deciphering information but also about deriving it himself through his interrogation of some of the culprits. Trintignant is very effective in these scenes as he plays the magistrate always quietly in control of the situation watching for any misstep, and delivers his more incisive remarks with the utmost precision.

Although Tritignant never wholly loses his reserve in the parts he does have a few great moments where he shows what the magistrate is feeling. Of course again Trintignant does not play these again as a political thing, but rather just wholly involving what is right. In fact that is the way the character must be since it is alluded to that the magistrate's personal political views technically skew closer to the villains, and that is what leaves him protected from scrutiny by the officials. One of my favorite moments in his performance is when he gets the brains behind the operation to say the exact same line that all the conspirators say when describing part of the assassination. His slight smile is just perfect as the magistrate does take some satisfaction in knowing he's gotten the one responsible. Trintignant technically had quite a challenge with this part because the magistrate is technically on a whole different wavelength from every other character in the film. Trintignant uses that to his advantage as his work stands out through his intriguing depiction of a man whose sole motivation is justice.

Alternate Best Actor 1969

And the Nominees Were Not:

Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider

Lino Ventura in Army of Shadows

William Holden in The Wild Bunch

Michael Caine in The Italian Job

Jean Louis Trintignant in Z

Best Bond: George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service

George Lazenby was the second man to play James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a great Bond film that is very entertaining and thrilling throughout, and I would say the only thing missing in this one is a devoted Sean Connery in the lead role.

Instead we get George Lazenby a male model who decided that he could replace Connery by dressing up as Bond, and even getting a suit Connery ordered but never picked up. He did not get the job through his acting prowess but instead through his physical abilities. Where each of the actors after Connery each take a different approach in trying to get down to the character of Bond in their own way Lazenby really doesn't. Lazenby's approach, if he really even has one, is to be as unassuming as possible in the role. There is not any method or insight to Bond as a character in his portrayal he basically just plays him as basically just a very standard guy who happens to be a spy rather than super spy James Bond.

The weakest aspect of Lazenby's performance comes from the moments that instantly harken back to Connery's portrayal. This being any scene that requires him to be charming or charismatic. Lazenby just doesn't have in this regard. He comes off as bland more than anything else, and just all together undistinguished something that Bond should not be. A very problematic part of his performance has to be his delivery of the quips. No matter the quality of the quips they all land very poorly and seem awkward because Lazenby's delivery is so flat. There is not anything sly or special about him that really would allow him to make such comments in such a fashion.

He never is convincing as the charmer that Bond should be. His incredible success with women can only be attested to his look with this Bond because the charisma just isn't there. He just never becomes the Bond who owns the screen as Connery had, he's on the screen but most of the time you could care less that he is. The worst parts of his performance are when his acting is tested. One big example of this is when he confronts chief baddie Blofeld played by Telly Savalas. Where Connery went toe to toe with his villains, even with the great Robert Shaw, Lazenby is absolutely wiped away by Savalas in their scenes together, and Savalas is not anywhere near as good as Shaw was.

I think a big testament to his lack of acting ability comes in a long sequence where Bond pretends to be a proper and prim British genealogist and he gets his voice dubbed over the entire time. I mean Robert Shaw switched from that sort of voice back to his intense voice with such ease in From Russia With Love, I guess they should have cast him as Bond (although that might have caused my head to explode by its level of awesomeness). The fact that there was such dubbing for such a long period of time in the film shows that acting was secondary for his Bond, which unfortunately was the wrong idea.

Three scenes stress his acting as Bond here that possibly he could have capitalized on. One he roughly interrogates a woman, but his manner is so soft that his threat to her seems hardly substantial. Another is where M questions his abilities. Lazenby is so unremarkable and even somewhat whiney in Bond's reaction that certainly does not fit Bond who is suppose to be the best spy in the world. Then there is his final scene, which actually handles pretty effectively. He does do it just through the simplicity of his portrayal but he does succeed in making the end of the film pretty moving.

I have been largely negative about his portrayal, but I would not say he is terrible in the role though. Firstly he does end on a high note as I have already mentioned. He is also reasonably fine in the scenes where he does no talking and just sort of interacts with the action scenes. His reactions are fairly astute and believable enough in these the sell them properly. He is not great or anything close to it but in a purely physical fashion he succeeds well enough. Of course this feeds into the idea that he could be just a very average spy but not the one and only James Bond.

He just never has what it takes to truly be James Bond. Lazenby is a few sizes too small to fill Connery's shoes in both natural charisma and acting ability. He doesn't stand out even as a failed Bond due to his inability to even take a stand on Bond as a character. Lazenby only was Bond for one film stemming from an ego he quickly gained as well as becoming apparently a hippie of sorts. His performance, despite having a few good points, never really made it so he really became Bond so it is easy to see why he went on to be the forgotten Bond. Is he the worst Bond though? Well let's keep going shall we.