Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1967: Results

5. Peter Finch in Far From the Madding Crowd - Finch gives a striking portrayal of a reserved man whose emotions slowly get the better of him.

Best Scene: Boldwood finally snaps.

4. Alan Bates in Far From the Madding Crowd - Bates gives a quietly charming and most of all honest portrayal of the most genuine character in the story.

Best Scene: Gabriel just before he is about to leave.

3. Terence Stamp in Far From the Madding Crowd - Stamp is exceedingly good at making Frank Troy both a scoundrel and someone its hard not to like.

Best Scene: Troy shows off his swordsmanship.

2. Richard Attenborough in Doctor Dolittle - He's a one scene wonder but what a one scene wonder he is. Although the rest of the film is quite dull Attenborough makes it absolutely delightful for the few minutes he's onscreen.

Best Scene: "I've Never Seen Anything Like It"

1. Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark - Arkin gives an entertaining as well as appropriately chilling performance that contributes to one memorable finale for his film.

Best Scene: Roat requests the doll.

 Overall Rank:

1. Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark
2. Donald Pleasence in Will Penny
3. Terence Stamp in Far From the Madding Crowd
4. Dick Shawn in The Producers
5. Richard Attenborough in Doctor Dolittle
6. Gene Hackman in Bonnie and Clyde
7. Kenneth Mars in The Producers
8. Alan Bates in Far From the Madding Crowd
9. Peter Finch in Far From the Madding Crowd
10. Tom Courtenay in The Night of the Generals
11. Scott Wilson in In The Heat of the Night
12. Martin Sheen in The Incident
13. Tatsuya Nakadai in Samurai Rebellion
14. George Kennedy in Cool Hand Luke
15. Gene Wilder in Bonnie and Clyde 
16. Patrick Magee in Marat/Sade
17. Maximilian Schell in The Deadly Affair
18. Chishū Ryū in Japan's Longest Day
19. Richard Crenna in Wait Until Dark
20. Harry Andrews in The Deadly Affair
21. Alec Guinness in The Comedians
22. Richard Boone in Hombre
23. Anthony Zerbe in Will Penny
24. Hideyo Amamoto in Age of Assassins
25. George Sanders in The Jungle Book
26. Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke
27. Warren Oates in In The Heat of the Night 
28. James Earl Jones in The Comedians  
29. Jason Robards in Hour of the Gun
30. Martin Balsam in Hombre
31. Nigel Green in Tobruk
32. Jeff Corey in In Cold Blood
33. Phil Harris in The Jungle Book
34. Eric Portman in The Whisperers
35. Stanley Baker in Accident
36. Roy Glenn in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
37. Charles Boyer in Barefoot in the Park
38. J. Pat O'Malley in The Jungle Book
39. Louis Sheldon William in In Our Mother's House
40. Michael J. Pollard in Bonnie and Clyde
41. Sebastian Cabot in The Jungle Book
42. Go Kato in Samurai Rebellion
43. George Peppard in Tobruk
44. Francois Perier in Le Samourai 
45. Donald Pleasence in You Only Live Twice 
46. Charles McGraw in In Cold Blood
47. Jason Robards in Divorce American Style
48. Telly Savalas in The Dirty Dozen 
49. Jack Weston in Wait Until Dark
50. Ben Johnson in Will Penny
51. Fredric March in Hombre
52. Ernest Borgnine in The Dirty Dozen 
53. Lee Majors in Will Penny
54. Keenan Wynn in Point Blank
55. Donald Sutherland in The Dirty Dozen  
56. Brock Peters in The Incident
57. Sterling Holloway in The Jungle Book
58. Bruce Dern in Will Penny
59. Peter Lazer in Hombre
60. Mark Lester in In Our Mother's House
61. Takashi Shimura in Japan's Longest Day
62. Christian Roberts in To Sir, With Love
63. Rudy Vallee in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
64. Murray Hamilton in The Graduate 
65. Harry Morgan in The Flim-flam Man
66. Larry Gates in In The Heat of the Night
67. Beau Bridges in The Incident
68. Donald Pleasence in The Night of the Generals
69. Anthony James in In The Heat of the Night
70. Buck Henry in The Graduate 
71. Tony Musante in The Incident
72. Roy Kinnear in The Deadly Affair
73. David Hemmings in Camelot
74. Robert Ryan in Hour of the Gun
75. Jon Gries in Will Penny
76. Christopher Hewett in The Producers
77. Jack Albertson in The Flim-flam Man
78. Charles Gray in The Night of the Generals
79. Charles Bronson in The Dirty Dozen
80. Jack Gilford in The Incident
81. John Cassavetes in The Dirty Dozen 
82. Michael Hordern in The Taming of the Shrew
83. John Vernon in Point Blank
84. Robert Ryan in The Dirty Dozen
85. Peter Ustinov in The Comedians
86. Van Johnson in Divorce American Style
87. Desmond Llewelyn in You Only Live Twice
88. Gary Merrill in The Incident
89. Efrem Zimbalist in Wait Until Dark
90. Michael York in The Taming of the Shrew 
91. Carroll O'Connor in Point Blank
92. Barry Humphries in Bedazzled
93. Jim Brown in The Dirty Dozen
94. William Daniels in Two for the Road
95. Charles Gray in You Only Live Twice
96. Richard Jaeckel in The Dirty Dozen
97. Anthony Teague in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
98. Keenan Wynn in The War Wagon
99. Keir Dullea in The Fox
100. Cecil Kellaway in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
101. William Daniels in The Graduate
102. Peter Bull in Doctor Dolittle 
103. John Forsythe in In Cold Blood
104. Phillipe Noiret in The Night of the Generals
105. Howard Keel in The War Wagon
106. Herb Edelman in Barefoot in the Park
107. Geoffrey Holder in Doctor Dolittle
108. Robert Walker in The War Wagon
109. Tim Matheson in Divorce American Style
110. Albert Salmi in Hour of the Gun
111. Anthony Newley in Doctor Dolittle
112. Laurence Naismith in Camelot
113. William Dix in Doctor Dolittle
114. Sammy Jackson in The Fastest Guitar Alive
115. Denver Pyle in Bonnie and Clyde
116. Franco Nero in Camelot

Next Year: 1977 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1967: Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark

Alan Arkin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Roat in Wait Until Dark.

Wait Until Dark is an effective thriller about three criminals who are trying to find a doll filled with drugs that ended up apparently at the apartment of an unknowing blind woman Susy (Audrey Hepburn).

Although I did give some praise last review to the HFPA for successfully recognizing Richard Attenborough as an actor I sorta have to take that away when referring to this film. Oddly the HFPA did nominate someone for Wait Until Dark but it was not Alan Arkin, nor was it even Richard Crenna as the most sympathetic of the criminals, but rather Efrem Zimbalist who plays Susy's husband Sam. Zimbalist isn't bad really but his role is so unsubstantial that it certainly leaves you scratching your head when thinking about the nomination. I guess Arkin maybe suffered from category confusion, which would is ridiculous, but probably more likely the nature of the role prevented him from being recognized. According to Arkin himself part of the reason he got the role is that few wanted it due to its sinister nature, and that same sinister nature is probably what prevented him from being nominated for any awards.

One more random tidbit before I get on with the review is that Quentin Tarantino played this part in a stage revival that was at the very end of his overexposure, now that might been something really horrifying to watch. Anyway, Alan Arkin plays the man who refers to himself as Roat who is the worst of the three criminals. This made abundantly clear when one of his earliest actions is that he murdered the original drug mule off screen and black mails her associates with her murder to ensure that they work with him to get the doll. Also the visual presentation of the character alone pretty much set stage for the character with his small round sunglasses he often wears, the truly bizarre haircut that Arkin sports, and the way he often suddenly appears entrenched in shadow. With all of that already set up Arkin rather intelligently does not really try to play up the villainy of Roat any more than what is already set up in fact Arkin takes kinda a relaxed approach to the part.

In his first conversation with the other two criminals Arkin rather cleverly commands the scene even though his whole manner as Roat is that of a man who is quite sure of every step of his plan. Arkin's easy going style here is surprisingly effective in creating the callousness of Roat. Arkin rather strangely is able to be quite menacing in this first scene while delivery almost every part of the chat as if he is just having a simple conversation with the men. This is even in the case when Roat tells them that he murdered their old criminal associate since he felt she was trying to cut him out on their business. Arkin brings such a casual sinister quality to the part by making the amoral quality of the man just so naturally a part of him. Arkin shows that Roat does not need to try to be evil rather Roat just innately is evil so no reason to force it out of him. Arkin's curious approach pays off quite well and just from his opening scene you know there is hanging knife over the rest of the characters.

Roat does not strike right away as the men first put on act which they think will force Susy to reveal the doll. Roat plays two parts in this charade the first being Roat Sr. who demands to see Susy's husband angrily and funny enough Arkin kinda does his curmudgeon act that he's probably best known for now. He also plays Roat Jr. which Arkin plays an extremely timid man who is both concerned over his father's outrageous behavior while also being concerned that his wife is having an affair with Susy's husband. Arkin plays these in a slightly absurd fashion and more as caricature than characters, but this absolutely makes sense since Roat is not trying to win an Oscar. Also Susy is suppose to suspect something is up so Arkin slightly off approach is the right one. Arkin is enjoyable in these scenes but he's also quite good in portraying the true Roat in his eyes while he is pretending to be these characters.

The finale of the film ends up being a most unusual battle between Roat and Susy. The knife drops quite effectively as Roat brings out his true nature again as he coldly dispatches his fellow criminals then proceeds to inquire about the doll to Susy. Arkin is quite chilling in this prolonged scene as he brings such a sadistic glee to Roat as he viciously toys with Susy and does not mind boasting about predicting the double cross against him. Arkin makes Roat manner most unnerving such as when he brushes off his claim that he wouldn't hurt Susy by non-nonchalantly stating that he had his fingers crossed. What makes Arkin's performance especially strong though are in the moments when Susy manages to get the upper hand for at least a moment. Arkin is terrific as he plays these moments especially realistically as just a guy frustrated or pained by what happened.

Arkin's is particularly good though in how he shows Roat trying to maintain his attitude as he usually reverts to his usual self once he gets the upper hand back. Well that is until Susy manages to do something that more permanently causes Roat to lose his usual cool. Arkin's is great in the scene as he forgets all about Roat's casual manner and instead is quite terrifying by just showing a man fighting against all sorts of anguish as his rage pulls him forward in a last ditch attempt to kill Susy. Alan Arkin altogether makes Roat one memorable villain for the film. His unusually style in his performance always works in still making him a figure to be feared while having a slight comic edge to the character that works rather nicely. Arkin's performance works as he makes Roat a believable a murderous thug who does not mind enjoying his ill deeds, but most importantly that he still suffers injuries like any real man would.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1967

And the Nominees Were Not:

Alan Arkin in Wait Until Dark

Richard Attenborough in Doctor Dolittle

Alan Bates in Far From the Madding Crowd

Peter Finch in Far From the Madding Crowd 

Terence Stamp in Far From the Madding Crowd

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Alan Arkin in Argo

Alan Arkin received his fourth Oscar nomination for portraying Lester Siegel in Argo.

Argo is an entertaining thriller, even if the facts of the true story are played and many times in a typical movie sort of way, about the CIA using a fake film project as a cover story to get six embassy workers out of Iran. 

Alan Arkin portrays a veteran film producer who CIA operative Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), and make up artist John Chambers go to help create the fake film production. Where the scenes in Iran with the hostages are played very much with a strict uncompromising intensity the scenes that take place in Hollywood are played up for comedic value. Much of the humor comes in form of Alan Arkin as the crusty old producer, and his interactions with various Hollywood types as the three of them try to make the cover story seem strong. Most of Arkin's moments really come in his delivery of the various one liners he is given.

Arkin won his Oscar for playing a crusty old man in Little Miss Sunshine, who also had quite a few one liners. In both films Arkin delivers them in the same way which is always in a unabashed manner. I would say the difference though is in Little Miss Sunshine he always felt a bit cruder, and frankly due to that his deliveries there held a little more of a punch. His line delivery here though is still good as well as he does them in his crusty dead pan fashion. I will not fault Arkin here giving a similar performance to his performance in Little Miss Sunshine since it is completely fitting of the character of Lester Siegel.

What separates Lester Siegel in this film from Edwin Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine is there is considerably less heart here as Lester. There is a very brief scene where he talks about his family to Mendez that is fairly simplistic. Arkin is earnest in the scene, but still it does not make much of an impact unlike Arkin's scenes with Abigail Breslin Little Miss Sunshine. In his Oscar winning turn Arkin made so there was a character who said one liners, whereas here it is more of Alan Arkin showing up to say a few one liners Siegel never really becomes a compelling character on his lonesome.

Now I will say this is a good performance in that when he is on screen he is enjoyable, and lightens up the film nicely. He, Affleck and Goodman have a certain chemistry that works in their scenes together that allows the scenes in making up the phony film appropriately entertaining. Arkin though doesn't steal the film or anything near that. When he is off screen, which is quite often especially in the third act of the film, he really is not missed all that much. Arkin in his performance offers a little bit of humor, and fun, but there is not anything here that is substantial enough to warrant this being recognized as one of the best performances of the year.

Best Supporting Actor 2012

And the Nominees Are:

Alan Arkin in Argo

Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master

Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln

Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook

Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained 

Best Supporting Actor 2006: Results

5. Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls- Murphy throws a great deal of energy into his role, but for me I could never separate this from his earlier comedic performances.

4. Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond- Hounsou is only ever really loud or really quiet, which is acceptable for much of his performance, but when his limits are noticeable they are very noticeable.

3. Mark Wahlberg in The Departed- Wahlberg is enjoyable enough as the loud abrasive police officer, it is not a complex performance but it serves its purpose.

2. Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine- Arkin gives a strong performance that is both consistently humorous, but Arkin also effectively brings a great deal of his heart to his performance.

1. Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children- In a part that could have portrayed in an overly cinematic or stylized fashion, Haley always keeps his portrayal far more effective by playing it truthfully to his character.

Deserving Performances:
Ben Affleck in Hollywoodland
Michael Caine in Children of Men

Best Supporting Actor 2006: Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine

Alan Arkin won his Oscar from his third nomination for portraying Edwin Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine.

Little Miss Sunshine tells the story of a dysfunctional family trying to make its way for the daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) to make it into a children's beauty pageant.

Alan Arkin portrays the crusty old grandfather, who since it is an independent film of this sort is also a Heroine addict. The fact that he is a heroine addict really does not play into his performance, it plays into his character's fate, but Arkin really never portrays this as really all that important of a facet of his character. After all it never even shows the Grandfather after he has used the heroine, it only in fact shows him use it once, and we do not see any after effects. The point of his character really just comes in with him being a crusty old man apt to say one liners, and go off on rather salty tirades when he chooses to.

I must say Alan Arkin is quite good at the role set for him. He appropriately crusty, and actually quite amusing in the way he unabashedly portrays Edwin's various opinions as loudly as possible at times. Arkin is always effective in the role, and does perfectly realize this sort of character quite well. He never apologizes for the character, not once, which makes his performance far more effective than if he tried more visibly to make his character more likable in these moments. Arkin though actually does make Edwin actually fairly endearing, since he always makes it clear that Edwin merely is telling it the way he sees it.

Arkin makes all of Edwin's tirades quite enjoyable actually, as are his quick well timed little reactions or insertions into other conversations. It is an expertly done performance by Arkin actually because he really does play it straight for the most part. Yes he is meant to be humorous, and Arkin brings humor out the performance, but he always presents it through a realistic portrayal of a old man like Edwin. A part like this very easily can seem overwritten if the actor had overplayed the role, but Arkin never overplays Edwin finding just the right tone for him through his whole performance.

Arkin despite giving a largely comedic performance also does find a great deal of heart in his performance actually particularly in regards to Edwin's relationship to his granddaughter Olive. The scenes of Breslin and Arkin together I am sure is what helped both secure their nominations, as their is a surprising degree of warmth in their moments together. Arkin always shows that Edwin genuinely loves his granddaughter and always wants what is the very best for her. Their final scene together as well as when he convinces her to eat the ice cream despite the rather cruel objections of her father (Greg Kinnear), Arkin realizes a honest sweetness that actually is quite moving.

It is actually quite a challenge for Arkin to connect both his scenes of humorous crustiness, and his scenes of Edwin trying to be a good Grandfather and even father. His scene where he tries to encourage his son, is all terrifically handled by Arkin showing that even after all that flak he gives his son he still does love him. Arkin never fails to combine both sides of his character into one single characterization of this man. It would have been very easy to overplay the comedy, and completely forget the heart of his character, but Arkin succeeds in every respect. My only complaint was I wish he was in the entire film, but alas this is still entertaining work from Alan Arkin.

Best Supporting Actor 2006

And the Nominees Were:

Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond

Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls

Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine

Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children

Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

Best Actor 1966: Results

5. Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming- Arkin's performance is not exactly lacking, but besides doing a Russian accent, and making a few slightly humorous reactions there is just not a lot to this performance.

4. Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles- McQueen is simply strange here since in many scenes he has moments of subtle power, as well as a commanding screen presence, at other times he seems strangely unconvincing and stilted.

3. Michael Caine in Alfie- Caine is able to bring the right amount of charm and humor through his performance, while bringing the right depth and reflection to the part as well.

2. Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf- It is a challenging role the Burton fulfills completely giving a performance that combines brutality, with weakness, coldness with humanity, charm while being despicable into one complete and natural performance.

1. Paul Scofield in A Man For All Seasons- Scofield gives a consistently dignified, properly passionate, as well as effective performance.

Deserving Performances:
Eli Wallach in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Best Actor 1966: Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming

Alan Arkin received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Lt. Rozanov in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians are Coming.

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians are Coming tells the story of a Soviet Submarine accidentally landing on a New England Island town, chaos ensues.

Alan Arkin plays one of the Russians in the odd situation. This is a performance that is rather hard to say all that much about because Arkin just does very little in this film.It is not due to a lack of screen time, but rather just the amount of what his character actually does is incredibly little. The main point of his character is he is one of the few level headed characters in the film as everyone else goes crazy.

All that Arkin does is basically run around say how he is looking for a boat to get the submarine out, as well as react in disbelief at the various crazy actions of the town. Arkin is perfectly fine in the role I suppose, his accent is entirely natural enough. His reactions to the various are fine, and slightly humorous I suppose, but not particularly funny still.

There is very little total that can be said about Arkin otherwise than he is fine with the small amounts of requirements in the part, but at the same there is nothing really required of him on a whole. I also do not really think he could have pulled more out of the part than he does, he really is about as good as he could be with so little material to deal with. Arkin is entirely fine, but this nomination really makes no sense.

Best Actor 1966

Well here it is, finally the last year of my Best Actor reviews (well until this year's nominees anyway).

And the Nominees Were:

Michael Caine in Alfie

Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Paul Scofield in A Man for All Seasons

Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles 

Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming

Best Actor 1968: Results

5. Ron Moody in Oliver- Moody gives a very enjoyable performance in Oliver. He really comes off well as Fagin and he handles his songs very well.

4. Cliff Robertson in Charly- I can take or leave Robertson's first half of his performance but his transition phase and final phase of the performance are terrific.

3. Alan Arkin in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter- Arkin gives a heartbreaking portrayal of a man trying to silently make a human connection.

2. Alan Bates in The Fixer- Bates is very effective and gives a truly sympathetic performance. 

1. Peter O'Toole in The Lion in Winter- O'Toole is plainly brilliant as Henry the second.

Best Actor 1968: Alan Arkin in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Alan Arkin received his second best actor nomination for portraying John Singer in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

The Heart is Lonely Hunter is a moving modest film about a deaf mute man moving into a new town and attempting to help the lives of those around him.

Well I am quite certain I have no idea what I was talking about in that original review. In that I seemed to miss the entire intention of Arkin's performance the first time I watched the film. Although the film is on the surface the "different" man helping the "normal" people that is not the simple truth to Arkin's portrayal of John Singer. From the outset of the film he establishes a palatable loneliness that defines his performance, something I somehow did not pick up on the first time around. This is what Arkin uses though to effectively define his character as we see in his earliest scene where he interacts with his fellow mute Spiros. Arkin provides the direct joy just in the act of the interaction but without that moments of interaction Arkin shows that Singer recedes into a certain depression. A voiceless depression of course that Arkin effectively internalizes in his work as such an essential though unfortunate part of the man as well as Arkin's performance. Arkin creates that need necessary to make it convincing that Singer moves a great distance to be closer to Spiros, after he is committed due to his erratic behavior, and Singer begins a new life in that town.

Arkin's establishment of Singer's motivations is pivotal in that he shows that he's neither some otherworldly helper nor is some strange user of people. Arkin finds the right method within his portrayal of Singer's manner when he interacts with the various people he comes across. Singer is always trying to help just about any one who needs it. Arkin doesn't depict this at a saintly distance, even with the lack of speaking, nor does he portray it as any sort of unnatural need from Singer. Instead Arkin depicts the very humble yet deeply humane behavior as Singer's ways of just trying to connect with other people, and share life with them. The is a simple appreciation that Arkin reveals in Singer of just any moment of communication as he reveals Singer being able to enjoy that connection for a moment. When he is not doing so Arkin reveals the man stuck in his unfortunate literal silence, and Arkin offers such poignancy by infusing into Singer's behavior such a honest desire for a bit of human companionship. Arkin never allows himself to be a caricature, or overly saccharine through creating that intense need while never making it off putting either.

Throughout the film Singer does his best to try to help others sometimes he succeeds sometimes he does not. There is something interesting in this though in that Arkin is simultaneous heartwarming and heartbreaking in every single one of his causes. The reason being Arkin does depict that most generous of attitudes with such genuine earnestness as well as so honestly realizes that bit happiness when the people pay him mind. The problem is though even as he helps them the others are often so caught up in their own problems that they still pay little attention to Singer, even when he has helped them. A few of Arkin's reactions are absolutely devastating because he does not depict any hatred or anger as they ignore him, but just that quiet return to somberness as they leave him out of their lives once again. The only guarantee for companionship is with Spiros, but even this Arkin sadly reveals also as still often one sided. What Arkin does throughout his performance, and again I don't know how I did not see it the first time, is set up Singer's downfall by making his sorrow from his loneliness a constant. He shows it being alleviated at times, but never gone. When he loses Spiros, Arkin reveals the man left without even his final safety net expressing the full extent of anguish in his eyes as he looks over his only friend's grave while leaving his final act a terrible inevitability.

Best Actor 1968

And the Nominees were:

Alan Arkin in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Alan Bates in The Fixer

Cliff Robertson in Charly

Ron Moody in Oliver

Peter O'Toole in The Lion in Winter