Best Supporting Actor 1939: Results

5. Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- Harry Carey completely fulfills his role, his role just does not ask much of him.

4. Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste- Donlevy's performance is one dimensional evil just as he should be. I suppose someone could have been truly great in this role, but there is nothing wrong about Donlevy's performance.

3. Brian Aherne in Juarez- Aherne creates the earnestness, as well as his naivety well. He comes quite close to being great by the finale of the film where he gives a rather moving portrait of a good man who simply was in the wrong place.

2. Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- Rains gives a very effective portrait of a corrupt politician. He does this by combining the odd officialism in his cruelty, as well as showing the sadness and regret in the man who at one time was a good man. 

1. Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach- Both of the top two performance are perfect supporting performances that do far more than perfectly support the leads of the film. Mitchell gets my win because he as well gives an amazing portrait of a man. Doc Josiah Boone could have been a stock, or dull character but Mitchell brings him fully to life, and gives a striking performance. A performance that brilliantly combines weakness with strength, humor with sadness.

Deserving Performances:
Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz
Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz
Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Best Supporting Actor 1939: Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste

Brian Donlevy received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Sergeant Markoff in Beau Geste.

Beau Geste tells the story of three brothers who join French Foreign Legion after one of them is believed to have stolen a the prized jewel of the family they were raised in.

Brian Donlevy shows up when the brothers are in the French Foreign Legion, and it is pretty clear exactly who Sergeant Markoff is going to be from the outset. Sergeant Markoff is evil, cruel, and sadistic. He is part of the legion only for his own sick satisfaction as well, as his own personal gain. Donlevy never tries to hide this fact in his performance, and he plays him as completely evil from beginning to end.

Donlevy never tries to act in any other fashion otherwise than the pure bad man heavy fashion. He talks loudly with cruel voice, and always trying to be domineering over the men he mistreats. Donlevy performance really is rather simple and one dimensional, but that really is the character of Markoff. And as that one dimensional evil villain character, Donlevy really is not half bad.

There is not much subtly in this performance that is for sure, but Donlevy does convey the cruelty and sadistic tendencies of Markoff as they should be. This is not an amazing villainous performance by any measure, but Donlevy still is appropriately effective in being evil, you certianly want him to get his comeuppance and his evil is realized well enough. This is not a great performance, but certainly does serve its purpose to the film.

Best Supporting Actor 1939

And the Nominees Were:

Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste

Brian Aherne in Juarez

Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach

Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington